Renowned three-event water skier Alex Lauretano was honored with an Award of Distinction last night during the 2024 USA-WSWS Foundation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Barefooter Elaine Heller-Fatla was the sole inductee into the Hall of Fame at the ceremony held on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven, Florida. Additionally, Joe Knapp, Jason Lee, Dennis Longo, and Dusty Schulz were recipients of the Award of Distinction.
Having grown up on a lake in Connecticut, Alex Lauretano’s love for water skiing started at an early age. But frozen winters made it difficult to train and compete on the world stage. Alex moved to central Florida at the age of 16 to train and finish high school.
Two years later, she was competing on the pro circuit and setting records. Alex is a former Open Women national slalom, tricks, jump and overall champion, Pan American Water Ski Championships overall champion, Collegiate tricks and jump champion, and a past member of the U.S. Elite Water Ski Team. She was the 2015 AWSA Jumper of the Year and recipient of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports’ “That’s Incredible Award.” Her jumping is indeed incredible. She set the Open Women national jump record of 184 feet in 2013 and set a new record three years later at 188 feet that still stands today.
Aside from focusing on her training and career, she reached out in many other ways to advance the sport of water skiing and women in professional sports. She is a member of multiple standing committees for USA Waterski & Wake Sports and has been the Athletes’ Advisory Council chairwoman since 2013.
Alex was a charter member of Girls That Fly, an organization of the top women water ski jumpers in the world formed in 2011. Girls That Fly highlights and promotes worldwide jump events for women and establishes parity for women in areas such as prize money, publicity, and event equality.
Read more about the other award recipients at USA Waterski
Bakersfield, Calif. (KBAK/FOX58) — More than 500 of the nation’s top water ski athletes will head to the Ski West Village in Arvin, for the Goode Water Ski National Championships in August.
The Ski West Village last held the event in 2007, which marked the last time the competition was held in California.
Athletes will compete in multiple events including slalom, tricks, jump, and overall.
The Ski West Village is located at 28311 Millux Road, Arvin, California 93203.
On July 2, 1922, history was changed when Ralph Samuelson became the first person to successfully water ski. USA Water Ski & Wake Sports is honoring the birth of our sport this summer by offering everyone the chance to learn to ski all summer long.
USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, along with our affiliated ski clubs across the country, will host free learn to ski events June 1-August 31, 2024. USA Water Ski & Wake Sports recognizes that financial limitations often hinder participation in towed water sports and Get on the Water was designed to provide a fun, non-intimidating environment in which participants can learn to water ski for free.
Presented by Radar Skis, Get on the Water is a coast-to-coast initiative, waiving all sanctioning fees and guest membership fees for USA Water Ski & Wake Sports affiliated clubs that host basic skills learn to ski events through Aug. 31, 2024, providing clubs with a national platform, the opportunity to connect with their community, and the ability to better reach those who might not otherwise be able to participate.
The clinics are open to anyone who would like to learn to ski. Participants do not need any prior water-skiing experience to participate. The ability to swim is recommended but not required (each participant will wear a life vest).
In many ways, Kevin Michael embodies what is great about the sport of water skiing. A laid-back Midwesterner with a penchant for cracking jokes and flashing smiles, his passion ignites when the conversation turns to the lake. Whether it’s slalom, wakeboarding, freestyle jumping, or any other watersport activity, if it involves enjoying a summer’s day behind a boat with friends, count Michael in. But can this man, recently appointed as the Executive Director of USA Water Ski and Wake Sports, effectively lead one of the sport’s most influential organizations, clad in board shorts and a blazer?
It’s a tough gig, to say the least. Steering and expanding towed water sports in the United States—the world’s largest market—is akin to pushing against the tide. By all accounts, Michael’s predecessors were highly competent and managed to navigate the organization through difficult times. Nate Boudreaux, the outgoing Executive Director, was an experienced manager of large sports organizations, excelling at financial stewardship and running a tight ship. However, it is hard to imagine an outsider to the sport, like Boudreaux, having the passion, reach, and insider knowledge to turn the tide on a sport in decline.
This is where Michael steps in. A 30-year industry veteran, his passion for towed water sports has taken him far and wide. With stints in marketing and media roles at Waterski and Wakeboarding Magazine, Malibu Boats, and as the executive director of the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA), he’s well-versed in the industry’s ins and outs. In the latter role, he rubbed shoulders with politicians in Washington D.C., advocating for the industry’s interests—presumably, his wardrobe does include attire beyond just board shorts.
Michael’s strengths lie in marketing towed water sports and lobbying for the sport’s interests—an ideal fit for the organization’s needs. As a lifelong participant himself, he understands the importance of grassroots campaigns and broad audience visibility to drive participation. He injects fresh energy and innovative ideas into a sport often bogged down in tradition. While many in the sport focus solely on their preferred discipline, Michael has the cross-discipline passion to unite disparate groups under the same tent.
In his first month on the job, Michael has already made promising strides. He recently appeared on both the Water Skier Magazine’s Hit It! podcast and the TWBC podcast, sharing his vision for the future of the organization. His optimism and desire to build forward momentum are infectious. He’s even taken over the organization’s social media accounts, producing videos featuring some of the USA’s top athletes.
However, it’s crucial to temper expectations. Michael now oversees an organization with 14,000 members across nine sport disciplines—a monumental responsibility. Navigating relationships with the U.S. Olympic Committee and other government bodies, providing insurance for clubs and tournaments, and appeasing elected representatives from the various disciplines are no small feats.
Yet, Michael remains undaunted. Embracing the challenge, he emphasizes the need for grassroots involvement and hands-on participation from the water skiing community. Sharing on the Hit It! podcast: “Everyone asks me, ‘What can I do? How can I help?’ I keep telling everybody, I need you on the water, and I need you to teach people for the first time how to do anything behind the boat… introduce people to the sport.”
Author Frank Herbert once remarked, “Bureaucracy destroys initiative.” We hope that Michael, in his new role at USA Water Ski and Wake Sports, is the exception that proves the rule. He has the opportunity to challenge the norm and pave the way for a brighter future. As he embarks on this “revolution,” Michael’s leadership could redefine the landscape of towed water sports for generations to come.
Ski West Village, the host of 2024 Goode Water Ski National Championships, has received feedback from many skiers about offering a live webcast of the 82nd Goode Water Ski National Championships, Aug. 13-17, in Arvin, Calif.
It takes a large team and a lot of work before, during and after the event to produce a high quality webcast over three lakes for a week. While USA Water Ski & Wake Sports and the American Water Ski Association are helping to fund the event, additional money is needed in order for the webcast to be produced by The Waterski Broadcasting Company.
USA Water Ski & Wake Sports is pleased to announce the hiring of Kevin Michael (Orlando, Fla.) as the organization’s next executive director. Michael, who will begin his new position with the national governing body of organized water skiing and wakeboarding on Feb. 5, takes over for Nate Boudreaux, who stepped down in November after five years with the organization.
Michael, 48, comes to USA Water Ski & Wake Sports with more than 30 years of experience in the towed water sports industry. He most recently served as the executive director of the Water Sports Industry Association during a nine-year tenure with the association.
“We are excited to announce the hiring of Kevin Michael as our new executive director,” said Bob Archambeau, president of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports. “Kevin comes to us with boating industry knowledge and ties to water sports manufacturers as well as experience initiating programs to bring a variety of water sports back to life. He has strong skill sets in association and event management as well as in-depth knowledge in media, digital marketing and branding. We can’t wait to get him started.”
USA Water Ski & Wake Sports and the American Water Ski Association held the 81st Goode Water Ski National Championships in August 2023 at Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach, FL. Here is a look back on the storied history of the Water Ski National Championships.
The video is Featured Now on America’s Boating Channel’s free smart TV app on Apple TV, Roku, and Fire TV, on AmericasBoatingChannel.com, and on its YouTube channel, as well as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social networks from Dec. 31 through Jan. 6.
The announcement was made by America’s Boating Channel’s Vice President of Smart TV, Kathy Strachan, and USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Senior Director of Communications & External Relations, Scott Atkinson.
“We’re thrilled to ring in the new year with an exciting documentary tracing the development of the Water Ski National Championships in the United States. This video has special appeal to more than five million American participants in towed water sports. Viewers can also enjoy a superb assortment of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports video titles available anytime at bit.ly/USAWSonTV,” said Strachan.
Atkinson said: “We’re excited to partner with America’s Boating Channel to promote not only our Water Ski National Championships video but also our full catalog of titles covering water ski and wakeboard instruction, water ski history, and show skiing.”
In 2022, USA Water Ski and Wake Sports (USAWS) implemented mandatory SafeSport training for all its members. This decision sparked controversy and heated debates among members (see the 36 pages of bickering on BallOfSpray). However, USAWS had little choice in the matter as the U.S Olympic Committee (USOC) imposed the requirement via Congressional mandate. Even if they were to break away from the USOC, any alternative organizing body would still face the challenge of obtaining exorbitantly priced or unattainable insurance coverage without a similar program in place. As we reflect on the past year, it becomes crucial to evaluate the impact of this mandate on tournament participation within the water skiing community.
The training aims to enhance awareness and prevent the sexual exploitation of minors in the sport, thereby ensuring a safer environment for young athletes. The initial course takes approximately one hour, followed by a brief 15-minute refresher annually, and is required for all members, including those unlikely to directly supervise youth activities. The concern lies not in the quality of the training—no one disagrees with its goals—but rather in the potential for adding another requirement for USAWS membership to further diminish the perceived shrinking membership base.
So, what does the data say? Tournament participation did indeed decline in 2022. However, this decline is part of a longer-term trend. Determining the specific impact of the SafeSport Mandate and whether it accelerated this decline is more challenging. In 2022, there were 220 fewer tournament participants compared to 2021—a decline of 7%. While significant, it pales in comparison to the 440 participants lost in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, of whom only about half returned in 2021.
Total rounds skied by class 2019-2022 (Source: USA Waterski)
Notably, there has been a consistent decrease in Class C tournament participation over the years. Conversely, record tournament participation has remained relatively stable over the past four years. This aligns with the notion that skiers who are more invested in the sport are more likely to undertake a one-hour training course or continue skiing despite a pandemic. Fluctuations in participation primarily occur among casual skiers who only compete in a few Class C tournaments per year, as they assess whether a $90 USAWS membership, a one-hour course, and tournament entry fees are worthwhile for the upcoming season.
Delving deeper into the trends of 2022, we observe clear patterns. Tournament participation at all levels experienced a setback in 2020, followed by a rebound in 2021. However, while record tournament participation remained unchanged from 2021 to 2022, Class C participation declined by 10%. Similarly, among skiers who enter five or fewer tournament rounds per year, membership declined by 15%, despite remaining relatively stable from 2019 to 2021.
For those concerned about the future of our sport, particularly at the grassroots level, these trends are alarming. Without a robust base of casual skiers, we lack a stable foundation for the expanding infrastructure of high-level competitive water skiing. The professional water skiing scene, thanks to TWBC, Waterski Pro Tour, and the WWS Overall Tour, is currently the strongest and most exciting it has been in the past 15 years.
Of course, declining tournament participation can be attributed to other factors, with affordability and accessibility being chief among them. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a vicious cycle: as the market for big-ticket items like ski boats shrinks, manufacturers continue to reduce production and position their boats as luxury items, further exacerbating the issue.
This is not to place the blame on SafeSport either. As noted at the outset, USAWS was compelled to act, and our sport is not immune to issues of sexual exploitation of minors. It is difficult to quantify the value of preventing another Larry Nassar.
The unfortunate reality is that SafeSport presents yet another barrier to the sport’s growth, and it is not going away. To attract more casual skiers, who make up a substantial portion of potential tournament participants, we need to find ways to increase the value proposition of tournaments. This may involve innovative formats, social activities, or lower entry fees. It is an uphill battle, but for the dedicated members of our community, it is a battle worth fighting.
Quiz: Skiers with the most U.S. national open men’s titles
By RTB
August 5, 2021
4 minute play
In this quiz, you have to name the skiers with the most U.S. national open men’s titles of all time.
The list contains sixteen skiers, all of whom have won at least five U.S. national titles in Open Men’s. The list contains some of the U.S.’ greatest ever skiers. We have mentioned the years of their first and last title, as well as their total.
Independent perspectives on tournament water skiing
