DonT

So if this is a continuing to emerge trend -  what does the rumor mill say about the Malibu Open?

@Horton @chrislandy  -  not sure if you have access to a HO/Edge system, but the bottom plate has a different profile than the Reflex.  Basically is molded in such a way that the bottom of the boot is "cradled" by the molding -  at the back almost like a heal cup.

taking @buechsr comments in a slightly different direction, as a boomer (ok, I acknowledge that), it used to be that youth athletes were encourage to participate in as many sports as possible - baseball, football, basketball, track, volleyball, etc.  Let youth find what they like from a menu of options.  There were few "elite/club sport" teams that required massive expenditures of money.  I grew up in a baseball world, where it was little league, then on to american legion feeding into HS teams.  Yes American Legion was a bit more money....stay with me here.

Fast forward to now - or when my now mid 20's to 30 YO kids played, there are very few multi sport athletes.  Youth are discouraged in playing multiple sports, but rather focus on one.  Which drives the idea of elite/club teams.  As an example, Soccer players are encouraged to play on club teams through the year, to the point that if you are not playing on a club team, your likelihood of playing varsity soccer is pretty much nil.  This one sport focus manifested itself in our family as I had one son told when he was high school swimming that he wasn't to snow ski, but getting up in the mountains was his way of maintaining mental health.  Fast forward to today and that's still true - as he took his passion for being outdoors to coaching youth as a freeride ski team coach.   

The idea of one sport focus, with accompanying elite/club/travel team membership coupled with the points made above where PE and School sports funding has been transferred to parents, this  price tag for participation in sports (and all HS activities in general) has skyrocketed.  

Rather than introduce another level of government oversight - and the corresponding increase in taxes, fund the entire education system (academics, sports, extra-curricular activities) at reasonable levels offering the opportunities to all socio-economic backgrounds and focus on developing well rounded individuals that can find the sport/activity that suits them - whether it's baseball, band, theater, debate.  Do this at the local level.  Remember, very few youth make it from youth sports e.g. AYSO soccer to the MLS.  

Moving this back to a water skiing discussion, as what I would call a niche sport, local clubs/ski sites need to offer opportunities at the grass roots level to introduce youth to the sport.  Take lover of water and outside beyond tubing - but to a social atmosphere where youth get together and just ski....pull the collegiate experience into earlier years.

Sorry for the long winded soapbox.

can't go wrong at either Rini's, Swiss or Jack Travers place

16 hours ago, Horton said:

@thager oh I'm sure he's here somewhere.

I'm surprised @thager didn't get a panda for that

Horton -  you have probably already thought of this:

I don't pretend to understand the financial model of TWBC, but if we take (granted a small number of viewers) away from the TWBC YouTube feed, does that negatively impact TWBC's financial model, and consequently driving an adverse effect to the viability of their continued broadcasts?  

From what I see on instagram, Jacinta is working pretty hard at the weights to get back to ski conditioning.

you check the water temp of your lake -  when you know it's frozen over

1 minute ago, 101driver said:

@ColeGiacopuzzi good points, could you explain the handle diameter theory please. 

@DonT how much has the bent handle helped ? I have just bought one after seeing @Horton video of the s-line. I don't have tendonitis as such but they do start to get sore.

In previous years - it helped.  This last year it seemed I took a beating, even with the bent handle.  I'd hate to see what a straight handle would have done

6 minutes ago, ColeGiacopuzzi said:

@101driver The back is usually always the effect of something else like you said. I would definitely try to focus on stretching your hip flexors and doing some hip mobility work like others have mentioned. That will help loosen it up. Hips take major abuse in our sport. One thing I always tell people too is work on your core....A LOT. the stronger your core the more it protects your back. Abs recover extremely fast, so you can work them a lot. 

 

@DonT change your handle diameter through the year it will help with the elbows. Go back and forth every few weeks or month depending on how much you ski.

@ColeGiacopuzzi  if my typical handle is a 1.062 -  are you thinking up or down from there?

my focus this year is on hip mobility and strengthening, with the ultimate goal of being able to better get hips to handle.  Tips from flowpoint (e.g. the sofa stretch) have been useful so far.  

The big thing I want to avoid is the tendonitis in my elbow.   been trying a slew of exercises from my PT friend.  Been using a bent handle for a while, but I'm always interested in other ideas.

Thanks...The Source for all that is good in the world....well maybe not all, but a good portion of it.

Camaro heater tops courtesy of @perfski

Thanks Mike for the great service -  received my Camaro gear - now need a few months for the water to turn to change from solid to liquid.

Continuing this discussion for my wife.  Significant disk compression at L1-L2 and L2-L3.  We are taking a conservative approach with injections, decompression, core strength building and non-surgical options.  That all being said, 2 level fusion will probably be in the future.  For those of you that have had similar procedures, the questions become:

1.  While my wife is not into shortline (now)  - what was the overall outcome, time to return, and other outstanding issues?

2.  Would you follow the surgery path again?

3.  Any thoughts on immediate surgery, or putting it off?

I understand that most here are not able to offer qualified medical opinions, but rather we are looking for general experiences.  Quite often when spinal fusion is mentioned, all that is heard are the horror stories.

Thanks in Advance

I believe OS Systems offers this service.  I'm just not sure if they work on suits that aren't of their manufacture.  https://ossystems.com/repair-seals-parts/

2 hours ago, Horton said:

slalom skier complaining about being too tall 🤦‍♂️

I wish I was too tall....it's just that I have short legs and a longer body 🙂

only one request -  tall sizes.  Having a long body, most shirts end up being a belly shirt.  Not a good sight.

While I have no direct knowledge of what occured, my observation is that Freddie recieved his "consequences" at the time of the tournament...he was disqualified from that tournament.  That should be enough.  He should then be allowed to compete in this years event without respect to last year's issues.

To draw a comparision to another sport - baseball, a player may be ejected (disqualified) for arguing an umpires call -  but he doesn't sit out the next game.  In my view, this is very similar.  But, with fewer water ski tournaments compared to baseball games, the consequences are not proportional.

16 hours ago, MitchellM said:

I'm an old guy (58) like you and mostly free ski but just getting into the course.  I love my Carbon V.  Easy up and very stable in all conditions but turns very nicely.  Carbon Omni would be another good choice from what I hear.

+1 on the Carbon Omni - or even the Syndicate Omni

I also love my EVO2 - highly recommend a call to them, Tom will make sure you're in the right size

10 minutes ago, Deanoski said:

I drive by that area all the time and have never seen a coarse 

 

Rosewater in Kalispell  is always an option 

hit me up 

 

heading up there the first weekend in May -  but it might be a bit chilly to bring the water ski, plus we're looking after our grand daughter while her father does the Spartan race.  But we'll be back up there later this summer.

47 minutes ago, jriester33 said:

Any ballers familiar with a course in Frenchtown or up in Seeley Lake area? Thanks! 

I'm following this as I have a son living in Frenchtown and I'll be visiting and could be looking for a pull

@HortonFor those of us bigger guys - think you could fit a 69 and a 67 inch skis together?

On 2/12/2023 at 7:51 AM, lcarnes said:

Beautiful site - and Austin relates coaching in an easy to understand way.  I really wish my son still lived in Asheville.  Makes visiting dual purposed.