AWSA Team Skiing is approved

[Horton]

Jeff Surdej shared this with me today

 

At the recent board meeting the AWSA board passed team skiing, an idea created out of the special interest group committee. This is very exciting stuff and we look forward to how this format might spark interest at all levels of skiing and spark attendance at regionals and nationals.

 

Team Skiing has proven to be a format that attracts new skiers and retains current skiers, both show skiing and college skiing are the only sport divisions with growth over the last 5 years which is quite an accomplish considering the waterski recession we seem to be in.

 

So let's give team skiing a try in AWSA. Anyone who has attended international 3 event tournaments knows how exciting the team aspect is and it's built within great individual competition so they mesh quite nicely.

 

Here's out it works.

 

Each region will be deciding how many teams they will designate in their region to compete at Regionals. The Midwest is sending 1 team per state with Iowa/Nebraska combined into one. The southern region is sending one team per state. The west is sending 1 team per what they call areas for a total of 9 teams. The East is making the following 7 teams: 1-CT, 2-MA, 3-NY, 4-PA, 5-VA, 6-DC/DE/MD, 7-VT/NH/ME/RI/NJ. And South central is still deciding on their teams.

 

Each region has a regional team commissioner in charge of organizing this. West -Owen Fletcher, MW-Jeff Surdej, S-Bob Schouten, E-Hutch Haines, and SC-Keith Lindemulder.

 

Each commissioner or EVP should then designate a team captain per team, could be the state council person or anyone else.

 

Each team is then made up of 5 junior skiers (B1-3,G1-3), 5 men skiers (M1-M12), and 5 womens skiers (W1-W12). And all 3 events. So if you had all single event specialist your team could be as big as 45 members, if you have all 3 eventers it could be as small as 15.

 

Each region and/or state can decide how they want to form their team, they could use state championships scores (increase state participation) or rankings scores (increase overall participation) or arm wrestling, its up to them, this is not regulated by AWSA.

 

Team skiers will ski in their regular age divisions as normal, the top 4 scores of the 5 team skiers from each of the above groups, juniors, men, women will count towards team scores.

 

Scoring is based on NOPS, but what we call placement NOPS, this evens out the playing field tremendously. In fact Virginia with half a trick and jump team would have placed 5th at last year Nationals. So placement NOPS means we take all the skiers divisions NOPS and give 10 points per placement. Lets take the west region with 9 teams, at most they will have 45 junior slalom skiers, so first place (skier with the most NOPS) is worth 45X10=450. 2nd is 440 and so on. This still promotes the best skiers but does not make it a blow out.

 

The top team from each region will go on to compete at nationals. There are no qualifications needed to ski regionals or nationals if you are on a team, so if you need to recruit someone to fill your team there is no need to worry if they are not level 8, in fact this is really the only way this format will succeed. The goal is to make teams go out and recruit skiers or have skiers do events they normally do not do. (Indiana I suggest getting Nate Smith over the ramp). Some have asked why do'n;t we make one super region team....the answer is that doing so will not promote any growth in our sport. Ideally down the road I hope to see more teams per state so we grow. I could see Florida with a Florida central, Southern Florida, and Pan handle team. If we grow enough we start having club teams, etc, etc.

 

So we need to promote this like no other, Any question talk to your regional team commissioner. And let the trash talking begin. Prizes and team trophies will be given out at both regionals and nationals.

[FWinter]

In my eyes, Jeff Surdej can do no wrong but "anyone who has attended international 3 event tournaments knows how exciting the team aspect is"? I have slept through many an international 3 event tournament and I was more comatose than interested. Maybe it's because brits can't trick or because I only understand lefts and rights. Collegiate skiing is wonderful though. Hope this works. Jeff knows the score.

[ToddL]

Innocent question - will there be alternates? What if a winning regional team contains a junior who can't participate in nationals due to school commitments, or whatever?

[EricKelley]

I think this will be fun. Is it going to radically change things, no. Time to dust off the jumpers and trick. Florida has to go in as the Preseason number 1. Don't know why any team who qualified via performances couldn't compete at the Nationals though.

[RazorRoss3]

Great idea, I hope it works because collegiate skiing has something right with the team format because it means that someone who has never skied before can still contribute.

[klindy]

@ToddL any substitutions can be made by the EVP. However it's discouraged. Skiers selected for the teams should be able to commit to skiing both the regionals and nationals. Substitutions should be for injuries or other unforeseen emergencies. Of course the that wins the regionals and competes at the nationals can just ski a skier short too. The only requirement for a substitution is that the skier participated in the regionals.

 

One of the primary goals with this plan is to encourage folks to participate who may have dropped out of sight for a few years. Or encourage new people to participate. Either way the mechanism to cause that to happen is a team competition (competition being the operative word). We'll test it this year and adjust as needed. Personally I think it can be a lot of fun!

[unksskis]

There is a major lack of women skiers, let alone 3 event skiers, at least around me. I feel that will be the biggest crutch/detriment from this catching on.

[Horton]

I 100% applaud this idea. Is is going to revolutionize tournament skiing? I do not know but it is creative thinking and doing the same thing year after year is clearly not the right path forward. I sincerely hope the Ballers will approach this with an open mind and give it an enthusiastic try.

[unksskis]

I agree, I'm fully on board, I am only voicing constructive criticism knowing what I will be facing in putting together a team. Number of teams may be limited to who can get the few women jumpers in the Region. Maybe suggest lowering the requirement in jump.

[Bill22]

(even though I don't ski at regionals or Nat. this sounds fun!) If I was trying to build a team in an area with low participation. The first place I would look for team members would be to the moms of the top junior skiers. Mom and dad are going to be at Regionals and Nationals already.

 

I can hear jr. now, "come on mom, it's just a little ramp"! Seriously though, you know 1/2 or more of those moms can slalom.

 

[klindy]

There is a major lack of women skiers. Filling a team completely will be a challenge. That said, that's the goal - to encourage MORE people to participate. The scoring system keeps things competitive and means that minimal scores (in any event) means team points. Recruiting skiers to fill a team will be a key for sure!

[RazorRoss3]

I think you are overlooking the enormous graduating class collegiate skiing kicks out on an annual basis. Large number of men's and women's skiers with 3 event experience who in many cases stop skiing from lack of access to the sport. Which is why collegiate is growing but AWSA regular membership is not. Just need to recruit these young skiers out of college (or in college since the seasons don't overlap). That will round out your teams and keep young blood in the sport after college.

[skiboat38]

Sounds fun....however @ Eric Kelley dusting off the jumpers should not be an option for you! Does Danita know this? Do I need to tell her?

[EricKelley]

Danita knows I'm not too smart. Why don't you put your sticks back on and show everyone how not to jump. The way I'd figure it we would be battling for the 5th jump slot in KY if we can get the cruises creek crew flying at the regionals.

[skiboat38]

Unless drinking and tubing...I will never go over that thing again.............

[GK]

It's also important to note that you do NOT need to be qualified for regionals OR nationals to be part of your team. So if you need to recruit some women or juniors to fill out your team, they do not need to be qualified for Regionals.

[Drago]

So, if I'm on a team that gets to Nationals, I don't have to go to Regionals, correct? And I compete on my age division at Nationals?

[jcamp]

@Drago You do have to ski at regionals. You just don't have to be qualified to ski at regionals or nationals IF you are on a team. Yes, you would compete in your age division.

[ntx]

@drago, The way a team gets to nationals, is thru winning your regionals. There will only be five teams at nationals. One from each region.