Wakes Newsletter Winter: 2013

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1 Wakes Newsletter Winter: 2013 Don t forget to renew your 2013 membership online at starting January 1, 2013! All membership registrations will now take place online.

2 President s Message Paul Roberts I would first like to say that I am honoured to continue as your President for another year. There were a couple of changes to the board at the 2012 AGM. Jay Poole stepped down as V.P. Wakeboard and Mark Norris was voted onto the Board as the new V.P. Wakeboard. Mark s introduction is contained in this newsletter and I am confident he will be a positive addition to the Board. I would like to thank Jay Poole for his tremendous contribution in the last several years not only to the development of wakeboarding in the province but also for his assistance in the Rip n Ride redesign and his work on the development of higher level coaching credentials. I know he will be continuing to support the Roots Series and coaching development in the future. At the AGM we separated the portfolios of Camps and Schools with Geordie Newlands retaining the Schools portfolio and Steve Morrison was voted onto the board to assume the Camps Portfolio. Steve s introduction is also contained in this newsletter and we are very pleased to welcome him to the Board. A new initiative for the summer of 2013 will be a focus on safety. This is something the Board thinks we are not paying enough attention to. The instructors Course does an excellent job of training instructors to operate boats in a safe manner and we require safety training as a prerequisite for attendance at the course. We require a safety director at all of our tournaments. What we don t do is provide safety training and especially training specifically for on water situations. All of the safety emergency services we arrange to be on site at tournaments make it clear to us that they are not responsible for on water safety. We are responsible to bring an injured athlete to the shore for them to take over. Therefore we need to be better prepared to handle the on water situations which means the officials in the boat need to be better prepared to deal with it. Geordie Newlands has volunteered to guide this initiative. He will be developing a training course for officials and instructor/coaches to help prepare them to deal with on water injuries and other personal health issues. The Board thinks that this is an area we have not dealt with adequately in the past and definitely need to take more seriously. All instructors and officials should watch for notices about the availability of this safety training course we will be announcing in the new year and I encourage you to commit to attending one of the training sessions. Page 2 We are getting closer and closer to hosting the Pan Am Games in Paso has still not voted water skiing and wakeboarding into the games and time is getting short to develop the venue on the waterway west of Ontario Place. The good news is that TO2015 is proceeding on the assumption that we will be in the games and are including us in their planning. In respect to the development of the venue, it has been established that the City of Toronto is the owner of the site as well as the break walls on both sides. This makes it easier to deal with a proposal to redevelop the seawalls with a wave attenuating slope of rip rap stone to minimize the backwash and create a legacy site for our sport. The City of Toronto Parks Department have recognized that these break walls are in bad repair and have initiated an investigation into the cost of rebuilding them to include a sloped shore. They will be going to council early in the new year to get approval to spend the money to do this work. I am optimistic that they will get the approval for this and I will keep you posted on that proposal as it proceeds through the process. The boat show is coming up in January. Drop by our booth to say hello, get up to date on the plans for 2013 and to renew your membership. I look forward to talking to many of you at the show. We are looking forward to another great summer in I hope everybody has a great holiday season and all the best to you and your family in the new year. WSWC Congress Awards Highlights Water Ski & Wakeboard Canada held their annual congress this past November on a cruise that travelled to the Bahamas, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. While the experience must have been memorable for those in attendance, it was also quite impressive for our very own Ontario athlete s who received great recognition at the gala. We are so proud! Jason McClintock, led by his gold medal performance at the Pan American Championships, took home the Male Water Ski Athlete of the Year. For an incredible 8th year in a row, Whitney McClintock was named the Female Water Ski Athlete of the Year. Erika Langman topped off a great year that included outstanding performances at nationals and a berth on Team Canada for the Cable Worlds with the Female Athlete of the Year award. Finally, Ryan Bush was recognized for a year of leadership and development as the Coach of the Year. The last award is, of course, a special one. The Krystal Arvisais award recognizes an athlete with love and passion for water skiing along with excellence on the water and in the classroom. This year's winner of the prestigious award is Megan Collins. Our athletes continue to shine from yearto-year and are improving with every summer that goes by.

3 Page 3 Mark Norris, V.P. Wakeboard My name is Mark Norris and I am very excited to be the new representative for wakeboarding in Ontario. I have been involved with the sport for almost 10 years now and am lucky enough to have been involved in many aspects of the sport, whether it be competing at a local tournament, providing instruction at the annual Canadian Waterski Instructors Course or coaching our development team in Florida last year. I believe my thorough understanding of the sport, as well as various industry connections, will allow me to ensure that our sport continues to grow and is represented properly in Ontario. I am also looking forward to working with the wakeboard community to further establish and develop our events and athletes as some of the best in Canada and the world. I am open to any ideas or comments so please do not hesitate to contact me at marknorris@live.ca if you wish to do so. I look forward to seeing many of you out on the water this summer! Steve Morrison, V.P. Camps I am excited to be a member of the WSWO Board of Directors under the new position of V.P. Camps. As a young child attending a residential sports camp I was lucky enough to choose waterskiing as an activity to participate in each day. Since then I have been fortunate to spend my summers becoming more involved in the sports of waterskiing and wakeboarding in Ontario. Having taught watersports at the Camp and School levels for the past 7 summers, I have directly seen the positive impact that waterskiing and wakeboarding has on people of all ages. I spend my summer months working in Muskoka for Summer Water Sports, Canada s largest watersports company. I consider myself to be a leader in instructing and teaching participants, instructors and coaches. Currently I am a Learning Facilitator for the CWSIC, Water Ski Coach and level 2 Wakeboard Coach. As VP of Camps I plan to work closely with WSWO board members, committees and the Ontario Camp Association to further develop water ski and wakeboard programs within the camps of Ontario. I support the development of watersports at all levels but pay close attention to grassroots programs. I am excited to help implement the Rip n Ride program which is sure to improve the overall quality of waterski and wakeboard instruction, safety and fun for everyone.

4 2012 Learning Foundations Course Page 4 The 2013 Canadian Water Ski and Wakeboard Instructors Course will be held at Muskoka Woods Sports Resort June This is still the largest, longest running and most intensive instructor training course in Canada. Ontario leads the way again with the 2013 CWSWIC, we are happy to continue to produce the most thorough course in Canada. We train new instructors to be safe competent boat drivers. New instructors learn to instruct basic two ski, one ski, wakeboard, water towable safety and error cause correction skills. This course is a Learn to Course' and is aligned with NCCP coaching standards. More advanced courses will continue to be offered in 2013 to train coaches in advanced skills. However, this is the preliminary course for all coaching courses and must be completed before moving on. The course will be held at Muskoka Woods Sports Resort June 14th to 17th. The course will start at approximately 7:00PM on Friday and conclude by 4:00PM on Monday. The cost for the course this year will be $ plus HST, PLUS a $30.00 WSWO Active Single membership that must be purchased separately. Altogether totaling $ and can first be purchased at the Toronto Boat Show in January. In Ontario, we have offered the most intensive course in Canada for many years. We are proud to continue to offer the best possible coach instruction in the Country. Level 2 Wakeboard Coaching Course In 2012 the WSWO offered the first Level 2 advanced wakeboard coaching course in Canada. This course aligns with NCCP coaching standards and is officially considered to be a Build the Skills course. This course certifed coaches to teach more advanced skills such as basic spins and inverts. In 2013, this course will be offered again provided there is demand. Approximate cost is $600 for the 3 day course, which includes all course materials, accommodation, food and on water time. The course will be offered in the Bobcaygeon area in late May. For any camps or schools that have returning students and students with higher skill sets, this certification will ensure that your instructors are properly trained to safely and effectively train these students as they develop their skills. Interested coaches should send an to office@wswo.ca before March 1, This course needs at least five participants to run. Please note that coaches must have completed the Foundations Level course, which is offered in Ontario as the Canadian Waterski Instructors Course. Camp Watersports Instructor Assistance Program New for 2013, the WSWO will be offering assistance to camps who are active members of WSWO. Camp assistance programs will be tailor made for each individual camp to increase the watersports product they offer. Programs can include additional instructor training, boat driver training, site specific assistance and skill based instruction for coaches. Please note that this does not replace the Canadian Water Ski Instructors Course, camps must be WSWO members and have trained staff to qualify for this assistance program. Costs will be determined based on need and requirements. Please contact office@wswo.ca for more information.

5 Private Instructor Training Courses Page 5 The Canadian Water Ski Instructor course is the most intensive watersports coach training course in Canada. This program is the longest running and best possible coaching development environment for new coaches. However, at WSWO we understand that not all new coaches can attend the course offered at Muskoka Woods. The Future Show Ski Canada We are now proud to offer a similar course at your location. This course offers the same content, offered in a small group scenario at your club, camp or school. At the end of the four day course, coaches have the same training and certification as the Candian Water Ski Instructors course, which is the WSWC Foundations Level Training. Please note that all coaches are strongly encouraged to attend the regularly scheduled CSWIC and private courses will only be offered under extenuating circumstances. Please contact office@wswo.ca for more information. The Canadian National Water Ski Show Team is preparing for the future! We are seeking new team members for the next World Show Skiing Tournament 2014, which is going to be held in the United States. Charlie Newlands, the show director, will be selecting the team. If you are interested in applying for Show Ski Canada please your water ski or wakeboard resume to charlienewlands@gmail.com. Now that Team Canada has had some success on the world stage, we will be pushing the limits and going for GOLD. The team is looking for strong, well rounded water skiers and wakeboarders that will be committed to the team and will follow all the rules and regulations set out by IWWF, Water Ski Wakeboard Canada and Show Ski Canada. The Ontario Barefoot Council is planning to change up the event format in While tournament events are part of the barefoot discipline, we are expanding our focus to include Figure 8, Endurance and other FUN related activities along with slalom, trick and jump. Details are being finalized. Watch for more info on and through e mail blasts from WSWO. BAREFOOT ENDURANCE RACES FOR 2013 Steve Keating, the organizer of the Grand River Endurance Challenge is looking forward to 2013 and planning not only the Grand River race but setting up a partnership with Ben Lafrance in Quebec to bring an Ontario Contingent to participate in the Lake Henault Endurance Challenge in Mandeville, Quebec. Having both organized barefoot endurance events last summer and they realized both events could use a boost in participants; therefore Steve had an idea to see if there would be any interest in running a bus from Ontario to Mandeville QC for the Lake Henault Endurance Challenge. The Lake Henault Endurance Challenge is a timed event with bonus seconds given for a few basic tricks. He has included links to two articles explaining the rules in more detail. The neat thing about this format is that it would allow everyone from Ontario on the bus to compete; not only as an individual, vying for the overall trophy, but as a member of team Ontario competing against team Quebec. An additional trophy could be arranged. Steve is looking for participation and support. Check out all the details at and rise to the challenge. ** Contact Mike Spence at vpbarefoot@wswo.ca for more info. Photos submitted courtesy of Summer Water Sports (Don t miss the link for the video) Canada/2010LakeHenaultEndurance/2010_Lake_Henault_endurance_challenge.pdf

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