Safe Sport

[sheskis7]

Is the USA Water Ski Board of Directors trying to grow the sport or help kill it with their decision about Safe Sport? When I first glanced at the head line today I figured it was meant for safety, judges and tournament personnel. But, that's not the case at all. In 2022 anyone over 18 has to take the Safe Sport Course on line, if you want to ski. But, big deal it's free.

[Drago]

My 18 year-old son has to pass SafeSport to compete in ski racing, as he is training and racing with kids under 18. It takes about 12 minutes.

[ALPJr]

Agreed. Similar training and background checks are required in most sports for most adults where there’s interaction with minors . Also a common business practice across most sectors of education, commerce and government.

[skibug]

Eye wash and liability deflection.....that is all it is.

 

[ral]

Two simultaneous threads on the same topic now?

[Drago]

@ral Ha! That's never happened before?

[sheskis7]

This post is not asking how people feel about being told what to do but more about what is happening with AWSA are they really interested in "growing the sport" or do they even care. This isn't about just tournament skiers but about all skiers. How are they trying to make skiing easier for people to get into the sport?

[klindy]

@sheskis7 to be explicitly clear, this action is from the USAWSWS board and NOT the AWSA board. I can assure you that AWSA is very interested in growing the sport.

[sheskis7]

If the AWSA Board did not vote on this, then why is this going to affect AWSA events? How is the sport growing?

[jcamp]

And how does allowing little kids to be molested or abused grow the sport?

 

 

[sheskis7]

Isn't it the parents responsibility to watch over & protect their children, and teach them right from wrong.

[gjohnson]

That doesn’t work out so well when people don’t believe them.

[Drago]

@sheskis7 I think you need to take the course

[Jody_Seal]

Those of you that did not supply their usaws number to this website do not know that there are nearly 4 pages of discussion on this subject on another layer forum. we can encourage John to expand both threads together as this issue alone may determine the success of competitive waterskiings future in the US.

[Broussard]

@sheskis7 AWSA is under the USA Water Ski and Wake Sports umbrella and is subject to any decision made on the USA-WSWS level just like the National Collegiate Water Ski Association, National Show Ski Association, American Kneeboard Association, American Barefoot Club, etc.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

Independent of the issue if the "training" is beneficial or not, is the real problem that it is being forced on the AWSA members with zero input from the AWSA membership or elected leadership.

 

The perception is "shut up and take it, its good for you" from Big Brother USAWS/USOC. And, oh, its also needed for legal protection for the board members.

 

I'm all for protecting our youth, but this it a total cluster F*&! and the absolute wrong way to solve a problem.

[Horton]

@Bruce_Butterfield if the association had given you flowers, a nice dinner and then a back rub would it have been ok?

[Jody_Seal]

@Horton

That was uncalled for!

[Jody_Seal]

This morning as I sleepy wandered around the house my wife asked me what I was doing i said I will let you know when I find it. Walked out to Stephen's truck and seen steveo going work I asked him do you have any extra USOC benefits I can borrow..... he looked at me funny and went to work. Walked back in the house and wife asked what the hell you looking for? Your glasses on are on your head!!! I said no I am looking for my USOC benefits!! You got any i can borrow???

 

Can anyone tell me what USOC has done for any members in the AWSA?

 

 

[Phil]

Whilst we all agree that we need to protect our children from potential predators , i absolutely think that will cause a biggest drop in USA Water Ski Membership they have ever seen ! The non competItive skiers are not going to be bothered whether they are put on a pending membership status ! and will say screw it ! why join at all . We should not be forced into doing this , and agree totally with Bruce Butterfield earlier comment .

 

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@Horton

No its actually way easier than that. All they had to do was make the training voluntary and encourage every member to take it. Full stop. If the training is really as beneficial and informative as others have claimed, word will spread and everyone short of MS will take it and learn something.

 

Its basic human nature - people despise being forced to do anything regardless of the intent. We are already forced to do so many things in today’s society its easy to reach a tipping point.

[ForrestGump]

@Bruce_Butterfield for President of something. Anything.

[sheskis7]

@klindy: In the Safe Sport announcement: 1477 members are already safe sport trained! Where did they come up with this number. If you check in the Officials Directory under USA Safe Sport Trained the Number is under 600?

[klindy]

They came up with that number because that’s what SafeSportt reports back to us. Remember 3-event is only one sport division. The show, barefoot, collie gate and other are all under the same regulation.

[Jody_Seal]

I checked my bank account to see if there were any usoc benefits.... nope!

 

 

 

[RichardDoane]

@Jody_Seal I can’t find any either. Are there still people holding on to that pipe dream ?

[JackQ]

I only see negatives in any association with USOC, are there any non theoretical advantages? Isn't that why we have the crappy website? or the excuse anyway.

 

There is no realistic chance of skiing being added to the Olympics anyway, they dropped wrestling, one of the original sports, not that being a Olympic sport would have benefited 99.98% of the members.

[Horton]

@JackQ this is convoluted and ridiculous but our relationship with USOC is actually linked to our connection to IWWF. If we wish to send our athletes to Pan Am games or the world championships and such we have to be associated with IWWF. Additionally if we as skiers we wish to appear on the world standings list we have to be associated with IWWF. Personally I think it's a huge mistake for us to be subordinate/beholden to IWWF but that is the world we live in now.

[ral]

@Horton , I will bite. What do you mean by “subordinated/beholden by IWWF”?

[Horton]

@ral

It is my understanding that most of the tournament skiing in the world happens in the United States. Most elite skiers regardless of national origin live in the Florida. This is not some nationalistic or jingoistic bias; it is the demographics of the sport. So why is it that USAWS inevitably follows most if not all IWWF rule changes.

 

The new age divisions for kids or new boat speeds for the older female divisions are good examples of USAWS going along with IWWF rule changes even though it might not be the best for USAWS skiers. It is my understanding that these USAWS rules were changed mostly to stay aligned with IWWF. The result is the largest number of skiers ( globally ) were forced to abide by rules that were not created with their best interests in mind.

 

If someone wants to go on rant and explain why I am wrong about this please create a new thread.

 

[ForrestGump]

I posted this in the other thread. but it certainly seems to be relevant here, too.

 

I told a tournament director to go ahead and sign me up for a tournament on may 1. But that meant I would need to renew my USAWS membership after the 5 year lapse. At the same time, I needed to renew my USA Cycling membership. So I just sat here and payed my money to USA Cycling. But I'm having an issue hitting the pay button for my USAWS membership. And I keep asking myself what do I get from USAWS/AWSA? And the answer I keep getting in my head is not much. Maybe I'll hit that button today. Maybe I won't. USA Cycling and USAWS membership is the same amount. But why do I feel like I get less from one and more from the other?