USA WATER SKI

Awards Committee

January, 2007

 

USA-WS Awards

 

Team of the Year:

US Elite Barefoot Water ski Team - The U.S. Elite Barefoot Water Ski Team won its 11th consecutive world team title at the Barefoot Water Ski World Championships. Team members were: Lane Bowers of Winter Haven, Fla., Billy Brzoza of Coventry, R.I., Rachel George-Normand of Winter Haven, Fla., Keith St. Onge of Winter Haven, Fla., Niki Soubliere-Munroe of Lakeland, Fla., and Laura Szwed of White Lake, Mich. Ryan Boyd of Orlando, Fla., was the alternate. The team tallied 8,514.15 points and defeated arch-rival Australia, which scored 7,496.65 points to earn the silver medal. Great Britain finished with 6,931.94 points in clinching the bronze medal in the 13-team field. The U.S. Elite Team earned 11 individual medals. St. Onge won gold medals in Men’s slalom, tricks and overall and set pending world tricks records in all three rounds; George-Normand won the gold medal in Women’s jumping and overall, and earned silver medals in slalom and tricks; Brzoza earned the bronze medal in Men’s slalom; Bowers earned the silver medal in Men’s slalom and the bronze medal in jumping; and Szwed earned the bronze medal in Women’s tricks.

 

Male Athlete of the Year

Freddy Krueger - World Cup Jump Champion for second straight year.  Set a pending World record  in jump this fall breaking his own record.  Undefeated in 2006 in major pro events in jump.

  • 2006 Pan American Water Ski Championships - U.S. Elite Water Ski Team Member - Gold Medalist: Team overall and Men's jumping
  • 2006 U.S. Open Men's Jumping Champion
  • 2006 Water Ski World Cup - Men's Jumping Series Champion
  • 2006 Water Ski World Cup (Enniskillen, Ireland) - Men's Jumping Champion
  • 2006 Water Ski World Cup (Dubna, Russia) - Men's Jumping Champion
  • 2006 Malibu French Open -- Men's Jumping Champion
  • 2006 Performance Chevrolet and Carolina Chrysler Pro Jump - Men's Jumping Champion
  • 2006 Masters - Men's Jumping Champion

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Mandy Nightingale - Mandy Nightingale set a new Women's world tricks record of 8,740 points in July, eclipsing the mark of 8,630 points set by Tawn Larsen-Hahn in 1999. Nightingale won the Women's tricks season title on the 2006 IWSF World Cup after winning events in China and Ireland and placing third in Qatar. She also won the U.S. Open Women's tricks title and was a member of the U.S. Elite Water Ski Team that won the gold medal at the 2006 Pan American Water Ski Championships. In individual events at the Pan Am Championships, Nightingale earned silver medals in slalom, tricks and overall.

 

INNOVATOR AWARD

Geno  Yauchler  - Did a stunt for TV and put on an innovative tournament at Cypress Gardens with several different competitions.

 

THAT’S INCREDIBLE AWARD

Scot Ellis - Jumped over 28 boats for a stunt TV show that will air in Jan 07.  Gave a lot of publicity for water skiing and broke the World Record of Hank Longo.

 

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Jeff Surdej - As chairman of AWSA's Competition Task Force, Jeff helped spearhead a future concept of a rankings-based system from the current ratings-based system. He also is the newly-elected EVP of the Midwest Region and has been actively involved with the National Collegiate Water Ski
Association for several years, serving as national vice chairman, Midwest vice chairman and chief judge of the Collegiate Nationals.

 

MERIT AWARD

Mary Gail Holcombe - Chief Judge of many Pro events and judge on the pro tour for years. Active on the Board of AWSEF and long time member of the IAC Committee.

 

COACH of the YEAR

Mike Meek – Coach of the Elite Pan Am Team

 

DEVELOPMENTAL COACH OF THE YEAR

Scott Greenwood

 

VOLUNTEER COACH OF THE YEAR

Kathy Ives