AWSA Midwest

Greetings Midwest Water Skiers!

Spring is here, and that means another thrilling season of water skiing is right around the corner! As we gear up for a fantastic year on the water, I want to take a moment to highlight some exciting developments, upcoming events, and opportunities for involvement in our Midwest Region.

Officiating Advancements

We continue to make great strides in improving the officiating process. Thanks to the hard work of Maggie Tierney and our leadership team, work has begun on transitioning to digital forms, making it easier than ever to become and advance as an official. Additionally, our virtual clinic sessions are set for April 24th and May 16th. These clinics provide a fantastic opportunity to enhance your skills and contribute to the sport in a meaningful way.

Upcoming Events

Our tournament season is shaping up to be an action-packed one! Be sure to mark your calendars for:

• State Championships in your state
• Regional Championships - Midwest Regional Water Ski Championships July 25-27 - Mystic Lakes - Maize, Kansas
• 83rd Goode Water Ski National Championships will be held Aug. 5-9 at Ski West Village in Arvin, Calif

Whether you’re skiing, officiating, or cheering from the sidelines, your participation is vital to keeping our community strong. Check our official website for specific dates and details.

Get Involved!

We are actively looking for volunteers for our Midwest committees, with immediate openings on the:

• Nominations Committee
• Rules Committee

If you have a passion for shaping the future of our sport, now is the time to step up and make a difference!

Stay Connected

We want to ensure every member stays informed. Please check in with your fellow skiers to make sure they are reading the newsletter and staying up to date on important news and events. Communication is key to our continued success!

I look forward to seeing everyone out on the water soon. If you have any ideas, feedback, or just want to share your experiences, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Let’s make this season the best one yet!

Ski ya later,

Darren Janzig
Executive Vice President
Midwest Region – American Water Ski Association

SAVE THE DATE - July 25th - 27th

Hosted By: Mystic Lakes - Maize, Kansas

MORE INFO COMING SOON!

Officials advancement chart:

https://assets.contentstack.io/v3/assets/blteb7d012fc7ebef7f/blta57830d51617639b/AWSAOfficialsQuantitativeRequirementsForAdvancementAndRenewal.pdf

How do I get better at trick calling? Practice on video recorded runs here:

• Click here: waterskiresults.com
• Select Live Web Scoreboard
• Use the drop down to select which ski year you want to look at (I just got into 2024 so start there)
• Select the link for a tournament. Nationals is at the top of the list and always has a lot of videos of various point ranges so click that link
• Use the drop down to select Leaderboard
• Next drop down to select event for Trick
• You'll see the names on the left side and their corresponding score on the right. When you click the link, it will pull up videos for each trick pass and corresponding scoring forms showing credit or no credit

How many points should I be able to call?

Assistant: up to 3000

Regular: 3000-6000

Senior: 6000-9000

We want to hear from YOU! Got thoughts, ideas, or feedback on any of this? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Maggie Cramer at tierneym2@gmail.com.

Thursday April 24th, 2025

Friday May 16th, 2025

More info coming soon! Reach our to Maggie or Darren with questions!

New or Upgraded Officials

Kelly Zoellner - Scorer Regular S/T/J

To view a summary of the rule changes for 2025 please click HERE.

Check out the upcoming clinics and ask Maggie if any questions about needing to attend!

Amber Martin is a water-skiing powerhouse with a love for the sport that started when she was just five years old! A dedicated show skier with the Aquanut Water Show Ski Team since age nine, she's been a key player in their state and national victories. Recently diving into the world of three-event skiing, Amber has been making waves, showing incredible progress in slalom, trick, and jump events. She’s already earned top finishes at regional competitions and is just getting started. When she’s not tearing up the water, she’s carving down snowy slopes as a competitive alpine skier, baking up something delicious, or enjoying the great outdoors. Next stop? Michigan Tech, where she’ll take her skiing skills to the collegiate level!

Quick Stats

Age: 17

Hometown: Spring Grove, IL

Slalom PB: 4 @ 30 mph -15'

Trick PB: 1110 Points

Jump PB: 44 Feet

The team will be selected at the Midwest Regionals and announced at the banquet. Applications (available on site) must be submitted to the Junior Development Tent at Regionals by noon on Saturday to be eligible. The elite team of twenty skiers is selected from the division of Girls/Boys 3 through Girls/Boys 5. It is based on a performance ratio from a yearly ranking and Midwest Regional performance. Future team members will complete an application form at the regional tournament. Selected team members must sell raffle tickets and provide a basket for the regional auction, which covers a portion of the cost camp. If you have any questions about the Elite Team, don't hesitate to contact Shane Bucher.

Junior US Open Water Ski Championships – June 27-29, 2025, at Skyview Lake in Harmony, NC. Watch for the Q&P’s coming soon.

U21 World Championships - July 28 to August 2, 2025, Predator Bay, Calgary, Canada July 28 to August 3, 2025, Q&P's deadline to register is April 6 https://www.usawaterski.org/news/2025/february/17/u21-worlds-2025-team-selection-skier-qualifications

Junior Pan American Games - Aug. 18-21 - Asuncion, Paraguay

AWSA Senior Pan Am Team & Independent Skier Q&P Notification (35+) – Available on the AWSA website.

2025 Senior Pan Am Championships – October 1-5 at Pickos Ski School in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

The first-ever Collegiate Alumni National Waterski Championships is set for August 28-30, 2026, at Bennett’s Ski School in Zachary, Louisiana—a legendary host of NCWSA events.

It’s time to reunite alumni from across the country for an epic showdown of waterski skills, nostalgia, and school pride. Whether you're chasing the alumni title, reconnecting with old friends, or daring to hit the ramp for the first time in decades, this event is for you!

The competition format is still in the works—team sizes, independent entries, and qualifications are all up for discussion. We need your input! Help shape this historic event by filling out our survey.

Fill out the survey here!

Any questions reach out to Jeff Surdej or Christy Kingsmill

Amy Weber and Christy Kingsmill are helping to bridge the gap for a place to ski when collegiate skiers are not on campus or when they graduate!

Looking for a place to ski?

Reach out to Amy (amyweber75@gmail.com) or Christy (christy.kingsmill@gmail.com for more information!

Please email Christy Kingsmill to become a part of the newsletter or if you are interested in writing for the newsletter! It is a great thing to put on a resume or an easy way to help out without a huge time commitment!