Spring Prep, AWSA Style

As Spring approaches, I thought it would be nice to put together some resources to help with your planning and preparation for the Best Water Ski Season EVER!

It’s never to early to tune up that body for water ski season. Find great information and tips on the USA Water Ski website, like THIS ONE.

Plan for some water ski coaching. Take a trip to the region’s best water ski coaching and training getaway. Corey Vaughn has created an amazing ski school at the Bum Pass Water Ski Club. Check out his blog and schedule a session HERE.
A bit further south in North Carolina you’ll find another haven for water ski coaching at Coble Water Ski Camp. April Coble and Chris Eller run a fantastic operation. More info HERE

Check HERE for tournament listings so you can plan your weekends and potential travel.  New tournaments are added all the time, so check back periodically for updates.

The Gordon Hall Celebration is set for May 22/23.  More information HERE

The Eastern Regional Tournament will be hosted by the Old Farm Skiers in Avon, CT on July 22 – 25 this year.  With the new slalom course and jump surface, they’re set to have an incredible tournament.  Make your plans now!  Site information available HERE

The Goode AWSA National Championships will be held August 8 – 14 at Waters Edge in Wilmington Ill. I hope to see many of you out there. I will be Chief Announcer at Nationals this year and I don’t want to have to make up stories about you. So PLEASE update your Bio. Fill in the login search and you can update your bio now. Do it now.

The new AWSA and IWWF Rule Books are now out.  Be sure to check them out.  Some of the rules that used to be in the AWSA book now reference the IWWF book, so if you’re an official especially, you’ll want to download and print both.  A summary of AWSA changes is available HERE

All tournament hosts, officials and coaches, please remember to update your Safe Sport Certification, HERE’s all you need to know.

Be sure to check both the AWSA East Facebook and AWSAEAST.org site for updates as well.

AWSA Eastern Region Update from the EVP

Let’s Kick-Off 2021 with a Refreshed, Renewed Spirit!

Your Eastern Region (ER) National Directors, Ralph Hall, Doug Robbins and John Wilkins along with me your EVP, all attended the AWSA Board of Directors Winter Meeting this past weekend.  Some great ideas and important decisions were made to help shape our sport and the American Water Ski Association.

AWSA Website
The Board indicated that they were in favor of the Executive Committee proposed creation of an independent website that presents AWSA, Slalom, Tricks and Jump skiing in a more accessible and attractive format.  The hope is to provide a more welcoming introduction to our sport and provide the information that our skiers are looking for.  This is not an attempt to break away from USA WSWS, but a more focused site that can include more AWSA centered information with less digging.   Jeff will request bids and hopes to use the www.skiawsa.com URL.

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Officials Nominations for 2021 AWSA Eastern Regionals and AWSA Nationals

Please Submit Nominations for Regionals or Nationals officials prior to January 7th, 2021.

We will be voting at the AWSA Eastern Region Winter Meeting being held on January 9th, 2021.  The meeting will begin at 9am and will be completely Virtual via the USA Water Ski and Wake Sports, Goto Meeting.  More Details can be found HERE

Submit your NOMINATIONS below.

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Regionals Participation Excused for Those Affected by Travel Ban

First I would like to thank all those that made the Eastern Regional AWSA Tournament possible. Thanks to all of the officials and especially the Avon Old Farm Skiers for doing such a great job hosting the event.

For those skiers who were unable to attend Regionals due to the Connecticut travel restrictions, you may still be able to attend the 2020 National Water Ski Championships. If you are otherwise qualified and wish to participate at Nationals and were coming from a state on the CT “hot list”, please contact Jim Powell, Eastern Region EVP.


Junior Development Update – Regionals/Nationals 2020

EAST REGION ALL STARS
Members of the 2020 All Star Team for the East are:
Jake Abelson
Samantha Hill
Brody Keller
Sage Pottbecker
Evan Robbins
Ty Robbins

Alternate: TBD

Congratulations to these juniors for being selected to the highest honor for Eastern Region Juniors.  This All Star Team will represent the East against teams from the other 4 regions at the 2020 Junior All Star Championships, taking place during the 2020 Goode National Championships.  Best of luck to them, and to all of our juniors heading down to Louisiana for Nationals!

2020 MOST IMPROVED AWARDS
Congratulations to the Juniors earning the East’s Most Improved Awards for 2020.

B1 – Slalom, Brandau Turner; Trick, Brodie Dann: Overall, Leland Carpenter
B2 – Slalom and Trick, Aaron Bartlett; Jump and Overall, Ty Robbins
B3 – Slalom, Marley Griffen; Trick, Jump and Overall, Jake Abelson
B4 – Slalom and Overall, Robbie Craig; Trick, Victor Moisan; Jump, James Kokernak
B5 – Slalom, Dylan Trask; Trick, Evan Robbins; Jump and Overall Collin Frucci

G1 – Slalom, Addy Byrne; Trick, Alexia Abelson; Overall Isabela Dann
G2 – Slalom and Trick, Audrey Abelson
G3 – Slalom Jump and Overall, Ava Cole; Trick, Alessi Keira
G4 – Slalom Jump and Overall, Samantha Hill; Trick Allison Nichols
G5 – Slalom and Jump, Kelly Hill; Trick and Overall, Sage Pottbecker

JUNIORS PARTY at 2020 GOODE WATER SKI NATIONALS
The Juniors Party at Nationals will be held at The Pool at Bennett’s on Thursday, August 6 at 6pm. There will be chicken dinner, pool access, DJ and a photo booth.

Date: Thursday, August 6, 2020
Time: 6pm
Location: The Pool at Bennett’s
18605 Barnett Rd
Zachary, LA 70791

The deadline for ticket sales is Tuesday, August 4

Link to buy tickets is below. Tickets are $15.

https://www.awsasouthcentral.com/nationals-jd-party-and-awards


EASTERN REGION JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT TEAM 2021
The Eastern Region Junior Development Team is made up of the juniors who skied in Regionals and/or Nationals of the previous year. In 2020, due to the current health crisis our nation is facing, as well as related travel restrictions, many of our juniors were unable to attend Regionals. All juniors that attended Eastern Regionals will be included in the 2021 Eastern Region Junior Development Team. In addition, juniors that were qualified to ski Regionals may request to be included on the team by notifying the Junior Development Committee. In addition, the Junior Development Committee is requesting juniors to send in a photo to be included in the Juniors section of the 2021 Eastern Regional Guide.

Photos for the Juniors section of the 2021 Eastern Regional Guide should be emailed or texted to TG Powell, Junior Development Committee at

tg.powell@gmail.com
or
703-395-7499

Rules Interpretation Alert for Masters Division

For those heading to Regionals and Nationals, please note:

The Rules Committee has made an Interpretation regarding 3.03F3 and F4

Interpretation: A skier who is Open qualified but also 35+ may ski for Overall in the Masters Division, if overall Masters qualified, as an age division skier as defined in Rule 3.03F3 and F4. This Interpretation applies ONLY to the Masters Division.

Webcast of 2020 GOODE Nationals

Help make the 2020 Nationals more visible than ever. We want to share our sport with the world and let those who are unable to travel see their friends and family compete.

* two separate webcasts
* 3 cameras per lake plus
* stream to Youtube
* two announcers
* seated at the brand new announcer desk

Check out the Go Fund Me, setup by AWSA President Jeff Surdej.
Find Out More and Contribute Here

More News from AWSA and a Video Message from Jeff Surdej

AWSA Update via video
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Here are links referenced in the video
Grassroots events reimbursement form
Basic Skills, Grassroots, Ski League Reimbursement Form

Use this form to submit a request to be reimbursed for your sanction fees and first-time participates of any of …

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Nationals Attendance Survey

2020 GOODE Nationals Attendance Survey

2020 GOODE Nationals Attendance Survey

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

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Jr US Open Registration
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AWSA Social Distancing Guidelines

Social Distancing Guidelines For AWSA Events

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35 Plus worlds survey (I misspoke on this in video, the survey is voting on how to handle the age groups)

Highlight on Updates from AWSA and USA Water Ski and Wake Sports

USA-WSWS ‘Return To Play’ Announcement

The following link includes links to “Return To Play” Guidelines, FAQ’s, and AWSA Recommendations for Tournament Hosts.
Read more here

Bennett’s To Host 2020 GOODE Nationals

This past weekend, the AWSA Board voted to approve a bid from Bennett’s to host the 2020 GOODE Water Ski Nationals.
Read more here

Keep up with all of the quickly changing news and information at  usawaterski.org