USA-WS Board Approves Bylaws Changes

[Horton]

Source http://www.usawaterski.org/default.asp?Display=1826

 

Membership Alert: At the meeting of the USA Water Ski board of directors on Jan. 26, 2014, the following changes were approved and are being brought to your attention for review per Article XI Amendments, of the USA Water Ski Bylaws.

Added new Section 5 in Article IV

 

ARTICLE IV UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE & INTERNATIONAL WATERSKI AND WAKEBOARD FEDERATION Compliance

 

5. USA Water Ski and its affiliated Sport Disciplines will not tolerate any form of harassment, abuse or misconduct and will uphold a zero tolerance policy, consistent with the United States Olympic Committee Safe Sport initiative. The USA Water Ski SafeSport Program Handbook is an addendum to the USA Water Ski Policies and Procedures Manual.

 

RATIONALE: The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has created a Safe Sport Initiative with the requirement to make every sport environment free of any forms of physical or sexual abuse, harassment, hazing, and inappropriate behaviors by people in authority.

 

The initiative has minimum standards for all of its National Governing Bodies and as a recognized Pan American sport of the USOC, USA Water Sk is joining with them, to follow these standards. A Safe Sport Manual has been prepared and is an Appendix to the USA Water Ski Policies and Procedures Manual.

 

The approved, Revision 8 Jan. 26, 2014 version with the changes in Bold Italics of the USA Water Ski Bylaws (PDF) and the USA Water Ski Policies and Procedures Manual Revision 14 (PDF) are posted on the USA Water Ski website for your review.

 

These changes will become effective on March 26, 2014, unless a referendum is called for per Article XI Amendments of the USA Water Ski Bylaws.

 

– From Jeff Clark, USA Water Ski Bylaws Committee Chairman

[ToddL]

Can we still harass @Horton and @MS?

[Horton]

@ToddL sort of funny but lets not joke in this thread. I hate additional bureaucracy but I think this rule change is good thing.

 

I am very happy that unsavoury behaviour is rarely (if ever) the subject or content of this forum and I plan to keep it that way.

[ToddL]

@Horton, I agree.

[Wish]

Has this been a problem in our sport.? I'm assuming they are just talking about sanctioned events practice or otherwise.

[Horton]

@wish I am not sure what was the driver for this rule change but if there was an incident or incidents I do not want the specifics of any discussed here. That is a pandoras box that I want no part of.

[randy meny]

Why are Olympics and WaterSkiing mentioned in the same sentence???

[MattP]

I think it has to do with USAWS wanting to be able to get more $ for the fed from the USOC/IOC. This year more money from the USOC has been given to add to the prize money for Masters. The greater "team" player USAWS is with the USOC/IOC the better it looks for us and our sport gaining ground.

[sunperch]

It sound like another mandated screening from USAWS.

 

This process includes the investigation and review of various consumer reports and law

enforcement/public records including, but not limited to, the items listed below. Results

are returned on an average of three (3) business days.

 Criminal History Check

 Sex Offender Check

 Social Security Number Check

 Address Checks

 Employment Checks

 Reference Checks

[Horton]

@MattP

I am not sure. I have heard it both ways. In my mind when skiing started doing things to get friendly with the USOC we lost sight of more important goals. As I understand it was the Olympic dream that created USAWS and joined AWSA with knee boarding, barefooting and whatever. No offence to the few barefooters in the world but we have enough issues on our own without combining dysfunctions.

[MattP]

@horton I'm not talking Olympic dream. That boat floated away years ago. The Masters got labeled an Olympic Gold event for 2014 which gave them more prize money. Team player = more money for our athletes.

[Horton]

@MattP Fair enough. More money for the pro skiers is always a good thing

[randy meny]

Get rid of the Olympic dreams and get back to AWSA PERIOD...

 

[Horton]

Perhaps the Olymipc Dream should be another thread.

[jcamp]

The sport is a part of the Olympic movement via the Pan Am Games and Pan American Championships. These rule changes are probably USAWS's need to align their rules with USOC in order to maintain its status as a Pan American national governing body.

 

[ForrestGump]

While I have no issues with the rules, whyin the hell are we still intertwined i with USOC!?!?!?

 

In addition, if the topic was so important, why is USA Waterski not implementing it right now. The fact that it goes into effect in two months rather than immediately speaks volumes. It would appear that we all have two months to sexually harass Horton. Oh wait, that's Muffin 's job.

[jcamp]

@ShaneH we are intertwined with the USOC because of the Pan American Games and Championships.

[Horton]

I said that I did not want specifics.... I will go back on that a little.

 

There was a case or two in the news over the last few years where a ski camp instructor was convicted of inappropriate relations with children. In the news story that I recall the camp was not a USAWS affiliated camp but it was a water ski related incident.

 

The fact is we live in a scary world. I have no issue with USAWS acknowledging and being proactive in the protection of children.

 

I also can't see how it is a bad idea to raise the bar for what "sportsman like conduct" means.

[bdougherty]

As a teacher I am very familiar with statements or by laws like this. Anti-bullying, harassment, hazing etc. is a big deal all over the country. As a teacher in my state i am legally responsible to report any such behaviors, i can be held legally responsible if i fail to do so. Who would have thought that an NFL player would accuse another of bullying? These statements and by laws protect the governing body and are a signs of the times.

[MattP]

Like @bdougherty I am trained in this area and required to report anything to the state. The real world is "a scary place". USAWS is covering everything they can to protect the origination we are apart of. I'm cool with that. Could only take 1 lawsuit to bring it all down.

[ForrestGump]

I agree Matt. But if it's so important to do this, why wait. The fact of the matter is, this measure is largely symbolic. And if it's symbolic, why not enact it now. Or retro it to 1/1/14. To wait until 3/24 diminishes it's importance.

[ForrestGump]

Now, the part I do have an issue with is the part that Sunperch posted:

 

This process includes the investigation and review of various consumer reports and law

enforcement/public records including, but not limited to, the items listed below. Results

are returned on an average of three (3) business days.

 Criminal History Check

 Sex Offender Check

 Social Security Number Check

 Address Checks

 Employment Checks

 Reference Checks

 

I've got no issue with criminal history/sex offender checks for those who are coaching kids. They can kiss flat out kiss my a$$, though, if they think they'll ever get my social security number.

[ToddL]

But if you have been competing long enough, you'll recall that AWSA already had our SSN's...

[BobC17]

First, thanks for being tuned into to what was passed by the USA Water Ski Board of Directors and the sport disciplines. The adoption of the SafeSport initiative is required by the USOC for all Olympic and Pan American sports. Our elite athletes participate in the Pan Am Games, and are eligible for Operation Gold money from that event and the elite world championship event. Without a world championship in 2014, the USOC agreed to let us use the Masters as the Operation Gold event. This is all very positive for our elite U.S. athletes and is one of many reasons why to stay connected to the USOC, regardless of any Olympic inclusion (another topic).

 

The SafeSport initiative has been approved by all 47 NGBs. Each sport was able to adapt the basic requirements to have the program appropriate for their needs. The requirements for other sports are FAR more restrictive than anything we are doing with USA Water Ski. Ours is more of an awareness approach, a strong statement and a process to deal with inappropriate behavior.

 

The SafeSport handbook is available in full on the website to be read by anyone interested in learning more. To diffuse the misunderstanding that the SafeSport Program imposes more regulations, let me provide you with a few details that may clear up any confusion:

1. This document has not created any new requirements; instead, it serves as an educational tool that references existing USA Water Ski policies & procedures to support this public statement.

2. No additional parties are required to go through background screening as a result of this SafeSport Program. Therefore, there is no change here.

3. This program will be replacing the current We Are Safe Program that is required during Instructor/Coaches certification, and those affected will find that it is actually less time consuming than the current program.

 

Additionally, any bylaw change by USA Water Ski must undergo a 60 period where members may object. It doesn't mean that inappropriate behavior is okay for the next 60 days :-)

 

I hope this helps clarify any questions and any misconceptions about these changes. This is a tough subject and is a problem within society, not just within sport. Thank you for continuing to engage in productive conversations.

Bob Crowley, Executive Director USA-WS

 

[RichardDoane]

@BobC17 - welcome to the BOS, and thanks for chiming in, I know I appreciate the fact that HQ is now doing an improved job of keeping an ear to the ground, IMO

[ToddL]

"atta boy" +1

 

It is clear that AWSA is (and has been) trying harder to listen to and respond to its membership's concerns and ideas. There will still be room for improvement; there always is. Keeping its members informed and utilizing electronic media is just an expectation of any organization these days. Communicating in this era is just expected to look like this:

• Post the info on your website on a page with its own direct link. Include a representative image/graphic.
• Use one of many web sites to shrink the link to very few characters (like tinyurl.com, etc.)
• Summarize the info in an email to all affected members and include the link for more information.
• Tweet the subject line and link, including gratuitous hashtags.
• Post the same to facebook using the image graphic to draw in the eye.
• Use the image as an Instagram post with link the same gratuitous hashtags.
• Start a thread on Ball Of Spray, because it is a good place to get the word out to slalom junkies.
• Talk about it in representative meetings
• And if the organization has a print publication, include the info there, too.

 

Don't just publish and wait for people to come find info. Push it out there so that it finds the people where they live and play.

 

That's pretty much what is expected as acceptable communication these days. I can't wait to see where we take AWSA next!

 

@BobC17, @Skident, @jdarwin, @klindy, @The_Krista

[Dusty]

@BobC17 says- "1. This document has not created any new requirements"... My supicious nature leads me to think "not yet"...- and to doubt agendas from outside groups like USOC being generally very beneficial to the membership at large. Are there benefits to USAWS I am unaware of beyond those increased prize monies? What does appear to happen frequently is USOC says jump and NGB's get to bouncing around right away, maybe wasting time and energy better saved for other matters.

 

[rodltg2]

Zero Off has been harrassing me for years now. Finally I can do something about it!

 

sorry couldnt help it. good rule