Help waterskiing return to it's former glory

[skier2788]

I have seen this on Facebook a few time but was surprised not to see it here. Jennifer Leachman Lapoint has an idea to help waterskiing get some publicity.

 

https://goo.gl/tm5AWN

[ForrestGump]

My initial thought is.......... You can't ask for $100k and say it's confidential.

[skier2788]

She has said that if you want details you can contact her directly.

[RazorRoss3]

Would be interesting to k ow what the idea is for sure. 100k os going I be a difficult mark to hit by May 1 though. Most people who try to give back to the sport do it locally.

[gregy]

If she is really serious she should do a youtube video. Just looking at it from the go fund me it questionable. Putting up a video and saying what she could would give it more credibility. @horton you know anything about this?

[skierjp]

Seems odd, this is not what Go Fund Me is for!

Big Secret, let it out. Maybe someone with money would be able to run with it and make it work. Very suspicious!

[LeonL]

I've seen reports in the media where people raise large amounts of money with Go Fund Me, I also know of a lady who had nothing try to get help for her husband's burial expenses and get only $300. They also keep about 8% + a per transaction fee. I guess it's really Jennifer, but it seems an unusual way to raise capital. Can @lpskier provide some insight?

[bigskieridaho]

I don't get it. Raise money for what?

[Horton]

I know what she's doing and I have agreed to confidentiality. It is safe to say she has an idea for a product or service that she believes will make water skiing more accessible to the masses.

 

 

[LeonL]

I guess that's better than going on Shark Tank.

[unksskis]

Is it to sell more luxury lake front homes?

[Horton]

No

[ALPJr]

Sure is one of the best ambassadors of the sport.

[Skoot1123]

If there is anyone who has a passion for the sport and a competitive drive it would be Jeniffer Leachman-Lapoint. Whatever the idea is I hope it is a huge success!

[skidawg]

what @BoneHead said

[So_I_Ski]

@skidawg and @BoneHead, why can't you ask for confidentiality? NDA's (non disclosure agreements) are commonly used in the business world. Then, if you don't like what you hear from her, you simply don't contribute but you keep a zipped lip. No one should have any problem whatsoever with that because she'd not saying she will only tell you after you give her the money, she's just saying that for whatever the reason, she doesn't want her idea to be public knowledge at this stage.

[bigtex2011]

What do we have to loose. A hundred or two hundred to most of us probably isn't going to change very much in terms of the way we live. Think about all the free web cam tourneys we've all had the luxury of watching. Perhaps this is the beginning of something big. The Lapoint's are stand up people.

 

 

[Kelvin]

@scotchipman you can reach her through a link on the gofundme page.

[lpskier]

Jennifer is a friend of mine, and I've signed a non disclosure agreement, so I know what she is up to. It's an exceptional idea that I think is out of the box and will help get new people into the sport. Because of the nature of patents and copyrights, the idea must remain confidential until the appropriate time. Rest assured this is not a new pro tour or new governing body. It does not compete directly with any existing products.

 

Jen was responsible for inventing the WOW tour which saved women’s skiing when the pro tour dropped the women in 1995. This was a women’s only tour that ran for five years until women were put back with the men. She produced 50 TV shows about women’s skiing without taking a penny for herself or even having a secratary. She was in it for the sport and her sister skiers, not for herself.

 

Jen is a creative entrepreneur. With Fogman Binding Systems, she and Terrence Fogarty brought us the rotatably adjustable bindings that we all use today.

 

Jen's goal is to help the sport by encouraging new skiers. If successful, she will create a source of revenue from this new idea to be funneled back to the sport to produce new TV and Media coverage. Ski clubs will grow; more skis and boats will be sold if she is right about her idea.

 

If you want more details before supporting this idea then you can contact her directly at teamlapoint@gmail.com. If you are not comfortable donating to something while being kept in the dark about the details, that is understandable. This opportunity may not for everyone. This project is for those of us that trust her and want to see the sport change and grow in an exciting new direction.

 

I would encourage you not to discount a good steward of this sport or an Idea that is out of the box and could change how many of us participate in the sport. What do our growth numbers have to lose at this point?

 

Many years ago people (other than the writers of "Star Trek) would not have dreamed that we would ever be able to talk to our friends on video with a computer that we carry in our pocket. Who would have thought even 15 years ago that our ski boats would be satalite controlled while driving through the slalom course? If we discourage every entrepreneur with a new idea, we'd all still be skiing behind a Boston Whaler with a Johnson 40.

 

If you don’t want to help financially, I encourage you to at least be optimistic about this idea rather than just assuming it's been done before or for some selfish reason. It's a great idea and the gal behind it is perhaps water skiing' biggest fan.

[sunvalleylaw]

I am looking into this and believing I will be impressed enough to donate a little something.

[Than_Bogan]

I'll admit I find a no-information request for cash a little odd, but perhaps I am just not with the times (no surprise there!).

 

Nevertheless, I have contacted her to see if there is a meaningful way I could be of help, whether on the invention end or the investor end.

 

ACTUALLY, that failed -- @lpskier I believe you mistyped the email? Presumably there's an "o" in there?

[dchristman]

@Than_Bogan the teamlapint address is probably for a beer drinking team... I think I'll look into that :wink:

[ScottScott]

Unless I missed something, I didn't see Jennifer's name mentioned in the article at all, not until I followed the GoFundMe link did I see her name. I'm sure Horton wouldn't put up anything shady, but it did seem a little odd with all the secrecy, and no name mentioned. I was very skeptical until I saw who it was.

[Wolfeie]

Speaking as a water skier and a snow skier I don't know of one time riding a chair lift that I hear a fellow skier (including snow skiers that compete) comment about needing more racers! I would estimate that about the same percentage of snow skiers compete (race) compared to the percentage of water skiers that compete.....very very low. As Jennifer commented snow skiing has made a come back compared to snow boarding. I would estimate at Mammoth Mountain well over half of the people on the mountain are on skis.

A majority of the racers are kids that LIVE in mountain areas and compete for local teams and schools.

 

Whats my point...I am tired of the belly aching about competing. In our 12+ private lake area of Arvin probably less than 5% of the owners (families) compete. Yet skiing as a

recreational sport is alive and well. Were buying promo boats, buying the latest ski, gloves etc.. Why would I want to leave my lake, which ski's incredible, I have a beautiful SN200, and many friends to ski with. I compete against the myself and buoys every time I put on the ski.

[Ilivetoski]

@Wolfeie But how many of the recreational skiers have a SN200, a relatively new ski, or ski on a private lake (or let alone live on one). Not that the older Nautiques or Malibus aren't good ski boats, but I would think that as far as promo boats and new (especially high end) ski sales come from people competing. The companies have to keep selling product and making a profit to stay in business.

[jjackkrash]

@Ilibvetoski, I have not skied a tourney in a long time. I can't speak for the rest of the non-tourney wallies like me, but I just bought a new SN200, a new 2017 Connelly GT, and new Radar Vapor Bindings. And all new gear for my boy. I don't think anyone in my ski club skis in tourneys either; but we all love getting new gear.

[lpskier]

@Than_Bogan you are right, and the address is corrected. Thanks!

[RazorRoss3]

I would agree with @OB1 here, I think quality equipment ownership is more dependent on frequency of access than competition status. If you ski a lot you are going to want high quality equipment eventually if its on public or private water, course or no course, competition training or just enjoying time on the water. If the top secret idea can succeed in creating greater access it will increase high level equipment sales since people will want to upgrade to skis that match their abilities if they are getting enough water time to make the purchase seem reasonable with their budgets.

[sunvalleylaw]

I communicated with Jennifer, and while maintaining the confidentiality, I think it is a cool idea, and I am in to help. I would love to see it succeed.

[swc5150]

I'm like @jjackkrash Just bought a new Prostar, Vapor LE, Boa gloves, ML slide loop rope and carbon handle...all top-of-the line gear that won't be used to train for any tournaments. I'm on public water, and rarely get to ski a course these days, but I love the sport immensely. I think there are more of us than private lake ballers realize (hope so anyway). I have no clue what JLP is up to, but I wish her luck and success, and will toss in a few bucks.

[jjackkrash]

@swc5150, if you come on out to the PacNW for a visit anytime soon, be sure to look me up--our public course is the bomb.

[sunvalleylaw]

@jjackkrash , can I take you up on that too? You never know. I get over there at least once a year.

 

@swc5150 , I think you would like the idea. If you want to, you can sign the NDA and see what it is about.

[jjackkrash]

@sunvalleylaw absolutely. Send me a pm if you are headed out this way, our site is about 15 miles across the Narrows Bridge from Tacoma.

[dwfrech]

When you see this proposition, it seems like a riddle but that is a normal kind or reaction. I will ask what is the idea as she has. I do understand that J. Leachman has a vast amount of commitment and a career in this sport so sometimes that means, you are an inventor which involves some protection of one's ideas. I get that so I think it's best to just inquire before passing judgment on how the proposal might come across at first impression. The sport could use a boost and if one of its highest level sportswoman is trying to make it happen, it's probably a good idea. As someone else said, what you donate probably won't change your lifestyle so it could be worth it to throw some money in this fund.

[markn]

Is this a "charitable contribution" or an investment opportunity with potential ROI?

[dchristman]

@markn Signing an NDA for a charitable contribution would make no sense.

[lpskier]

Well, no. Jen is not selling a security and is not offering an investment via GoFundMe. That would potentially run afoul of various state and federal statutory and regulatory prohibitions. If you are interested in investing in her idea with an expectation of a return, you should contact her.

[braindamage]

Bump.

 

I just checked and the gofundme total as of today is only $6500.

 

Not sure what happened but she either needs more time or a different approach to raising funds.

[jetpilotg4]

I threw in a few bucks a few weeks ago!