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March, 2025

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The Ideal governing body in skiing

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CBROOKS
Posts: 4979 - Karma: 10,708
Hey everyone

I'm currently working on a marketing project for school in which I have chosen to create the online strategy and branding for an idealistic governing body in freeskiing. Think of it as the superior version of FIS, AFP, the free skiing world tour, and the dew tour / x games / ppo circuits combined. What would you guys want from an organization like this in terms of their interaction with their audience online, their website design, and any extra features that you see other governing bodies lacking?
12 years ago
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a_burger
Posts: 5249 - Karma: 20,937
how about one that just exists for skiing and doesn't try and make rules

like take the governing part out


No matter how hard you try someone will disagree with the governing body
12 years ago
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_Garagely_
Posts: 1948 - Karma: 3,259
This. There should be no rules on what you can do in skiing.
12 years ago
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freestyler540
Posts: 13177 - Karma: 19,706
Governing body in skiing is an interesting concept because the AFP is an association to help athletes get the support they need. Go you cant really compare that.

I would look at FIS. They are the competition organization that lays down the rules to make sure our sport is done safely and to promote competition ethics. They take care of contests and scores. This list is provided as proof to sponsors. There is no real big problem with the body. They try to make competing fair and just for everyone.

You can look at certification associations like CSIA, CAC and more. To have a body that governs the certification process in North America. Each association recognizes their own brand. Say you get a coach level with CSIA freeride, you cant coach for the Canadian Freestyle Association. Since standards are constantly being upgraded and changed, I would recommend a body that will unite some of these associations to control quality and assure correct standards.

Skiing is a complex thing because there are so many groups that are so similar, but differ in their goals. Every discipline of skiing understand skiing differently. I ran around every scene, trying to grasp the enormity of skiing. The best thing an association can do is listen to people. Its sad to see so many big associations decide what is good for profit and image than actually being out there.
12 years ago
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FLBP
Posts: 1794 - Karma: 310
Anarchy is best when it comes to free skiing. No judges, just pure dog eat dog meat hucking where the last survivor is the victor.
12 years ago
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cowofawesome
Posts: 201 - Karma: 549
The ideal governing body for skiing is the entire populace of NS. If there are any issues, make a sticky and have us all shitstorm it out till we reach a conclusion.
12 years ago
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,903
Governing body and freeskiing are oxymorons. The most ideal governing body of freeskiing is one that doesn't and never will exist. We can argue back and forth all day long on NS, whether a guy did a "true" nose press. Do you really want a bunch of nitpicking assholes determining standards for everything we do now and all the things that we haven't even dreamed up yet. It's called FREESKIING for a reason.

Sorry, but this hits a nerve with me.
12 years ago
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Hammyslapwagon
Posts: 1261 - Karma: 1,411
The skiers of course
12 years ago
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JIB_WALRUS
Posts: 671 - Karma: 130
Representatives from each region in the regionals thread set up so if a region contains more ns'ers or free skiers they would have more representation lest say 100 skiers/members to 1 representative. The representative would vote receive teachings from ns on basic judging and how competitions work. They would later vote when competitions are happening judgeing and picking the winner(s) With time zones this could be difficult. As well as representatives the members of ns would get to vote to acting as a popular vote to keep the representatives in check. These votes would not carry weight though because we all know what would happen if ns got to pick who won the major competitions.
So in the end a digital completely transparent republic as a governing body. With a unicameral congress and also a popular vote.
12 years ago
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CBROOKS
Posts: 4979 - Karma: 10,708
Alright, thanks for the useless responses.

I'm not trying to create some monster to govern all freeskiing everywhere. There obviously needs to be a governing body for competitive freestyle skiing (be it slope, pipe or big mountain). What would you want to see from an organization like this in terms of their online presence and interaction with their audience?

This is about trying to make such an organization as community friendly as possible. The classic problem being that everyone disagrees, as you point out. How do you solve this? What can you build in to quell some of these fears?
12 years ago
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UFOsarereal
Posts: 2285 - Karma: 1,132
Click for larger image
12 years ago
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LIL_WAT
Posts: 1900 - Karma: 475
No, there doesn't. We don't need to be 'governed'.
12 years ago
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~bagelz~
Posts: 1105 - Karma: 1,067
Freeskiing is freeskiing: it's free. But when you decide to compete you sign a waiver and you have to follow certain rules etc. Maybe standardizing this aspect so people know what to expect.
As for the Internet webface etc aspect something interactive that allows debate and discussion but at a more civilized than ns bitchfighting.
12 years ago
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22729 - Karma: 76,894
Now you're talking.
12 years ago
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JUP*
Posts: 728 - Karma: 200
Black Steve.
12 years ago
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freestyler540
Posts: 13177 - Karma: 19,706
First off fuck you. I actually put in some time in a post about what you wanted to know. I even gave you a suggestion on where you could direct your paper.

Now to business. FIS is the regulating body of world class competitive skiing. It regroups ass forms of skiing from ski jumping to cross country to alpine to freeriding, all mountain contests. You want to see a functioning governing skiing group; thats your model. Refer back to my first post.

"What would you want to see from an organization like this in terms of their online presence and interaction with their audience?" You answered your question. the problem with associations are the hard-to-touch, 65 year old racer that get implanted and begin to run it like a fascist state.
 So the best way to make an association work is to get people involved in the decision process, make them feel like their contributed to the progression of the standards in our sport. They have to make it easy to join, have tasks for everyone who wants to contribute and never turn someone away.

The plan of this solution are up to you. Hope it helped
12 years ago
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,459
I think Spencer O'Brien has the right point here.

https://www.newschoolers.com/readnews/42872/Snowboarder-Spencer-O-Brien-On-The-Great-Comp-Jump-Size-Debate?c=toprated&o=2

I think you're off to a great start. The ideal governing body would have consistent organization and influence from regional events to the pro events. Spencer OB mentioned the ASP. I looked at their rulebook after reading that article to find out what surfers can compete at the different level events. It makes sense. The ASP also had some rules that I thought were totally wack like if you were invited you basically had to be there or you would be fined. I think it's a great place to look for inspiration for your article.

AFP is more of a skiers union. I think it's great that they're doing their judging consistency thing and their ranking system but it's less than half the battle of being a governing body. In my mind, an ideal governing body cares about overall world champion more than any event winner and everyone acknowledges that champion as THE champion. The freeski schedule is made up of a bunch of unaffiliated events. The people at X games don't give a fuck about who won Dew Tour and Vice Versa. X games exist to make money for ESPN and Dew Tour exists to make money for NBC. Dew Tour and X Games don't care wins overall world champion. Wallisch was named FIS world champion last week. I don't care. It's just Tom Wallisch winning an event, an event that I don't even think is a top 3 on the schedule.
12 years ago
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,903
Take back what I posted earlier. This works for me.
12 years ago
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CBROOKS
Posts: 4979 - Karma: 10,708
I apologize, you did add the a valuable response, and I should have acknowledged that. Thanks for the input
12 years ago
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404404
Posts: 11358 - Karma: 21,035
Me and Black Steve will make, and run a new "governing body".

FIS, AFP, USSA ect... Only around to help the top training athletes, and parents/kids that are rich. Fuck you kidding me a comp series that has you traveling around the US for the winter. Who can spend 10g plus for travel, coach, fag bag training, and fee's for the comps? That is more then I spend in a year skiing.

The ideal governing body for skiing is one that promotes local comps, helps skiers at the base level, and helps skier retention. Having organizations that keeps people skiing is what will keep this "sport" alive not the Xgames or Olympics.
12 years ago
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theblackrod
Posts: 2162 - Karma: 575
yes.
12 years ago
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ForeverYung
Posts: 8385 - Karma: 2,060
I'm ok with this.

12 years ago
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Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,137
This is actually a fantabulous idea. I wonder how hard it'd be to actually start this.
12 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14044 - Karma: 10,319
Well yeah... I mean, competitions aren't about bringing people into the sport, they're about testing ones skills in the sport. You want to bring people into the sport and 'keep it alive', it's not going to happen with governing bodies overseeing grassroots local competitions.

In Canada there's a program where kids in grades 4 and 5 ski for free at pretty much every ski hill across the country (or at least there was - not sure if it's still in existence). Stuff like that is what will keep the sport going.

A governing body for competition should be about progressing people through the ranks to the X Games/Olympics in a clear and direct way. If you don't want to spend 10g plus travelling around North America doing the comp scene, well, a governing body is irrelevant for you. Nobody ever claimed skiing was cheep.

Name me one sport where you don't need to invest money into your kid for him to go anywhere. Again, up here in Canada the amount of time, effort, and money I see people spend on their kids hockey 'career' is insane. You think summer camp for skiing is expensive. Geez. I'm sure you could exchange hockey in Canada for football in 'Murka. Very rarely do people become a professional athlete in any sport without spending the money and having faith beforehand.
12 years ago
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