Another example of how the Buckeye Buoy Tour helps grow our sport

ScarletArrow · August 27, 2013

There was a young girl (G2) who normally skis with her family on private lake (no slalom course).

While the rest of the family wakeboards, tubes, and skis on combos - this girl fell in love with slalom skiing.

She tells her dad that she wants to try to a slalom course, but her dad has no idea how to get access to one so he searches Google and finds skiowsa.com.

There he finds a nearby lake (Shortline Shores) where the owner quickly invites him over so he can give the young girl a pull.

She ends up running 5 buoys and is hooked.

The owner of Shortline tells the family about the Buckeye Buoy Tour and how to get involved.

A couple weeks later (this past weekend) the last stop of the BBT was held in at Pleasant Shores in Van Wert, Ohio.

The family showed up and the daughter takes advantage of the novice rule where a skier is able to get a mulligan on their first pass.

She misses her opener and then runs a full pass at 19mph with both gates for a PB on her second pass coming back.

Dad and Mom are beaming on the shore.

On her third pass she picks up 2@21mph and when we finish cruising down the lake and spin the island we give her another opportunity to run the course coming back as an unscored pass.

My daughter (who also skis G2) played with the new skiers younger sister on the trampoline and waterslide all day.

Later, this new G2 skier would get 3 more opportunities to ski - that's right 4 rounds because of the BBT fun format - would run full passes 3 more times and increase her PB to 4@21mph!

She would ultimately take 4th place (because of handicap scoring) and get a medal for being a "first time competitor".

Dad has already bought a portable slalom course from Ed and is talking about buying an inboard to replace his Larson.

I have a hunch we'll be seeing them again next year!

LeonL · August 27, 2013

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the BBT the brainchild of Greg Kuenning? Anyway kudos to the OWSA for such a format.

Fatroll · August 27, 2013

Greg seems to run the show. I did my first ever tournament this year and it was one of the BBT stops. It was cool seeing everyone get a chance to ski from age 6-70 something. I loved skiing behind three different new boats with great drivers at a great site in a friendly atmosphere. I would love to do more but I will definitely do one a year just to BS with other bouy heads. Greg has a great thing going.

boarditup · August 27, 2013

Fanstastic! Kudos to all who supported this family.

GK · August 27, 2013

Yes, I organize the tour and it's been successful thanks to help from a lot of officials, lake owners, and tournament organizers who are willing to try new ideas and formats. We just try to make every event fun and competitive. Also, our sponsors really help give the events a great feel with prizes. Especially D3 skis who donated a Nate Smith autographed Quest for the Tour Slalom Champion.

The 4th round finals this weekend to determine the winner of the tour stop had all skiers running 2 mph below their maximum speed which allowed some people to shorten the rope a little further than normal. It was fun. No, the 4th round was not scored towards AWSA, it was just for fun and EVERY single skier stayed just for fun and a chance to win!

ToddL · August 27, 2013

I run a small ski school at our local ski pond. Many years ago a former Collegiate ski couple brings their young kids to get a lesson. They then brought their kids to our next tournament where we offered Novice ski rounds. They had a blast! Those kids went home to their lake house and told all of the other kids about it. Next few weeks, we had many new faces at the ski school and the subsequent tournaments. Fast forward several years and those kids and their families have lots at ski lakes, have new inboard boats, have bought countless new skis for their now 3-event ski kids, and have invested countless hours in elite skier coaching and ski schools. Oh, and most of them place at our regionals and ski at nationals now.

We offered: access to affordable training/learning and an environment for beginners to compete within their skill level. That's pretty much the key.

This year, our club offered reduce rate ski rides every other Wednesday to skiers who normally do not have access to a course and who are not yet running full passes. It has been a hit and they can't wait to ski in our upcoming novice class at our final tournament of the season.

I applaud any local ski club or site who invests in new skiers by making a small portion of time available to these skiers and by hosting events which allow them to get hooked on competition at an affordable cost.

John Brooks · August 27, 2013

@GK would you be willing to share the details, if you have them documented, of this program? (If it helps I am a former Buckeye Native, now transplanted in the South). I reviewed what is documented in the Ohio Water Ski website, but looking for more details. This sounds like a great program. I can be emailed at Buckeye1nc at windstream dot net. Thank you. Go Bucks.

skiboat38 · August 27, 2013

Good luck in the south, it has been brought up twice at the SR meeting and falls to the Fl bickering about the R tournaments. Greg has done an awesome job in Ohio. Bucks have a team??? Roll Tide!

bkk · August 28, 2013

Ok

BooRadley · August 28, 2013

To echo SA's post - we have lived in 4 states and there is nothing quite like the BBT. Being purely recreational skiiers before, we found it by accident. With three seasons in the book, we are definitely hooked. Also, at most of the tour stops, if not all, there is practice offered the nite before. During one of these practices (also occuring at Shortline). The owner, after seeing my daughter (G1) ski, said there is no reason why she shouldn't be running the course. After some instruction she ran it and then again the next day during the tournament. (In addition to his ski instruction, I hear he is an epic bowler). The point being that any area that loves this sport and is looking at growing it should give a hard look at duplicating this format.

ScarletArrow · August 28, 2013

Karl is an awesome bowler - Link

firkinguy · August 29, 2013

Greg has done a awesome job of putting this together. Prior to the tour starting, you saw the same people at every tournament. We would all show up, wait our turn to ski and go home. It was like groundhog day. The BBT added a new light on what this whole sport originally started as. FUN. Gregs creative ideas brought back some fun that had been missing for years. I think I made every tour stop since it started and have judged and driven in every one. Can be a lot of work but the payoff is worth it. I almost won last weekend but some chick beat me and got the Gold Finfirkin. DRATS! Didn't have the heart to tell her I can make one of those any time I want. Thought that would seen as being a sore loser.............

ohioriverskier · August 29, 2013

Besides the BBT I find its simply amazing how inviting the GK crew is. I'm not sure if they still do, I bet they do, but most private lakes in Ohio host open lake nights. Growing up I was always so discouraged by the private ski clubs. Ever since I was 12 i wanted to join a ski lake. It was impossible to get a hold of lake owners, skiers, etc... Once when I was 16 I drove to two lakes I knew of and was literally chased away by irate skiers because I was trespassing...at both lakes. I just wanted the name of the club or owner so I could contact them to join. At 21 I bought my first inboard yet still couldn't find anyway to ski on a private lake. One day in my late 20s I drove pass the lake GK was skiing on. These guys saw me...stopped skiing, not to drive me away, but to see if I wanted to ski!!! GK has the right stuff to grow the sport!!!