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Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
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  • in reply to: Most Improved Team or Skier #53139
    sgranecsgranec
    Participant

    Chris Kownick – ISU

    Chris’ stats speak for themselves, but his hardworking personality speaks even louder. Chris spent huge amounts of time this summer working on improving his skiing as well as gaining an officials rating to help ISU during the season. He continues to find ways to improve himself and ISU (even being across the world for his first semester of President) without hesitation or complaint. Always asking questions when needed and willing to spend time learning the hard stuff, Chris’ attitude has lead him to drastic improvements.

    2017 -> 2018 Season
    Slalom: 54.5 -> 65 buoys
    Trick: 40 -> 460 points
    Jump: 73ft -> 83ft

    in reply to: Best Team Captain #53138
    sgranecsgranec
    Participant

    Evan Marcus – UW Lax

    Evan took on the Captain role running this year. He began the non-existent Midwest Spring season by reaching out to potential team members and trying to organize many team bonding events. He encouraged team members to step out of their box, even convincing a car full of Skigles to venture down to Purdue Springfest (12 hour drive) for a short weekend of skiing. He continued on into the fall season full of energy. Always at practice, helping organize logistics of tournament weekends, or fixing skis, this dude did it all. He was always checking in on both our men and women skiers and never letting a great pass go unnoticed. When running for our team president this year, everyone talked highly of his Captain performance this year, explaining how he made every single team member feel included and important. He lives and breathes skiing, but not just for himself; Evan the most selfless skier, captain, and friend I know.

    in reply to: Most Outstanding Senior Male #53130
    sgranecsgranec
    Participant

    Mikey Trebisovsky – ISU

    Mikey has quite the talent considering he came into collegiate waterskiing with minimal experience. Over the 4 years, he’s put in great time and effort to better himself and the ISU team, offering up both driving time and skiing tips. He once even told us he went to class in his swimsuit and no backpack, just so he could sneak a set in that morning. Oh and he bought himself a course just so he could practice during the summer. He soon became ISU’s most consistent skier (in all 3 events), always putting up high scores despite weather conditions. Furthermore, he could also be found volunteering at the tournaments (maybe bc Amber forced him to, idk) and always at the starting dock cheering on skiers. His bad jokes and great skiing combo will be a tough act to follow for the future ISU boys.

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by sgranecsgranec.
    in reply to: Kiedrowski Award (Most Supportive Skier) #53104
    sgranecsgranec
    Participant

    Mari Youngquist – UWL

    If we had a contest for who had the most steps by the end of the season, Mari would have won by a landslide. She was at the end of the lake, picking up any & every skier – ALWAYS. She was in just about every picture of people walking back from their pass, carrying skis or waving the flag, or just being there for support. She always had words to lift spirits or that congratulatory hug. She helped pack our trailer every night and was up cheering the first people off the dock in the morning. She volunteered to help out at tournaments and was always talking to the newbies at team practices. She seemed to know everyone (always waving and smiling at skiers as we walked to the starting dock) by the end of the season, a direct correlation to her overall, continuous support for Team Midwest Skiers.

    in reply to: Most Outstanding Senior Female #53094
    sgranecsgranec
    Participant

    Amber Aho – ISU

    Amber is a force to reckon with. She’s a true 4th eventer and still shows up ready to rock n roll the next morning, usually having organized all the boats/officials/volunteers and her own team before the rest of us ski bums emerge from tent city. She manned 3 tournaments this year (even flying in 2 officials so a tournament could happen), skied at the top level, served on the NCWSA board, and was nominee for NCWSA’s Leader of the Year. The girl does it all plus more, a true senior lady idol.

    in reply to: Happy Award – Most Supportive Alumni #53093
    sgranecsgranec
    Participant

    Andy Vespestad

    I can’t say it better than Chris, so RT that one.

    in reply to: Most Outstanding Senior Female #53092
    sgranecsgranec
    Participant

    Gabbie Tasch – UW-Madison

    From being an international show skier, world record holder (3 women heli!!), apart of the 2018 World Champ USA Show Ski team, and featured in the UW-Madison news for her accomplishments, Gabbie came full force into the collegiate 3 event world this year. She’s landed herself on the jump podium at Conference, Regionals and Nationals, (pb’ing every time) and the overall podium at Conference. She was always up and ready to go, encouraging all skiers, no matter the team or the skill level. You may recognize her by her signature “More Flair” chant:) She has made Madison’s team and Team Midwest so welcoming to the newbiews and has a knack for getting a smile out of anyone. Furthermore, she balanced her academic life accordingly and finished her Kinesiology degree in 3 1/2 years, knocking out those science courses with ease. She has plans to go ski in Germany for a year before starting PT school. Talk about the ultimate package of a senior lady.

    in reply to: Team of the Year #53086
    sgranecsgranec
    Participant

    Iowa State

    They, rightfully, won NCWSA’s Team of the Year, not sure what other qualifications a team needs. But if that doesn’t cut it for some, their actions as a team are truly worthy of this award. ISU skiers have been and continue to be some of the most supportive skiers you’ll find on Team Midwest. They hosted 3 tournaments this year and helped at all of them (even sending an ISU dad down to drive at Nationals this year). When not supporting their own teammates and fighting for the Spirit Award, you’ll find their skiers cheering for other teams and giving plentiful tips, laughs, and high fives. Iowa State has helped Team Midwest when we needed it most this fall, all with smiles and the brightest of attitudes, surely deserving of Team of the Year.

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by sgranecsgranec.
    in reply to: Most Improved Team or Skier #53076
    sgranecsgranec
    Participant

    UW – La Crosse

    Here we are, finishing our season with a D1 Nationals placement, doubling our team size, and looking ahead to greater and even more successful seasons. UWL Waterski, once a Midwest Regional Champ team long ago, has had a rough past five years. Not qualifying for Nationals in 2015, only having a three person men’s team in 2017, and every year struggling to even find a boat to use, we’ve endured it. But 2018 has been the year that we’ve seen all that hard work start to pay off. All the effort of rebuilding our executive board and ensuring it would not crumble again, promoting the team so we had more than nine skiers, working on sponsorships and fundraising to help cover the steep costs of waterskiing, all that work finally being molded into an accomplishment. An accomplishment in the form of a team. A team worth skiing for and cheering for, not just individuals seeking podium spots. A team who wakes up to cheer on their teammates at 8am dressed in maroon and gray, despite them personally not skiing for a few hours. A team who picks you up at the end of the lake after a tough crash. Sure we’ve had a few lucky breaks here and there, but truly, it has come down to our members loving the organization and wanting to see it thrive. An improved team, no doubt.

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)