Excutive Director Report
July 21, 2008

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I. USA Water Ski fan-based Web site…Quite a few months ago I announced that USA Water Ski was developing a partnership with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to upgrade our Web site. Most of the other Olympic and Pan American Games sports have followed suit in developing a similar relationship. The idea coming from the USOC (motto: Citius, Altius, Intimidatius) (sorry to my friends at the USOC…just kidding) was to create a fan-based Web site in which all of the Olympic/Pan American sports national governing bodies have a similar cosmetic look. That has now been done, and I think the look is crisp and contemporary. In the announcement I mentioned that generally when the USOC creates a new project it is well done. However, there might be some bumps in the road that do provide a spot or two of bother. This project is no different, and we do have some functionality issues (e.g. rankings, online event registration, and on-line membership registration). Those functionalities do not appear on the fan-based Web site, as there are incompatibilities of software and code usage. However, it has been my experience over time that the USOC does eventually solve these sorts of issues, and I suspect that will be the case with the Web site project. However, as the fan-based site is just that…for fans of the sport, and as our current Web site is more membership-based…we will keep both for the time being with links back and forth to each other. You can find the new site at: http://waterski.teamusa.org/.

Our current site remains at: www.usawaterski.org.
Both are great.

II. Olympic Television Channel…During the same announcement made regarding the Web site arrangement, I also mentioned that the USOC was creating an Olympic television channel. It was to be launched before the Beijing Olympic Games, which start on Aug. 8. I thought this relationship was going to be developed between NBC, the USOC’s longtime partner in all things television, and a distributor. As it turns out, it appears that NBC thought the USOC’s Olympic television channel concept was not quite to its taste and NBC has set up its own Olympic-type channel. NBC has bought Universal– a small cable operation oriented around Olympic/Pan American sport events – and is moving forward. It will use Universal along with its collection of network and cable outlets to provide comprehensive coverage of the Beijing Games. Upon the conclusion of the Games, NBC plans to continue using Universal as the principal outlet to broadcast Olympic sports. The rub is that most of the NGBs have signed a content agreement with the USOC that amounts to exclusivity of content to be provided to the USOC with the events owned or controlled by the individual NGBs. So, it is a bit dodgy as the USOC holds rights, and NBC, its partner, owns a cable network designed to broadcast Olympic/Pan American Games sport events. I think it will be dicey for a while, but somehow I think the parties will eventually come together. In the meantime, the USOC will continue paying the NGBs for the content agreement arrangement. I do not expect the USOC to meet its initially projected launch date of Aug. 8.

III. USA Water Ski June Financials…In this current environment of economic gloom and doom, our financials seem to be a mixed bag, but mostly positive insofar as income developed and expenses curbed.
The year-to-date (YTD) June financials are being completed and soon will be mailed to USA Water Ski’s Executive Committee. In bottom-line thumbnail form, they show YTD net income through June is $496,783.90. That number compares to YTD net income in 2007 of $97,969.22 and YTD net income in 2006 of $242,220.98. If one takes a look at YTD income and expense comparisons, in 2008 our YTD income has been $1,471,499.71 and expenses YTD have been $974,715.81. Our 2008 YTD income exceeds 2007 YTD income by $103,008.30. Our YTD 2008 expenses are $295,806.30 less than 2007 YTD expenses. Comparing 2008 YTD with 2006 YTD, our income in 2008 YTD is $86,433.30 greater than 2006 YTD income. Our 2008 YTD expenses are $168,129.60 less than 2006 YTD expenses.

IV. USA Water Ski Membership Development…I guess the concerning portion of our organizational health is membership development. June’s membership report is below for your information. We are currently down 1,975 members when comparing this year to the same time period in 2007 (the actual number is more like 1,700 as there are a number of membership applications that have not been processed as we await signed insurance waivers to accompany them). What is creepy about that number is that 2007 was not a stellar membership development year. Our short-term inhibitors thus far have been the economy and the weather. However, the reality of our situation is not dissimilar to several other NGBs. The cost of competing is becoming difficult; there are so many other recreational opportunities from which to select; our children are stereotypically inactive; and we need to creatively explore other opportunities to assist in membership development. An example is the two-pronged approach described in last week’s report with regard to grassroots and affinity membership. The affinity project will be launched in 2008 with a distinct direction toward our efforts in advocating for the right to use public waterways, and the new grassroots series will be launched in 2009.

V. And finally, a discussion on how the executive director is learning to ski. I am told that skiing is 90 percent mental; the other half is physical. For the past several months one unnamed local instructor, plus the highly skilled and patient Bill Wenner, have taught me the fine art of being mostly perpendicular to the water rather than horizontal. The first thing the aforementioned unnamed instructor did was insist I buy a USA Water Ski Active Membership (even though I was not going to be capable of competing this year, but it would get me into the habit). Second on the agenda was to achieve an understanding of the financial structure of ski-learning (after the first session, the cost would be $5 a ride with instruction); third was to bring a towel; and fourth was to help clean the boat, detail a car or two and wax skis. During session one after numerous tries I arose from the drink with a suitcase of courage.

My instructor said it looked like I was carrying a bag of rocks, and I needed to look up instead of constantly studying where my feet were headed. But, he did so with a positive approach, complimenting me on my perseverance and on each achievement along the way (whilst throwing old gloves and other boat ballast). Over the weeks, I think my alleged technique has improved. Skiing is just big fun, and I am thoroughly enjoying my instructors (even though occasionally I do hear a chortle or two coming from the tow boat).

VI. The 66th Annual GOODE Water Ski National Championships are coming soon. I am really looking forward to watching some of the best skiers in the world in West Palm Beach, Fla. Additionally, four other disciplines will be conducting national championships in the month of August (show skiing, barefooting, wakeboarding, and disabled water skiing….the hydrofoil national champs took place last weekend in Windsor, Colorado). Show skiing will actually host two national championship events, D1 and D2. We expect huge numbers of participants and spectators at the show nationals even with this year’s devastating floods and change of locations. In light of the floods, two groups, the Aqua Skiers (Wisconsin Rapids) and Lake City Skiers (Warsaw, Indiana) have stepped up to host this year’s nationals as the original venues were damaged by flooding. We are very appreciative of their willingness to host the nationals. They will do a great job. Good on them.

Have a rain free weekend.

Steven M. Locke
Executive Director
slocke@usawaterski.org