Australian Champion - Discussion

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 3:52 pm

Firstly I have to let you know how grateful I am and how privileged I have been to be a member of Surfing Australia.
I was a member of WASRA (now Surfing WA the state body of SURFING AUSTRALIA) for many years and represented WA at the Aussie Titles 5 times, I never paid any money to go to the Aussies all accommodation and airfares and contest entry fees were paid for by WASRA.

WASRA was an amazing group of individuals all striving towards a common goal, which was to build Western Australian surfers levels UP so as to eventually produce great PRO SURFERS which they did. WASRA produced such surfers as Wayne Jaggard, Mitch Thorson, Dave MacCauley, Jake Patterson, Matt Branson and Taj Burrows and many more.

I am now a member of Surfing Victoria and have lived in Victoria now for almost 15 years. At last years State round for kneeboarders and various older divisions of footboarders, Surfing Victoria indicated that they were not really interested in running the event for us anymore and wanted feedback as what to do, now the Surfing Australia are wanting to get rid of kneeboarders from the amateur ranks altogether. They want the Australian Kneeboard Champion to come from the ranks of the PRO KSA contests.

I understand where they are coming from, however there are a few issues that need to be sorted out first. Surfing Australia are now only interested in Junior boys and girls and open men and women.

When Ken Stapleton was running KSA it was Kneeboard Surfing Australia and did not as far as I know have an affiliation with Surfing Australia, Now KSA is Kneeboard Surf Australia and is an affiliate of Surfing Australia. I was very happy paying my membership fee to the old KSA and going in contests to help fund whatever KSA was doing to promote kneeboarding, however I felt powerless as a member because of the lack of input the membership had.

Now I pay a membership fee to Surfing Victoria which the newer KSA get sweet FA of any funds and has to raise its own money usually from contest entry fees. As a sort of member I have no say once again in any aspect of the organisation. I have also had some queries recently to which I have had no reply. it is disappointing that KSA does not really represent kneeboarders in the true sense.

If we as kneeboarders want to move forward and gather momentum and strength and swell the junior ranks we need to each of us have input and feedback, stimulate ideas and become a progressive bunch of individuals working together for the common goals of our amazing sport.

Communicating has never been easier we have been empowered by the use of the internet and how much closer that has bought kneeboarders from around the world, and thanks to KSUSA forums for stimulating and entertaining and encouraging thoughts. So lets use that communication power to make KSA what it should be.

My Opinion :

KSA should become a separate entity to Surfing Australia and have membership moneys paid directly.

KSA empower membership with having a say in how the organisation is run and be transparent with financials and other management decisions

KSA encourage individuals to go in KSA PRO surfing events and the points winner from 3 contests becomes the PRO Australian Champion

KSA promote and encourage junior development

Long winded I know , however I would like to get some feedback from KSA management and others on this subject that I am sure Australian kneeboarders are very interested in.

The last point is the requirement of entry only to the Phillip Is contest to get the 2nd contest under your belt to go the worlds. Thanks to KSA for that loophole which really made it difficult for the organisers with all the no shows, you could have just asked people who didn't want to come to the contest to pay a fee to be eligible to go to the worlds.

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:02 am

good points greg

get involved

Headwax. · Post by **Headwax.** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:31 am

sorry OT

Stanley · Post by **Stanley** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:04 am

Greg you have come up with some very good points..

You have had a lot of experience with competitive kneeboarding and have gained a lot of fun out of our sport.

And with your experience and knowledge of kboard surfing you do have the right to come up with concerns, frustrations and criticisms.

I respect your opinions and know you are a very intelligent person.

I know with your criticisms you would of also thought of solutions for those concerns for the common good of our sport,which is also needed.

You have a liking for the politics of situations and would be a good role- model for the kboarding governing body.

I'm shore the ksa would love to have you as part of their commity to help change and support the sport of k boarding.

So Ive got details here for you to contact the governing body of kneeboard surfing australia so you can get on board and give them and the sport of kboarding a hand to be more transparent with financials and other management decisions.

They would love you to get on board and help them here are their details

KSA President - John Clingan - 0419425150

Vice President - Wayne Jennings - 0407554460

Email KSA - ksa@internode.on.net

Good luck with your new supporting role in the future of kneeboard australia

Cheers

Stan

mFox · Post by **mFox** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:01 pm

I'm in agreement with Stan in this Greg.

You've put forward good points and clarified issues. Getting involved at a high level could be the niche for you.
Someone to actually speak up (LOUDLY) about so called "taboo" and "back room" issues may be what our sport and governing body needs to have a stronger presence in Surfing Australia's meetings and decisions in regards to us.

Get on board with KSA mate!!!

(Judge Budgie is now in session

) - (Budgie QC fights for the legless, repressed and underprivileged!!!)

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:36 am

Oh Foxy your sense of humour is out there ta

Thanks Stan and Mark .......... But the point is WE ARE ALL KNEEBOARDERS AND NEED TO VOICE OUR IDEAS.

This is not about me

I saw a young drop knee lid ripping and shredding at Gunnamatta one day and said to him he would be a hot kneelo "no way " was his response.

When I was a grommmy there were a huge range of older kneelos who took me under their wings and some are still doing it. I was encouraged to join a kneeboard club called WALYANI which meant 'free and easy' in Noonga a tribal culture and language from Western Australian Aboriginees. There was 60 members from young crew like myself to state champions to guys with dickie legs who had polio as kids.

We all had a say in issues and were able to put ideas for anything forward and the commitee was VOTED on by the membership, we had a really good time and were a very financially rich club through our fund raisers with bands and kegs of beer. A new car in 1980 was around $6 -8000 and we bought a $3000 video camera to help us improve our surfing. We had name change in about 1982 / 83 to WAK (West Australian Kneeboarders), ran an event called the Alternative Surf Weekend for Lids Surfskis and kneeboarders. What a hoot.

Now I think there are but a handful of kneeboarders in WA and I am not sure any go in state rounds.

My point is US is a collective of kneelos and US can be so much more powerful than ME or THEM doing it by themselves. US can have amazing ideas and skills, US will bring juniors to our ranks and JUNIORS is the most important US for the future.

Remember I have already tried talking to THEM and they have no ears

Stanley · Post by **Stanley** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 2:15 am

Hi Budgie have you offered to join the committee of the ksa? To be the voice and problem solver of the members that bring problems to your attention.

Have you said to John. I would really like to help you guys, how can I get on board in the committee?

I have run clubs and in my experience it's always easier for many people to criticize but when you empower them to come up with proactive solutions they fall way short of a solution or do nothing, and if they do nothing I don't think they have the right to criticize.

I know its not about you but you do have issues about the way things are run so get on board of the committee and help the sport of kneeboarding to expand

Don,t you think you should give back to the sport that has given you so much or anyone else for that matter who has a problem with the governing body to get in the trenches and give em a hand with proactive solutions

Cheers

Stan

albert · Post by **albert** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 10:48 am

budgie wrote: Remember I have already tried talking to THEM and they have no ears

can you please elaborate a bit more on this?

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:23 pm

Joining the committe, Stan is impossible when you are not a member, I am a member of Surfing Australia through Surfing Victoria and when I have asked for details on various things they willing and rapidly have obliged.

KSA is a subbody of SA with no real membership and when I have had queries I have emailed correspondance and have not recieved a reply.

Anyway this is about the Oz Champion not about me and not about KSA persay it is Surfing Australia and Surfing Victoria and the lack of interest in Kneeboarders.

KSA NEEDS TO BECOME EMPOWERED AGAIN

Stanley · Post by **Stanley** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:07 am

Budgie its great you have made an effort and sent emails to the governing bodes and expressed your consearns . Have you also offered solutions to those problems?... And if so could you elaborate to all of us what they may be.

I know its not about you its about kneeboarding but to invoke change you need to get involved with the running boddys of our sport

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:43 am

Thanks for the great debate guys. (sarcasm)

It is ok to share you know,

it doesnt matter what people think of you,

just post a reply and tell the forum membership what you FEEL on the subject.

If people condemn you for your ideas or feelings it is their issue not yours

GO on HAVE A GO

WE or at least ME want to see kneeboarding blossom and flourish

just like Soccer has in recent years in Australia

Good Luck

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:20 am

See ya guys

had some fun, I will not be posting on this site anymore

I have gone off sulking

Budgie

mFox · Post by **mFox** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:42 am

Hey Budgie.......... don't sulk!!!!! or run up the white flag on something you feel strongly about.

Your on the right track by bringing up your concerns and starting a debate. But a prerequisite in a debate is, you've got to have answers to put forward in support of your own questions, that give momentum and direction to your agument. You have to prove that your answers to your question are the best outcome.
Others participants need this "Question/Answer" path to put forward their own arguments/solutions to eventually bring about what should lead to a few logical, practical and constructive "solutions" (as opposed to open questions) to apply to the original argument.

So........... try again mate and make it a debate to find answers other than a whinge session

(Budgie QC had a nice ring to it).

albert · Post by **albert** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:16 pm

mFox wrote:try again mate and make it a debate to find answers other than a whinge session

had to be repeated...

mFox · Post by **mFox** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:19 pm

Hey Albert,

That too!!!!

.

How do mate???