Were you qualified in slalom for the nationals and did not participate?

[Jody_Seal]

This poll is for slalom specialist one event skiers. And looking for some basic response and back ground of non participation. Please feel free to volunteer information not provided in this poll.

At this years Nationals there were a little over 240 slalom only skiers attending. Nearly 60% of qualified skier's did not attend.

[RazorRoss3]

Cost, time, just got a new job so couldn't take PTO.

[The_MS]

I wont attend until a Houston or Dallas venue hosts the event.

[Horton]

just too much time and money for one ride.

 

Bad driving is not my reason but if I went to Nationals and got a driver who was unqualified or did a crap job for some other reason I would literally $h*t myself. I have been boned by officials at Nationals when I was a 3 event skiers and it is inexcusable. Imagine traveling that far and spending that much money only go have a bad ride because of the driver.

[Ilivetoski]

I qualified, but didn't go for a few reasons. 1- at first though I had absolutely no desire to go to Idaho. Now after hearing people's experience there, I would go if it were there next year. 2- that's a lot of time, effort, and money to go up and down 3 times... Even with the free flights I have. 3- absolutely no chance whatsoever of me on the podium. Let's say I pull something out of my ass and get 3@35 (practice PB) in M1 that's not even remotely close to podium. 4- I heard rumors of WPB which is my favorite site I've ever skied and I love the area so I figured if it's true and its there next year, I'll go then for sure.

[Jody_Seal]

Glad to see some comments, hopefully those that are due to other issue will provide insight and info just for the record. Time to take the gloves off and provide accurate and informative info to take back to AWSA leadership. They do read this web site how well they listen goes back on you all to provide feed back.

 

[The_MS]

I also work at a Marine/Power sports dealership and taking a weekend off for Regionals and another for Nats is not easy. If the stars align when Minnesota hosts the MW regional and a city with a big airport and lots of non stop flights hosts Nats, I will go.

[Razorskier1]

Tough to make the time when you have family and other priorities. Seems like an event I won't attend until I'm retired. Until then it competes with too many other priorities for my time and money.

[Orlando76]

I talked to someone who qualified, from Orlando, but didn't attend because they disliked the venue. Typically too windy, too cold, too hard to get to. He was all for it to be in Bakersfield.

[jimbrake]

Spent a week there at regionals with the whole family. Had a great time, but used the rest of my remaining vacation so couldn't go back to nats. Sent my youngest son with another family so he could ski three events. Oldest son wanted to stay home and make some money before going back to college.

[Booze]

Combination of 1)expense and timing with work, 2) it's been an 'off' year for my skiing, meaning I've been kinda struggling...so remote chance of placing. (I've done the 6th and 7th place before)

[LeonL]

Long ago when I skied my first Nationals and the airlines lost my ski, I vowed never to ski anywhere that was too far to drive.

[RichardDoane]

I had a marginal Regionals ride there a couple weeks prior, totally me. Been busy doing other things, so not feeling the high level of confidence needed to justify the cost of another trip.

[Rpc29]

I would have skied nationals but I couldn't get out of a meeting that was the same day as regionals. I actually ended up going to Nationals and not skiing.

[Drago]

With two qualifiers in the family, that's 8-10 nights of hotel rooms and 4 long days of driving. No-can-do. Also my son had school.

To me, it's simple: every awsa president change we're asked to " think out of the box" to help this sport to change. To at least keep our captive audience engaged. Nothing much really happens. I was perusing the results and couldn't believe my eyes-- many divisions with less than 10 skiers :(

[Wish]

How close is it to just being a regionals anyway? As in; if Nats is on West coast, mostly West coast skiers ski it. If East coast..... you get the idea. The US is a big hunk of land. Travel, work, expense....

 

 

[LeonL]

@Wish your point is well taken. This may sound silly, but I'd like to see the Nationals held at the same place every year. At a currently (to,my knowledge) nonexistent site in Missouri, or some geographical central location. As for Regionals, Tuscaloosa isn't that far from Florida, but I counted 8 FL skiers that didn't ski Regionals but went to Nationals. That seems to be a rather large number to have a legitimate excuse to bypass Regionals. Just another gripe.

[John Brooks]

I agree with @LeonL , it would be nice to have a geographically central spot.

 

It also seems like an approach of AWSA having a team to set up and run the event, that a site effectively rent the lakes to AWSA, only be responsible for having the site prepared and not need to be responsible for taking the financial or manpower hit for holding the event.

 

I would be in favor of holding the Nationals in conjunction with some other big event. Similar to how the Malibu Open is a side show in conjunction with various festivals in Milwaukee.

[Wish]

@LeonL wait.. I thought you had to ski in a regionals to even qualify for nationals. How did 8 skiers from FL bypass that rule? There is another thread on this that had some good stuff in it. Some of what is being said here has been posted before.

[Gloersen]

Can't get the time off for both Regionals and Nationals. If States alone sufficed as a prerequisite for Nat's, would have done States, then taken the time off to travel to Idaho.

[Roger]

Both sites too far from home. So, minimum of a grand each (plus time off from work) spent for one round tournaments where I will not podium. Already skied Nationals in the past, so not a bucket list item. I would consider taking the time (from work) and spending the money for one of these, but not both. Forcing us to go to Regionals when we're qualified for Nationals is helping to kill Nationals IMO.

[Marco]

@Wish You can get an exception from skiing in Regionals for various situations. You need to contact your EVP and provide any required documentation, and if accepted, you can still ski Nationals after missing Regionals. I got an exemption because I got injured just before Regionals and couldn't ski, but I ended up not going to Nationals anyway because by the time I could ski again, I wasn't back in form. Here is the verbiage from the rule book:

 

Excuses: A skier who is unable to compete in a Regional Tournament may be

excused from the Regional Tournament provision of Rule 4.02.A for the

following reasons:

1. AWSA Representatives: An individual, officially selected by the AWSA to

represent the Association at an international competition on the same

dates as his Regional Tournament, may be excused. This may be

extended to include not only athletes but judges, scorers, drivers,

delegates, and other officials.

In the case of minors, this may also be extended to include parents or

legal guardians of same.

2. Other Excuses: The EVP may excuse a skier from this requirement if the

skier provides proof, at least 48 hours prior to the start of the Regional

Tournament, that he is confined to a full-facility hospital; is on extended

military service; is on jury duty; is involved in an immediate family

tragedy; or has suffered an injury or illness that precludes him from

participating. The proof provided to the EVP must be sufficient to allow the

EVP to make a fair and objective determination regarding the skier's ability

to ski at the Regional Tournament. If the skier does not provide sufficient

documentation (e.g., hospital admittance form, jury duty notice, etc.)

within the stated time frame, the skier must appear before the EVP at the

Regional Tournament, prior to the skier's scheduled event, at which time

the EVP will make a determination as to the skier's ability to ski in the

tournament. The EVP may excuse a skier for reasons other than those

listed above, and with less than 48 hours notice, under extraordinary

circumstances. Any skier misrepresenting his situation to the EVP shall be

precluded from skiing in the National Tournament for the current year

[jdarwin]

Other=Value. Cost of trip. Time off work. One ride. Possible bad driving. For the cost of one ride at Nationals, I can go on a week long cruise to the Caribbean. As we get older, we spend less on acquiring things and more on experiences. Nationals is no longer much of an experience - not one I am willing to invest $1000+ in..

[Deanoski]

No I did not qualify, I have been to a turny in 2 yrs just no time wife family ect.

 

I think it is silly to have to ski regionals to ski nationals.

 

Regionals should be open to any one that wants to go and nationals is where you should have the top skiers of each group compete.

 

 

 

[MrJones]

I can see making regionals optional, still with qualifying for nats for the top 5. The higher level skiers will mostly come as they want to compete for the title. Lower level skiers may come as it would be their "apex" event for the year with hope of qualifying for nats via placement. The broad middle of the bell curve could skip if they want and spend the saving on tickets to the big show. (Just another option in all of this)

[lpskier]

Can someone explain how the drivers at a Nationals in one region would be worse than a Nationals in another? Aren't the drivers selected among two or three event seniors from all of the regions? The most talked about driver I heard about from Okeeheelee last year (positive comments, that is) was a Midwesterner. Minnesota maybe. Why would Idaho be different? I heard no negative driving comments while I was in Caldwell. #iskiconnelly

[6balls]

Not this year as no tourneys, but many times in the past and never went to nats.

[LeonL]

@Wish exactly! I can understand there being some excuses from Regionals being issued, but 8 seems like a lot. @Marco stated the rule and it's rather strict. It happens a lot when Southern Regionals are in Paducah. Don't understand, but maybe it's a coincidence.

[klindy]

@LeonL and @Wish also remember that Open ranked skiers do not need to ski the Regionals. Not sure how many (if any) of the 8 are Open skiers.

[Wish]

@klindy good point and that may be the reason. Lots of open rated skiers here in FL that prob see no use in traveling to Paducha. I wouldn't if I was an open skier

[Zog]

I went and yes it was expensive and I had to miss work etc, etc. There were only 5 skiers in my M3 division at Regionals. It makes no sense to require me to drive all day one weekend to Regionals just to turn around and jump on a plane to go to Nationals the next week. Regionals was more of a waste of time and money than Nationals by a long shot. My $.02

[ToddL]

I qualified in Tricks. My son did in slalom and tricks. We did not go. Too far, value not there, etc. everything noted above.

 

Plus - high schools start their fall preseason workouts and camps in early-mid August. Matt had to miss a couple of days for SCR Regionals even. Lost out on a tryout as a result.

 

So, for those who have kids in public schools doing UIL sports or music, etc. They are typically required to participate in summer workouts 3 weeks before school starts. This means high school skiers have to choose between skiing nationals and required UIL events.

 

 

[Mateo_Vargas]

I couldn't go because I missed Regionals due to a family vacation the same week. I guess I could of still gone to hang out, watch and take a practice ride everyday. Or get a note from the optometrist saying I had a problem with my eyes because I didn't see myself going to regionals.

[LeonL]

@Wish and @klindy I took open into consideration and didn't count them. Without naming names, half were too old to be open, way too old. Age however is not one of the accepted excuses.

[skidawg]

Booked trip, planned to go, didn't make it due to injury.

[Wish]

@LeonL hmmmm...and wow...

[The_MS]

Good ole boys network

[Texas6]

@skidawg, not the same injury I hope?

[bigtex2011]

Too far. We like the beach. I always regret not going but with 5 in our family and 3 qualified we have to make a vacation combo to keep the troops from busting my chops.

[skidawg]

@Texas6 - my little girl had the accident 3 days before we were scheduled to leave, impaled her thigh on a bike handle bar

[Bdecker]

I might go next year if my kids are in, but it was just too far this year for both nationals and regionals.

[TomD]

I was qualified and did go to the Nationals, but could not ski due to a medical reason.

[LLUSA]

@LeonL I can name five of the 8 from Florida, two had Drs excuses as they have had every Regional outside for Florida for the past 15 years, 3 skied out of region, email me your list, I cant see three more

[LeonL]

I'd have to go back and try to recreate it. It was just something I scribbled out on scratch paper and tossed. I will see if the source data is still available I used the "Registration Status" query sorted by state for both tournaments. I never really intended to make the names public, but of course I would have shared with you privately.

[LeonL]

Source data no longer available. I would have to go through the whole scorebook for both tournaments. Too much effort.

[Edbrazil]

Might be a thought to except Men9, Women9, and older from mandatory Regionals.

[Jody_Seal]

I want to thank those that participated in this poll. I asked our AWSA President to take sometime and read the results and comments. Funny though no one polled picked the sandbag nor poor driver answers.

Thank you all again it did not go unnoticed and has been taken into account for future reference towards the betterment of the sport.

 

@Edbrazil we want to make you M/W 9 and above mandatory times two!!! you all have the stuck back money!! B)

[Gar]

I did not come because I was in the middle of a job change situation.

 

In my past Nats drivers and officials were A1.

 

Better than the taste of the sauce!

[BHarwood]

Midweek regionals/midweek nationals is a tough commitment for time and a lengthy travel distance even though I was in the same region. I believe they should develop more regions to allow for greater participation. (weekend tourney>full week)

[Texas6]

my 13 yo qualified and I would have had I stayed the rest of the weekend at regionals. But knowing both of us barely qualidied, just seems like a lot of time and money for one uncompetitive ride. We agreed next year we will both go