This is how I interpret what is occurring:
USA Wakeboard (USAW)is a sports discipline under USA Waterski (USA-WS) -- as is eight other watersports disciplines:
* Kneeboard (AKA)
* Barefoot (ABC)
* Hydrofoil (HYD)
* Show Ski (NSS)
* Ski Race (NWR)
* 3 event (AWS) also known as Slalom, Trick, & Jump
* Collegiate (NCW)
* Disabled (WSD)
USA-WS, also known as headquarters, handles the membership of the various disciplines, the sanctioning of the tournaments recognized by these disciplines, as well as supports the grass roots efforts of the National Ski League (NSL) and the National Wakeboard League (NWL). When you purchase membership, you are becoming a USA Waterski member, for insurance coverage, as well as a member to your specific sports division (such as USA Wakeboard). Interested parties can form local clubs: such as The Northern Wisconsin Wakeboard Club at USA Waterski, which would open then up to being able to get sanctioning (insurance coverage) for tournaments, which I think cost $25 per tournament for a "F" rated -- Fun tournament. What I was told is that an "F" rated tournament means that you set your own rules -- this would be for a more grass roots level tournament. Wakeboard clubs would be sanctioned under the sports discipline of USA Wakeboard, while Barefooting clubs would be sanctioned under the ABC, etc..
As a sports discipline, USA Wakeboard (a not for profit organization -- run by volunteers) has three divisions:
* Boat
* Cable
* Collegiate (Note: USA Wakeboard has keep its collegiate portion seperate from the Collegiate sports discipline (NCW).
* It is worth noting that they have attempted to generate volunteers to form a wakeskate committee and that they have attempted to generate interest in Jr. Development Clinics-- but so far, all of this is still in the works.
USA Waterski (headquarters), is really a group of people on the payroll that represent the interest of all the sports disciplines mentioned above. Last year when the board of directors met, they explored the option of a name change to USA Watersports, but it was ultimately put on the back burner for consideration at the 2007 board of directors meeting.
The USA falls under the Pan Am Region of the International Waterski Federation (I.W.S.F.)
www.iwsf.com/ . To qualify for I.W.S.F. tournaments, you have to be in good standing with your ski federation, which in this case is the USA Waterski Federation, which is handled out of the USA Waterski office (headquarters). They handle all the membership of the various disciplines and can verify membership status.
The various disciplines have regional and national tournaments to choose their athletes to compete in the I.W.S.F. tournaments, of which the World Cup Series is part of. The athletes are actually given a world rating based off of their Regions National tournament and their placement in the Worlds, which on the wakeboarding side is currently alternating years between boat and cable -- this year the cable world championships was in Austria while the 2007 boat world championships will be held in China.
World Pub is a sports and marketing company that handles the promotion and occurences of the Pro Series. Presently, they are sanctioned (have insurance through) the WWA -- meaning that to compete in their tournament you have to be a member of the WWA (viewed as a club) for insurance purposes.
The WWA is a not for profit group like USA Waterski that sanctions tournaments; they also promote a WWA Nationals and a WWA Worlds that World Pub, has organized in the past.
So the two insurance providers WWA and USA Waterski are not for profit organizations that have people on the payroll sanctioning events. The difference is that WWA accepts membership to the WWA, while USA Waterski (headquarters)accepts and handles the membership for nine different sports disciplines.
Then you have the INT -- a grass roots organization for skiers and wakeboarders. Some view it as being in competition with the NSL & NWL. My understanding is that they (INT)have their own insurance.
There is no doubt that so many organizations are directly competing in sponsorship efforts for their events, which cannot be good for the competitors.
It seems to me that it comes down to the definition and interpretation of what a National title is and what it qualifies you for.
USA Wakeboard seems to be connected with the USA Waterski Federation, the International Waterski Federation and the United States Olympic Council which is a hard act to beat. Too, they are making strides to implement drug testing through the USOC for all the world team athletes that represent the interest of the USA and USA Wakeboard -- too me this is pretty impressive.
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