Who is Billy Van Gilder?

[Nectur]

Is it also true that he is the one actually behind Camelbacks' Park improvements or lack of?

 

 

I am not behind the improvements that Camelback is making. Or as you say lack there of. Let's be honest, the season really hasn't been far to our region weather wise to realy gage anyone's performance.

 

I am excited to see all the mountains in our region step it up. Everyone continues to annouce improvements and most are centered around the park and pipes.

 

My affiliation with Camelback is with the creation of the Camelback Mountain School. This is a program that trains riders for regional competitions. For years we have been losing riders to the north and west because we did not have any coaching programs in the region. In addition those riders that could take advantage of those academies had to be independantly waelthy. We are offering a cost effective coaching program in the region at a mountain that was willing to support us and our efforts. I do not make a penny off the program.

 

I hope to see more programs grow at area mountains to continue to grow the sport and create rivalries amoung teams. (much like that exist up north and out west)

 

Right now we do not offer actual classes, i.e. school. We are traying to gain the support of the school to simply honor our competition schedule and understand that athletes that qualify for nationals and such will need to miss school. In the same respect we will instill the same academic requires of our athletes as the school does on their athletes, i.e. baseball, basketball, field hockey, etc. Some day maybe it could become a an actual academy?

 

We also, hope the program can grow in both directions. Entry level riders that really don't compete, but are trained in the varying diciplines. And elite athletes that have outgrown the region level comps and are willing to travel to various USSA, TTR and unsanctioned high exposure level events.

[Papasteeze]

During the event Matt Jennings decided to exclude that last feature for safety reasons.

 

Ok, I just hope that in the future, a little more thought or conferencing might happen when making these decisions. It was obvious that BB was there to make things "right". There was unique problem on Tuesday in that a lot of the kids have not had any real time on the snow and it showed early with the wrecks that were happening. However there were also, plenty of kids there who have the skills to help advise on what is safe or not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's be honest, the season really hasn't been fair to our region weather wise to realy guage anyone's performance.

 

 

sure it has. LOL!

[Nectur]

Thanks for Chiming in Bill! It is great to see you here! I would like to step up and ask what can I do to help? I wish that you were here in the preseason commenting in the Camelback Mountain School thread about the judging clinics. Is it possible to do another one, just for our region, MASS? http://www.paskiandride.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6118

 

I am totally convinced of what the trends are as evidenced by the NextSnow competitions with in the SnowMonster program. My son now have 13 different comps at 9 different resorts. There is a definite pattern. I don't believe that the USSA freestyle program is the way to go, yours looks much better in relation to what the "Newschoolers" seem to want.

 

I did invite all the area mountains to have their staff attend the clinincs. Existing riders, park and pipe staff and even instructors are perfect andidates to begin their education in judging. I very easily could arrange for one of the trainers to come to this area and conduct another clinic. I would then also be more then happy to employ many of them at our various events. We are always looking for qualified judges.

 

Education and training have become a part of the new focus of the USASA. We just had our most successful training seasons yet in coaching and judging and we will continue to push. Nationally we are traing more and more TS's (technical supervisors). At Nationals we will have an undrstudying TS at each one of the five venues. This is in an effort to continue the pipeline of not only educated coaches and judges but also event organizers.

 

As always help is needed. Many people fell that some of the comps may not have been as organized as others that I may have ran. And I assure that I do my best effort to make them the best possible competitions they can be. But, employees are always a challenge. For instance, this past weekend in order to have enough staff to judge the event I had to pay myself the least amount of money. (next to nothing) It seems that at the MASS events we have a ton of parents now that are helping out and making that event run smoother then ever. But for the other events we organize, staffing is always an issue.

[Papasteeze]

Good info.... As much as I would like to think I have been involved, I missed alot of this. I have to run now, send me some contact info via PM.

[snorovr]

Great post about staffing Bill. That is one of the biggest problems as I've seen with fairness in judging competitions. There just don't seem to be a ton of people who are in the scene that are doing the judging, it seems to be people who aren't quite as "in touch" in a way with what the latest tricks and combinations might be. I was tempted to attend the USASA clinic at Camelback early this season, but between PSIA and other organizations, new gear to replace broken stuff, and other expenses, I have to watch where money goes, and USASA just didn't seem worth it. Maybe this year will change my mind and I will pursue coaching and or judging certifications next year or later this season. However, your "independantly wealthy" comment kind of runs true with this too, as fees for both USASA and PSIA are ever growing, and our pay scales are not. I could buy a pair of skis with the money I would need to even start earning my PSIA Level II.

 

Welcome to the site! Please post often and let us know whats going on with the USASA side of things.

[Justo8484]

bill, although i dont necesarily agree with some of the decisions that were made, i appreciate that you guys are trying to finally include skiers in a lot of the stuff we've been excluded from in the past. as papa said, those of us who were ready to step up were really comfortable hitting that last jump, but the first jump was just not as nice. i know there's nothing you can do about it after the fact, but maybe try and get input from the riders as to what they are comfortable on. none of us knew that first jump was going to be in the comp so we all skipped it, and therefore no one really had any practice time on it.

 

i guess as far as judging, it is very difficult to judge a skier against a snowboarder. is there anywhere that people would be able to see the criteria you are judging on? what i've found out after a few years of competing is that just because you are riding well, does not mean you will necesarily score high if your riding is not really what the judges are looking for.

[Nectur]

Great post about staffing Bill. That is one of the biggest problems as I've seen with fairness in judging competitions. There just don't seem to be a ton of people who are in the scene that are doing the judging, it seems to be people who aren't quite as "in touch" in a way with what the latest tricks and combinations might be. I was tempted to attend the USASA clinic at Camelback early this season, but between PSIA and other organizations, new gear to replace broken stuff, and other expenses, I have to watch where money goes, and USASA just didn't seem worth it. Maybe this year will change my mind and I will pursue coaching and or judging certifications next year or later this season. However, your "independantly wealthy" comment kind of runs true with this too, as fees for both USASA and PSIA are ever growing, and our pay scales are not. I could buy a pair of skis with the money I would need to even start earning my PSIA Level II.

 

Welcome to the site! Please post often and let us know whats going on with the USASA side of things.

 

I obviously understand the costs in getting memberships and certifications. And then justifying them with the possiblity of making any more $$ after you have gotten them. I would like to organize another judging clinic for this region and the cost is only $25 pp. That is for the instructor of the course. I know there are plenty of mountains that would host the event for us. So if this is still something many of you would like to get involved in, please let me know.

 

FYI, the financial plan that I have set in place for the USASA since I have become the President of the Executive board will begin to reduce the membership fees and the cost of nationals. We are beginning an endowment fund to also generate more funds to also reduce education costs. As far as MASS is considered if we can retain the sponsorships we have this season, for next, our fees also can be reduced. All of these measures are in an effort to make everything we do more accessible to riders without the finacial constraints.

[Papasteeze]

I obviously understand the costs in getting memberships and certifications. And then justifying them with the possiblity of making any more $$ after you have gotten them. I would like to organize another judging clinic for this region and the cost is only $25 pp. That is for the instructor of the course. I know there are plenty of mountains that would host the event for us. So if this is still something many of you would like to get involved in, please let me know.

 

FYI, the financial plan that I have set in place for the USASA since I have become the President of the Executive board will begin to reduce the membership fees and the cost of nationals. We are beginning an endowment fund to also generate more funds to also reduce education costs. As far as MASS is considered if we can retain the sponsorships we have this season, for next, our fees also can be reduced. All of these measures are in an effort to make everything we do more accessible to riders without the finacial constraints.

 

I am interested.

[method9455]

Wait are we talking about doing a clinic on judging? I'd do it. (Those who can't do judge?)

[jordan]

I dont know what all this is about, but I love the Jubilee. Whenever I am in the poconos, i can almost always be found there every thursday night eating wings. I live like 2 minutes from it in lake naomi...

 

Jordan