USAWS Begs for members

So I recieved this letter thru the CRB spy network* and it raises some interesting questions.

*some dude emailed it to us.

1251Holy Cow Rd
Polk City, Florida 33868-8200
Phone: (863) 324-4341 Fax: (863) 325-8259
Web Site: www.USAWATERSKI.org

You are a principal of USA Water Ski, and that is why you are receiving this letter.

In this week’s USA Water Ski Executive Director Report, the first and foremost portion deals with the fact that we are not immune to the current economic chaos that has permeated the United States. We are seeing a significant reduction in membership. Hand-in-hand with the diminishing membership numbers, we also are facing substantial reductions in sponsorship development funds. We recognized the sponsorship issues early on, and as a direct result, we made a number of cuts to the 2009 budget and laid off three USA Water Ski employees in January. At that time, we thought our membership numbers would overall be flat (e.g. we thought we might lose a number of AWSA members, but gain NSSA members if the weather was not adverse up North as it was in 2008; and we hoped the other disciplines would balance out). So far the membership projections have not materialized, and we are now in the midst of implementing several new budget cuts. After this upcoming series of cuts, we will have little to reduce going forward, and we will find ourselves in a position that likely will impinge on the delivery of fundamental day-to-day services.

Repeating what I mentioned in the weekly report: “The undergirding foundation of every sport is its governing body. USA Water Ski provides symmetry to sport through the provision of rules, trained officials to enforce rules and grade performances, sanctioning programs that are appealing to event organizing committees, the regulation of boat towing capacities and speed control systems to bring consistency into this sport, advocating your right to access waterways, and, one of the most important ingredients, the provision of fairly priced insurance that protects everyone involved within the sport. Governing bodies, love them or not, bring legitimacy to a sport and eliminate chaos.”

It is virtually impossible to count on the USA Water Ski headquarters’ staff to do the majority of recruiting through renewal notices and numerous phone calls to current and former members, and to provide for the development of many new clubs. We can and will continue doing a lot, but we need you and the other principals within your discipline to step up.

The structure of USA Water Ski is designed in such a way that headquarters serves as a clearinghouse for many functions, such as membership solicitation and fulfillment, insurance acquisition and provision, maintaining your waterways usage and many more too numerous to list. As a principal of your discipline, it is your responsibility to strive toward growing your discipline through retaining current members and attracting new ones.

The intention of this call to action is to ask you to step up as you have never stepped up before and help this organization maintain its vibrancy and relevance in the water sports universe. If you don’t, USA Water Ski will succumb along with many other organizations due to lack of support in this unprecedented economically trying time in our sport’s history. We must all take up this fight together.
If something is worth preserving ... and your discipline certainly is ... it takes local effort. What is it they say? All politics is local. So is sport.

Thanks.

­­Jim Grew Steve Locke

what is the main cause of the steep drop in numbers? Is it something that USAWS has done wrong or is it all due to the downturn in the economy?

I think some of it has to do with a disconnect from the public. In my state, cold and miserable land, the 3 event tournaments are run by the same group of people that only let their buddies ski. The only opportunities out there for those not in their "good ol' boy" network to ski is to go to a neighboring state for events, join a show club or host their own events. Well I am not going to knock the show skiers, their is alot of talent in that discipline, but it does not quench my thirst. Heading over a state or two for events is fun, but spending dollas on gas is no fun at all. so last option, stop being one of the whiners on ski fly that offer no solutions and step up to the plate and host an event.

So the ODBF will do just that...


ahhhhhhhhh.....

Huh...what was I saying?

Oh yea, i was bitching and not offering any solutions....hmmmm

Well I'll tell you what I will do, I will have my standard drink and get my lazy ass online and register tonight and then drink a jack on the rocks to celebrate my new found secondary insurance.

Or I could use that money to take an English class or a spelling class, but that would be lame. So instead I will whine that USAWS wont take my call to register over the phone, as the series of interconnected tubes are WAY to confusing.

I don't think my internet connects to USAWS's internet anyways.