The most inspiring and accomplished members of our sport are honored annually in the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. He contributed points in every world championships he competed in and his contributions helped the U.S team win gold at every world championships in which he was a team member. A slalom specialist, he set the world slalom record four times. Preserving our history is one of core missions. Visiting the USA Water Ski and Wake Sports Foundation Hall of Fame in Davenport. When considering your Hall of Fame nominations, keep in mind the totality of ones contribution to the sport of water skiing. Willa McGuire Cook co-created the swivel ski and rocketed to fame as the prima ballerina of the sport. Competing in the MP2 Division from 1998-2016, Ray won 34 gold medals, seven silver medals and four bronze medals at the U.S. Disabled Water Ski National Championships. Records were broken on Polk County waters thanks to the steady stream of ambitious skiers drawn to the sports biggest stage. KSO is a two-time International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation Athlete of the Year, he has won the USA Water Ski Athlete of the Year multiple times, is a Banana George Blairfooter of the Year, competed in the ESPN X-Games, and served as an American Barefoot Club Tournament Driver and Judge. Ten-time USA National Disabled Overall Champion. Election requires a 2/3-majority vote of the Selection Committee. (Same system as used to elect appointed officials to the Southern Regionals). In 1999, he was named "World's Greatest Water Skier" at Cypress Gardens, in a "decathlon" of water sports. Inductees | Florida Water Ski Federation Inductees These inductees have been inducted into the American Water Ski Educational Foundation Hall of Fame and are being grandfathered into the Florida Water Ski Federation Hall of Fame on this, the inaugural induction. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. At age 15, she was the world champion. As with any Hall of Fame selection process, it is recognized that every candidate will have different and unique resumes for consideration. There are four categories of induction . There are three main categories: Pioneer, Competitor and Official. Inducted into the Florida Water Ski Federation Hall of Fame 2003 Jim McCormick of Seffner has been one of the sport's trainers of champions for years. Nominations for induction into the Hall of Fame may be made by any member in good standing of the FWSF. Primary consideration is given to contributions to the sport as a USA-WS rated official, Sport Discipline officer or National Board or Committee member. The Selection Committee will vote by secret ballot on all nominees upon conclusion of appropriate research into each nominees qualifications. The displays go into some depth about how it was formed and got to were it is today. Promoter and organizer of junior water skiing. Schwenk was also a driving force in the boating industry, instrumental in designing the very first wakeboard boat with MasterCraft and he holds patents along with MasterCraft for surf systems and towers. USA Water Ski created a hall of fame in 1982. Cockburn continues to compete in senior divisions while actively participating in the administration of the sport as Australian Technical Director and as a member of the Australian Tournament Council for the last 15 years. 2022 United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Inductions will generally take place annually for those elected into the Hall. Each charter member inductee received a commemorative plaque, and Tommy Bartlett himself offered special commentary. His wakeboarding career started in 1995 and was full of innovation and accomplishment, including many pro tour and world championship titles. Did you know that water skiing was invented by Ralph Samuelson in 1922 on Lake Pepin in Minnesota? How about a pair of the earliest water skis known made from a barrel. Raised in Lantana, Florida, Tara's parents were avid three-event water skiers and Tara did her fair share of water skiing and kneeboarding. HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE the athletes, pioneers and visionaries of the United States who have significantly enriched the global sports of skiing and snowboarding, and to showcase their stories and historic memorabilia in our national museum located at the birthplace of organized skiing in America, Ishpeming, Michigan. The museum is currently housed at the Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau Welcome Center in Davenport. Lifelong supporter and promoter of disabled water ski clinics and competitions. New methods or technical developments by innovators/inventors are examples. He made and used the first few models of this water ski inboard before selling the rights to manufacture to Correct Craft. At the 2007 Pan American Games, she earned the silver medal in tricks and bronze medals in slalom and jumping. Ed Brazil will be honored posthumously as the 2020 recipient of the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award. Keith St. Onge When you think of barefoot water skiing, you think of Keith St. Onge. He helped establish OBrien, H.O. The Wisconsin Water Ski Hall of Fame was created to honor, in perpetuity, water skiing pioneers, competitive water skiers, officials and support personnel whose extraordinary accomplishments and contributions at all levels of the sport have brought lasting fame and attention to Wisconsin water skiing. David and Janet are both members of the Atlanta Water Ski Club in Acworth. 2015 Hall of Fame Charity Golf Tournament Friday, April 17th 8:00 A.M. She was named USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Female Athlete of the Year in 2007 when she competed on two U.S. water ski teams and collected four individual medals in the process. Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau Murray invented several wakeboard tricks, including the Bel Air, Tweety Bird, Square Raley, Crook, Crow 5, Heelside frontside and more. David exceeded his expectations and skied new bests in both Slalom and Tricks. KSO was the first barefooter to score more than 10,000 points in tricks and has set world records in all three events. Charter members of the Wisconsin Water Ski Hall of Fame were inducted in a special ceremony held at Tommy Bartlett Stadium in August, 1993. Baseball is Panama's national sport, and four Panamanians are in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The International Waterski & Wakeboard Federations International Hall of Fame has announced its 2023 inductees, which include six Americans among the 12 inductees. Director, competitor, driver, and host of tournaments for 40 years. He also set a collegiate tricks record in his last tournament as a college student. The IWWF is pleased to announce and congratulate the 2023 IWWF International Hall of Fame inductees: Details of their outstanding achievements can be foundhere(select/filter 2023). The skier must have competed in a U.S. National Tournament (or U.S. Open Tournament) at least 5 years. A Hall of Fame is a legacy for future generations of water skiers to learn from the past in shaping the sport of tomorrow. The Water Ski Hall of Fame and Museum is the hall of fame, museum, and archive of the sport of water skiing. Chris Davenport Class All Rights Reserved. Contact the AWSF Treasurer if you have questions regarding membership dues. Chief boat driver for state, regional, national, and pro tour championships. Judge for multiple state, national, world, and pro tournaments. Brazil served the sport for more than 50 years and was internationally known and sought after for his technical expertise. Collegiate Wakeboard. The Museum is inside of our Visitor Information Center at 101 Adventure Court, Davenport. How early? Secondary consideration is given to contributions as Regional councilman, Florida State officer, local club officer or chief official of a major tournament. Today Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming 10 to 15 knots this afternoon. The USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation honors the achievements of our sports outstanding participants and supports promising young athletes. But, he also barefoots, slaloms, jumps, trick skis, hydrofoils, shoe skis and is a legend in freestyle jumping. The award recognizes, appreciates, and understands the incredible contribution each recipient has made to their discipline, their community, their clubs, federations, confederations, the world and the IWWF. Generally, 15 years of service to the sport at a local, national or international level is a minimum requirement for consideration. Anyone involved in any division that falls under the USAWWS umbrella can be considered. Resident of the State of Florida for at least ten (10) years. St. Onge and Siemers named to Hall of Fame Class of 2023. 2023 All Rights Reserved to USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation. He served on the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundations Hall of Fame Selection Committee for 22 years, and was chairman of the committee for 12 years. The most inspiring and accomplished members of our sport are honored annually in the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The Dorwin Family was inducted into the Wisconsin Water Ski Hall of Fame as charter members in 1993. Murray was the first wakeboarder to land a 900 (Regular Heelside) in a competition, and he is the only rider ever to hold World, Pro Tour and National Championship titles at once. The Water Ski Hall of Fame and Museum was originally established by the USA Water Ski Foundation in 1980 in Winter Haven, Florida, just a few minutes from the famed Cypress Gardens Water Ski Show. American Water Ski Educational Foundation Award of Distinction 1995 Inducted into the Florida Water Ski Federation Hall of Fame 2003 Leo Bentz of Miami was the "inventor" of the Ski Nautique. Lee is a longtime AWSA tournament official and board member. If more than the maximum receive a 2/3-majority vote of the committee only the top scoring number will be elected as determined by secret ballot, using a forced ranking system whereby each committee member shall rank the nominees in descending order with the highest vote totals being inducted for that year. President. They may include tournament skiers, innovators, industry leaders, officials and others responsible for landmark achievements in the development of water skiing as well as those whose long periods of dedicated and generous service deserve special recognition. Sports and Radar Skis to world prominence. Jimmy Siemers is a three-time world-record holder and three-time world champion. General Eligibility Requirements Must be a U.S. citizen. He was a six-time recipient of the Water Skiers with Disabilities Associations Male Athlete of the Year award. Committee members must be at least 30 years of age. The nominee may be a three, two or one event skier and may have competed in any Sports Discipline. There are four categories of induction into the Hall of Fame - Athlete, General, Pioneer and Legend. We welcome your questions and comments. More recently, in 2015 and again in 2017, the Chain of Records events set numerous records that were documented by USA Water Ski and Wake Sports officials as well as the Guinness Book of World Records. Founded in 1980 and currently located in Davenport, Florida, the organization is administered by the USA Water Ski Foundation. By Scott N. Atkinson |
usa-wsf@waterskihalloffame.com863-420-2593. No member of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee is eligible during his term on the Committee. The Wisconsin Water Ski Hall of Fame was created to honor, in perpetuity, water skiing pioneers, competitive water skiers, officials and support personnel whose extraordinary accomplishments and contributions at all levels of the sport have brought lasting fame and attention to Wisconsin water skiing. Among his several innovations, he is believed to be the first person to write a computer program for a 3-point slalom course survey; developed a radar-computer interface to figure distance to 36 mph and deviation in the slalom course; came up with the 55-meter pre-gate buoys and did the centerline deviation estimates using his survey instrument; worked on jump course design, including the 60-foot spacing buoy and 500-foot cutout buoy; and came up with the rule to specify the jump ramp by slope or height/length and made the first graph for it. As a nine-time member of the U.S. Disabled Water Ski Team, he won 13 gold medals, six silver medals and five bronze medals at the Disabled Water Ski World Championships. The International Water Ski & Wakeboard Federation has announced that Ron Scarpa, current member of the USA Water Ski Foundation's Water Ski Hall of Fame, will be inducted into the International Hall of Fame on Sept. 8 during the 2017 Water Ski World Championships in Choisy-Le-Roi, France. Ann OBrine-Satterfield (USA) ATHLETE Disabled Ski, Royce Andes (USA) PIONEER Disabled Ski, Steve Simmonds (Australia) ATHLETE Disabled Ski, Elizabeth Hobbs (Great Britain) ATHLETE Racing, Leanne Brown (Australia) ATHLETE Racing, Cathy Williams (USA) PIONEER Wakeboard, Dallas Friday (USA) ATHLETE Wakeboard, Janifer Ellis (USA) OFFICIAL Wakeboard, Elena Thomsen-Milakova (Switzerland) ATHLETE Waterski, Masako Yamaguchi (Japan) OFFICIAL Waterski, Jorge Renosto (Argentina) PIONEER Waterski, Details of their outstanding achievements can be found, Follow on