Tag Archives: nssa

In 2008, Mad-City won both the Wisconsin State and Division 1 Show Ski National Championships for the third consecutive year and fourth time in the past five years. To further honor their achievements, the team was selected for two awards at USA Water Ski’s Annual Awards Reception, held in Winter Haven, FL on Saturday, January 24.  Not only was Mad-City selected as the National Show Ski Association’s 2008 Team of the Year, but it was also chosen as USA Water Ski’s 2008 Team of the Year.  This is the first time that the latter award was given solely to a show ski team.  Mad-City was USA Water Ski’s Co-Team of the Year in 2007.  It really exemplifies the growing community of show skiing and brings to light the tremendous effort put forth by all teams in the creation of their shows.

Kristen Block & Matt Baumler Accepting the Award for
USA Water Ski’s 2008 Team of the Year for the Mad-City Ski Team

Serving as the 2008 Co-Show Directors, Kristen Block and Matt Baumler had the privilege of representing the team at this year’s event.  Held at the Admirals Inn, directly across the street from Cyrpess Gardens, they were truly in a skier’s paradise.  The evening began with a slide show highlighting the various water ski events of the past season and was followed up with a full buffet style dinner and finally the awards presentation.  “It was an incredible honor to be representing show skiing in a room otherwise filled with 3-event, collegiate, wakeboard, kneeboard, ski racing, barefoot and hydrofoil athletes,” said Baumler.  Block noted that there was definitely an air of curiosity surrounding show skiing.  Several of the athletes were full of questions about what they do and how they do it.  Show skiing is truly a team sport, as was illustrated by their tales of 36 person pyramids, 21 girl ballet lines and 50 person big acts, all being pulled together with top notch boat driving, sound, costuming, pick up boats and dock crews.

Awards were first given out by the individual sport discipline’s organization.  It was here that Mad-City was named the National Show Ski Association’s Team of the Year.  After each discipline named its respective individuals, teams and honorees, the awards selected by USA Water Ski were then given out.  Signifying it’s prestige, USA Water Ski’s Team of the Year was the final award given for the evening.  Being chosen as Team of the Year from amongst all other sport disciplines brought to culmination for the team a year’s worth of hard work, dedication and a ton of fun.  Winning both Wisconsin State and Nationals has made a name for Mad-City within the show skiing world, but now they are being recognized by the larger population of water skiing in general.  Congratulations to the entire team and best of luck in 2009!!!(Story by Kristen Block & Matt Baumler)

Kristen Block and Matt Baumler with Sandy Schraft,
Sherm Schraft and Tom Ghiloni

The Mad-City Ski Team of Madison, WI was named co-team of the year for 2007 by the USA Water Ski Association on December 11, 2007. The team is made up of dedicated individuals who perform water ski shows weekly in the summer at Law Park on John Nolen Drive on Sunday nights. The team qualified for the Team of the Year award by being named Team of the Month for August shortly after winning the 33rd Malibu Division 1 Show Ski National Championships. It was their 2nd consecutive championship and 3rd in the past 4 years.

The team also won the Wisconsin State Show Ski Tournament in 2007. Like the National Championship, it too was their 2nd consecutive Wisconsin State Title and 3rd title in 4 years. The state tournament was held in Wisconsin Rapids and is the largest water ski tournament in the world.

Commenting on this award, Senior Judge Tom Ghiloni (who was one of the judges at Nationals) said “This is a first for NSSA (National Show Ski Association) to have a team honored by USAWS as team of the year and to be co-team with the U.S. Elite Team I think is a great honor and recognition of Show Ski. Thanks, and congratulations.”

In addition to competing in tournaments and providing free weekly shows, the team also hosts a disabled skier clinic and offers a learn to ski program in conjunction with the Madison School & Community Recreation department.

Links:

Mad-City Press Release
USA Water Ski Press Release
US Olympic Team Press Release