What would a US Nationals be without Drama.  This year we had plenty of off the water drama.

The most noticeable drama was caused by Ron Scarpa.  Ron was selected to be on the US Team and was scheduled to compete in the upcoming Worlds.  He had requested a by for Regionals claiming that he was injured.  But he had given everyone the impression that he had every intention of skiing the Nationals.  Because if he didn't ski the Nationals, he would not be eligible to ski at the Worlds.

To everyone's surprise, Ron did NOT ski the Nationals and when we asked him about it, he claimed that he continued to tweak his knee when he jumps.  During our conversation I told Ron that he did not have anything to prove to people anymore and that he was not on the team for his jumping.  This is one year where the US Team could really use his support, especially in tricks. His comment was "You never have enough Overall Titles, and unless I can ski for the Overall Title, I have no interest in skiing."

I was amazed by his comments and implored to him to ski, if not for himself, for the fans that had traveled from all over the country to get a glimpse of him skiing.  I was one of those fans.  I love watching him ski.  But he would have nothing of it.  Though he admitted openly that he had no problems tricking or waking, he just had no interest in skiing unless he could compete for the overall.  I walked away very disappointed in him.

On Thursday night, Ron hosted a cocktail party at his Pro Shop to get skiers to come by and hopefully buy equipment.  I always take my team to dinner on Thursday of Nationals weeks due to the fact that nothing usually goes on that night.  During dinner, Mike Salber received a call from Scarpa asking us to stop by his party.  We all agreed to go, including Keith St. Onge, and we had a good time drinking margaritas prepared for us by Ron.  As I shook Ron's hand leaving the party, I asked him to come to Keith's party the next night.  I told him Keith would really be pleased if he would come.  Ron told me he would see what he could do.  Unfortunately, once again, Ron chose to snub his nose at the invitation. 

And finally, Ron, living only a few miles from the site the Awards Banquet was being held, chose not to attend the banquet at all.  He wasn't alone in this one.  Lane Bowers also chose not to attend.  At least Ron didn't have any medals to claim.  Lane's gold medal in jump was still laying on the table once all the awards were handed out.  As much as Lane supports and trains Rachel George, you'd think he'd at least come to the banquet to cheer for the students he mentors.

I got to hand it to Keith and Rachel George.  They are always there for the skiers at the banquets.  They are very patient and will take picture after picture as both kids and adults clamor to get a picture with them. 

Our final note is regarding the banquet.  It was held in a gymnasium in a local recreation center in Winter Haven.  It was very loud and you could hardly here the announcements due to the echoes.  The skiers could have dealt with that, but what they couldn't deal with was the ABC's decision not to serve alcohol at the banquet.  I've never seen a group of barefooters so mad as the Eastern Region was.  I felt I was at my High School Prom and we were all sneaking liquor into the punch bowl. 

As I left the banquet, I stopped for a moment to speak with Doug Koch, the ABC President.  I thanked him for a good time and then asked him if he'd like to hear my opinion on where Nationals should be held next year.  He said he did so I told him that the Nationals needs to be held in Alma Center, Wisconsin, at the private lake built by the Heller family specifically for barefoot waterskiing.  Blake Heller has made it well known that he'd like to host a Nationals and he has the drive, the support, the funds, and means to pull it off.  The Nationals was yanked from the Midwest this year and they deserve to have a shot at throwing it, especially seeing as though the majority of the barefooters in the country come from the Midwest.  I hope he heard me and communicates that to the ABC Board.

That should be enough Inside Stuff to get your blood pumping.  Remember, I don't create it, I just report on it.