Junior Development ideas

[RichardDoane]

This season we're going to run a couple of Jr. Development camps for the junior skiers from our area.  I know that there are quite a few BOS members that have been involved with J.D. programs before, plus a few lake owners that post.  I'd like to learn from whatever mistakes have already been made, and hear what thoughts others have about making the program as successfull as possible.  If you have comments and/or opinions please post.  If it's something you don't want to be "public" then use the "whisper" to either richarddoane, or Officer Friendly.  Thanks in advance.

[boarditup]

Here is what we (Placid Waters and the GVSU Ski Team (Grand Valley State University)) are doing:

5-clinic days.  Afternoon and evening session.  30-minutes boat time, up to 2 hours of shore time with qualified instructors.

End of program tournament.  Divide the skiers into teams - mostly by school district.  Compete with point earned according to college rules scoring.  Award individual and team medals.

This is run as Grass Roots events to keep the cost down and make it easy to get the new kids involved.  There are other tournaments that they can participate in as well.  For all of our events, we have wakeboarding, slalom, and wakesurfing.  It is a new take on 3-event.  We are listening to the local community and culture.

The previous method was to have a 4-day camp.  Attendance poor, cost high, parents could not make it happen.  We start up after the traditional vacation season and end before the startup of fall sports. 

Clinic is $25 per session.  Tournament is $40 for multiple events. 

T-shirt included.

This is experimental, but I think it will work.  So far, the response has been encouraging.  The local school districts will put it on their athletic calendars as a club sport.  We will also push it at the Global Invitational, Wakesurfing MI, and the other tournaments.  Action Watersports, the local MC dealer, will also push it at the boat show, calendar, newsletter, and e-mail blasts.

[RichardDoane]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_I-Kt0bXum5I/TBrFipvq-eI/AAAAAAAAAdI/p5aT4TytE9g/s800/SANY0058.JPGFrom Ski Buddies

A huge "atta-boy" to robscholl-OF, for organizing the Washington State Jr. Development weekend, June 5/6th.  They did a great job of breaking in the new Mastercraft Promo boat.  Pictured (from left) are Grace Kienbaum, Garret Nelson, Tomas Scholl, Gunnar Nelson, Alec Charles, Mary Kienbaum, and Cole Dean.  Not pictured are Dax & Boone Tate, whose Mother wouldn't let them go over the Ramp !