Water skiing was invented in the United States in 1922 when Minnesotan Ralph

Samuelson built the first pair of skis and was towed on them behind an

outboard-powered boat. What Samuelson originated became an exhibition sport

on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1920s and early 1930s. It developed officially

into a competitive sport in 1939 when the American Water Ski Association

(AWSA) was organized and held the first annual National Water Ski

Championships at Jones Beach, Long Island, New York.

The American Water Ski Association (AWSA)

The American Water Ski Association is the National Governing Body for

organized water skiing in the United States. AWSA is a member of the

International Water Ski Federation (World Governing Body), the Pan American

Sports Organization and the United States Olympic Committee. Affiliated with

AWSA as Sport Divisions are the American Barefoot Club, American Kneeboard

Association, National Collegiate Water Ski Association, National Show Ski

Association, National Speedboat and Water Ski Association and Water Skiers

With Disabilities Association.

From the beginning, AWSA has had a dual mission of promoting the growth and

development of recreational water skiing, and organizing and governing the sport

of competitive water skiing. The largest and most active water ski federation in

the world, AWSA has a paid staff of 19 persons. Headquartered in Winter

Haven, Florida, the staff serves 30,500 members in five regions across the

country. Sixty to 70 percent of AWSA members are involved in tournament

competition each year; the remainder are recreational water skiers.

AWSA programs include: water ski instructor certification; learn to ski clinics;

officials' education; junior skiers' development; legislative coordination and

oversight; safety training and information dissemination; membership

development, including affiliation of state federations and local water ski clubs;

public communications and media information; industry relations; and local,

national and international competition ranging from novice to world-level

tournaments.

AWSA's communications program includes publication of a seven-times-a-year

magazine, The Water Skier, sent to all members and other persons with an

interest in the sport, and numerous educational materials addressing all aspects of

water skiing.

AWSA trains and maintains performance records for competitive skiers and

nearly 3,000 judges, drivers and scorers who officiate at sanctioned

tournaments.

Approximately 580 local water ski clubs throughout the United States are

affiliated with AWSA. The clubs provide a working base in almost any locale for

development of AWSA programs, and in addition are the local organizers for

nearly all water ski competition in the United States.

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