Category Archives: Rules & Policies

Spring Prep, AWSA Style

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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

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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.

Continue reading →

New (Free) Jump Program Released

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IWWF approved the software application “Video Tape Measure” to measure jump distances.  Video Tape Measure runs on Windows 10.  It accepts either standard definition or high definition video streams and employs the same concepts as Bob Corson’s Video Jump and Splasheye, so current jump grids can use this new program without any modification to the site.  A minimum screen resolution of 1920×1080 is required but can run on laptops with less screen resolution use it on an HDMI-attached external monitor.  Video Tape Measure includes an easy-to-use personal video recorder if a jump is missed.  One grid is displayed at a time with the ability to switch between four grid setups.  You need to furnish your own video capture device – see the discussion in the built-in manual for which capture devices work well with Video Tape Measure and which ones don’t.  Video tape Measure can be used for 3-event, barefoot, and sit ski jumping.

The program can be downloaded from the TC Resources webpage in the Slalom, Tricks, and Jump Skiing discipline on the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports website.

To download the program directly here: https://www.teamusa.org/-/media/USA_Waterski/Disciplines/3-Event-Water-Skiing/Technical-Controllers-Resources/VTMv1_0_0.zip?la=en&hash=18DE9E1F3486D9B5B9CF024915A88ED19B720DF7

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

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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

News from the AWSA National BOD Meeting

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On January 25th, 2020, Directors and EVPs from all 5 regions, members of the AAC, HNDs and others gathered at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex for our AWSA Winter Meeting. Gordon Hall chaired the meeting which came to order at 8:05 am and went to about 4:30 pm. Full minutes will be posted when available, but here are some highlights.

Organization of Junior Divisions to be consistent with other sports.
AWSA Board passed the final stage of its migration to 2-year youth divisions by implementing B5/G5. The board also voted to make this change retroactive to the previous nationals so that it ties into the previously formed B4/G4 divisions.

So starting today B1/G1 remains under 10, B2/G2 is 10-11, B3/G3 is 12-13, B4/G4 is 14-15 and B5/G5 is 16-17. The programming for this was released today so we would love more testing eyeballs to make sure everyone and their scores are correct. We still have some overall and qualification issues to work out but if anyone sees anything out of the ordinary please let us so we have this 100% accurate before 2020 tourneys begin.

You can find the updated tournament entry form with B5 and G5 HERE

National Junior Team and Regional All Start Teams restructured
See the full report HERE

 

From the USA-WSWS BOD Meeting…

1 – USA-WSWS is requiring a Safe Sport coordinator for AWSA, as well as
coordinators in each region, state, and extend to clubs.

2 – Part of the new annual Center for Safe Sport is visits to our events
by Safe Sport compliance coordinators. This will begin in 2020 in major
events. Possibly AWSA Nationals.

3 – 6/27 – 7/3 will be Get on the Water Week in 2020. USA-WSWS will
waive sanction fees, and any guest membership fees for any sanctioned
basic skills clinics any day(s) this week. Watch for more information
from USA-WSWS. This is a sharelifeonthewater.com initiative. For clubs
wishing to participate the deadline is 3/31/2020.

4 – From the USA-WWFoundation – Tracy Mattes is
confident in completion of the new building by 2022 for water ski’s
centennial celebration year.

2018 Rule Change Summary

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The changes noted below will go into effect for the 2019 ski year beginning the day after AWSA Nationals.  Effective August 12th, 2018.

Summary of 2018 Rule Changes

Rules 3.02A/10.06: W4/W5 Align W4/W5 age divisions with IWWF. W4 will become 45-54 and W5 will become 55-59. No changes in jump speeds are included in this proposal. (Note – these changes would go into effect after 2018 Nationals).

Rationale: There is a two year difference in these divisions between AWSA and IWWF. This change would allow the women to continue to slalom at the faster speed (34mph). Jump speeds were not considered at this time, but will continue to be reviewed.   Continue reading →

Keeping Our Young Folks Safe – Priority #1 – SAFE SPORT TRAINING

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Safety is always a priority at any AWSA event. I’m proud of the great care that our safety directors take in preparing a site and looking out for the safety of everyone. There is another important aspect to keeping our junior athletes safe. That is covered in the USA Water Ski and Wake Sports, Safe Sport Program. The program includes two parts, Safe Sport Training and a Background Check. I recommend that all water ski club members take the Safe Sport Training.  In addition, some AWSA positions REQUIRE that you take the Safe Sport Training and in some cases undergo a Criminal Background Screening.
The information in the training is relevant and can be completed in one evening or spread out over a couple of sittings. I knocked it out in a few hours over a cup of coffee.

The following link provides all of the details and directions for accessing the Safe Sport Training.      2018 ALL SD SAFE SPORT PROGRAM 2-13-2018

If you interact with Jr. athletes in Teams, as an Instructor or a leader in Junior Development, you are likely required to comply.  See the chart here.  Safe Sport Compliance Chart v8

Continue reading →

Officials – Virtual Access to the Mid-Winter Meeting

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If you were unable to make the trip. Please join us on your computer, tablet or smartphone.

AWSA EAST Mid-Winter Meeting 
Sat, Jan 6, 2018 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/231339917 

You can also dial in using your phone. 
United States: +1 (312) 757-3121 

Access Code: 231-339-917

First GoToMeeting? Let’s do a quick system check: https://link.gotomeeting.com/system-check

Winter Meeting Agenda 1/6/2018

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ALL ARE WELCOME at our mid-winter meeting.

Saturday, January 6th, 2018  9 a.m., Embassy Suites Valley Forge Hotel, 888 Chesterbrook Blvd, Wayne, PA 19087.  Please RSVP here.

Click here for the Draft Agenda.  Please feel free to send your comments and let me know now if you have any other business to add.

Finally, I need to plug the Water Skiing Santa Show.  In it’s 32nd year, our VA, DC and MD skiers will take to the frigid water of the Potomac River between Alexandria, VA and our Nations Capital. You can see the show on world-wide news coverage at 1pm sharp Christmas Eve.

Blessings to all for a safe and joyous New Year.

Kind regards,
Jim

Jim Powell
AWSA East EVP
703-395-7891