ToddL

I just wanted to offer a possible explanation for the comment "Coach A's method works for this list of successful skiers"... Consider the likelihood that certain skiers who will excel by a particular method eventually associate themselves as students of a coach who excels in teaching that method. I truly believe that a coach can choose an infinite number of ways to describe a particular change for a student to make, but there will be one of those descriptions that "clicks" for that student. Also, as stated above, what the skier thinks he or she is doing (coaching words) and what he or she is actually doing (physical change) are often not the same. Thus, success comes from the actual physical changes which may be a variation of the words used to describe them. For that student, those words make him or her make the correct physical change to generate improvements. The coach's words must match up with student's interpretation to illicit an associated physical change with is perceived as an improvement. When those things are all optimally matched up, we have success. So... Right Words from the Right Coach to the Right Student to get the Right Action to get the Right Result.

At the end of last season, I realized that I was doing everything wrong in my offside turn. This was so bad that I had a poor fin setup to compensate. I finally, decided to go back to recommended fin settings which exposed the poor technique in that turn. The most significant element that fixed the bad habits was where I was looking. For me, I was looking a little down and across course prior to the apex of the turn. Sort of old school, "look to opposite shore to force a more aggressive completion of the turn..." Let's just say that was not working with stock fin settings. When I forced my eyes to look "down course"; OMG, the ski turned on a rail! So for me, the secret sauce was to look "down the line"/at the pylon, etc. during the lean/wake crossing, then through the edge change, look at the next buoy on that turn side (if coming into 1 ball, look at 3 ball, etc.). Maintain this down-course buoy in sight during the completion of the turn. Use peripheral vision to confirm rounding the current buoy. As the ski transitions from turn completion to acceleration and wake crossing, move eyes off that down-course buoy to the pylon/down the line... This one change impacted several things: open/squared shoulders, staying more counter-rotated in the turn, head up/chest up in the turn, smooth transition into the lean/wake crossing out of the turn... I have been playing those initial passes back in my head all winter so as to not lose the learning that happened at the end of last season.

LOL, ShaneH!

I wear the Scarpa bull collar.

Thanks, Joe.

I suspect that this is probably true... Skiers who don't ski tournaments care about skiing for fun Class F skiers care the above plus local event competitive participation Class C skiers care about the above plus AWSA regional/national rankings Class ELR skiers care about all of the above and national or IWSF rankings The one thing that I didn't think worked for INT was their concept of "nationals." Amateur levels compete locally. Class F events are for the locals. The whole grass roots concept is that the local people are given a means to participate locally without the barriers that are appropriate and necessary for regional/national competitions. Thus, the additional officiating, head tax, etc. are all elements of complexity and cost that are appropriate or necessary at a higher level of event. The opportunity is to make the local amateur structure/rules as lean as possible. Minimal officiating, basic liability, relaxed boat approval spec, etc. Consider if, for Class F, you use any formerly approved towboat, with an assistant rated driver and a single assistant judge in the boat, scores documented on paper, local winners/awards at the end of the event, etc. The key is to have the cheapest liability solution for minimal cost to hosts/participants. If we didn't have liability and litigation fears, then anyone could/would host their own "tournament" at the local lake for the local skiers using their own local rules, etc. It would be fun... Heck, I'd like to see class C simplify a bit, too. But that is a different conversation...

I did a small survey of non-competitive slalom skiers a while back. Some basic results: * Most would drive up to 30 miles to be able to ski * Nearly half cited time on the water as a significant factor that prevents them from competing * Significantly more than half listed cost as a factor that prevents them from competing * Nearly all wanted a "mulligan" during each round * Most would want to ski 3-4 passes at minimum per round (muligans included) * Most would be willing to pay about $4-6 per PASS to participate in a tournament If I add all of that up together, I get a Class F event with 4 pass minimum per round and a fee of $16 per round. This is almost like having practice sets at a tournament... I can't predict which would be more attractive: a) 1 warm-up pass - not scored, then tournament set, mulligan; then if still under4 passes max, a 4th one for fun (not scored) to end the set b) Off the dock tournament set, mulligan; then if still under4 passes max, continue skiing for fun (not scored) until the 4 pass max is met Two rounds: Class F round 1 at the conclusion of Class C round 1, then short break (maybe do mini-course skiers), then Class F Rd 2, then continue with Class C Rd 2 $30 for Class F We would need a way to migrate the Class F skiers to Class C after so many tournaments... They can't ride that gravy train forever... Maybe offer first Class C entry to an established Class F skier at a discount ($40) to ease them into the Class C fees... The whole concept is to get them hooked easily, and gently reel them in to competition.

Mirror Pond Swish Lake Tow Line Lake

John, Please don't steal CAWSC's ideas... But seriously, you just described EXACTLY what we do at our Class C tournaments. We take it a step further and include a "mini" course division in the "novice" Class F round. We have been thinking about how to take our solution even further. I have surveyed some local slalom course skiers (most novice or not skiing near their max speed) asking, "Why don't you ski at tournaments and what would it take..." The number one reason why they don't participate is often the money to ski time equation. They seek out solutions where they get to ski for about $4/pass or about $30/set. If you figure out how to match that price point, you will attract more newbies to our sport. The newbies do not have the means from day one to invest in private lake access, etc. etc. Thus, we have to make that access available to them while they are still getting hooked into the concept of skiing in competitions. Once they have experienced that competitive aspect of our sport, they will either be hooked and invest further or they won't. However, if they have no ability to become hooked, how will the sport grow for those who could be the next round of new skiers?

Wow, that bimini top is a nice fit.

Got my new vest. It is a great fit. I can't wait to put it to use!

Skibrain - be sure to keep your head up and shoulders level. Look down course during the pre-lane change through the completion of the action. If you are still having issues, you should try the clincher-style prolocks.

We urge new skiers to switch to "normal" grip at our ski school. Our advice: Hold the top or bottom of the steering wheel in your vehicle with the correct grip. Unfortunately, many of us spend more time at the wheel commuting than we do holding onto the ski handle. So, this grip on the wheel will help speed up the conversion. Note: It's best to do this while in bumper-to bumper traffic or waiting at each red light vs. while navigating that curvy road through the countryside.

My advice is to know the path of the sun at the site - early season, mid season, and late season. Make sure the tower roof extends out towards the east and west sufficiently to shade the officials. I sat in too many towers built so beautifully to shade some patch of grass 20 feet away. Maybe even consider some sort of hinged "awning-like" side wall that can be propped up at varying degrees so as to block the low sun at the beginning and end of the day and raised out of the way during mid day. (something like this but attached to the roof eaves: http://www.awolcontainers.com/images/modifications_hinged_window_cover.jpg)

I would think that in general, it is much harder to force a wakeboard boat to have good slalom wakes, than it is to force a slalom boat to have good wakeboarding wakes... Nautique has the Sport 200 v-drive. Add some agressive ballasts... See also: http://waterskimag.com/features/2008/08/05/the-v-drive-shoppers-guide/

I have been compiling year-end scoring for awards within our Capital Area Water Ski Club. After consuming the data, I was amazed at how significant so many of our club members' skiing has improved recently. CAWSC had 48 active Class C skiers in 2011. More than half of them showed significant improvements over last year.* In slalom: 3 members improved by 3+ passes over last year 7 members improved by 2+ passes over last year 5 members improved by 1+ passes over last year 4 members added slalom as a new event this year In trick: 1 member improved by 2000+ points over last year 5 members improved by 1000+ points over last year 5 members added trick as a new event this year In jump: 1 member improved by 20+ feet over last year 7 members improved by 10+ feet over last year 6 members added jump as a new event this year (*USAWS Data, 2010 Average vs Past 12 Mos Average)

Value = optimal performance at the most affordable price. This usually translates into a used ski that got rave reviews last year...

Something like this?

Videos are no longer public. :(

You really want that "toe cap." There is no advantage to having cramped toes in your liners. My advice: get everything ready before you cook 'em. When they come out of the oven, you want to quickly get them set up and your foot inside and the liner into the boot. Boot, Loosened boot laces, insole ready, etc. Also, I had a 1x2 piece of wood to put under the toe of the boot to create more of an ankle bend position.

My 15 seconds of false fame are up. Thanks to Jay for letting us enjoy the typo for a little while. (Jay and I are not knowingly related. Maybe someday we'll meet and trace family histories... you never know.)

No prob. It was for fun and the forum version did that.

How many people did you teach how to ski for the first time this year? 100+ - I run a successful ski school 50+ - my ski school isn't so successful 20+ - I love to bring new blood into the sport 10+ - I helped out at an event 5+ - My nieces and nephews came for a visit 2 to 4 - I couldn't stand to watch them abuse the skis 1 - Horton needs all the help he can get 0 - I'm too busy trying to learn handle control to teach others

What should Horton's 2012 HairStyle be? The Bieber The Marcus The Kojack The GI Joe The Don King The Mullet The Mohawk The Gumby The Flock of Seagulls The Rat Tail The Plake

B - BIG A - AIRY L - LOCKS L - LIVES O - ONLINE F - FOR H - HOOTCH A - AND I - INTENSE R - RIDES