AARON YORK from 
Waco, Texas was been selected as the 
August 2003 Footer of the Month

Here's why:

When I sit around thinking of skiers I think represent the sport in it's greatest light, Aaron York's name is always on my short list.  I met Aaron about 2 years ago.  Both Paul Stokes and Keith St. Onge had done clinics for Aaron, and they both recommended that I take a weekend and visit Aaron and his ski buddies (Stuart Parson and Mike West) down in Waco, Texas.

Aaron is a great guy to sit around and talk footing with.  He is a wealth of knowledge on the history of the sport because he came up through the sport along with the likes of Mike Siepel, Scarpa, Rick Powell, and many more.  The first Barefoot Nationals was run in Waco, Texas.  

When I visited Aaron in Waco, I walked into what I would consider one of the best ski sights and all around great home setups on the planet.  Aaron's house sits right on the river with his on private dock and boat ramp.  It is a beautiful home with an abundance of large shade trees and shaded porches.  Aaron owns his own plumbing business and works out of the house.  So anytime he feels the need, he can walk out his back door, jump in his boat and get a few runs in.

I figured I would have a nice relaxing weekend, seeing as though Aaron is over 40.  I didn't imagine we would be doing much skiing.  Once you pass 40, your stamina isn't what it used to be.  At least that's what I thought.  Aaron isn't your typical 40 year old.  He runs "wide open throttle" from the moment he wakes up (about 7am) to the time he goes to bed (about midnight).  And I would bet that about 75% of his waking time is spent thinking about barefoot waterskiing.  If we would let Aaron take 4 sets a day, he would be wanting a 5th.  In between the skiing, he runs a very successful business, is a very active deacon in his church, conducts bible studies, and plays in a band.

Before I came to Waco, Aaron called me to let me know about the problems he was having with his front to back.  He had done them back in the late 70s, early 80s, but he was having to re-learn them after taking several years off from the sport.  About 2 weeks after I left Waco, I received an email from Aaron telling me he hit 4 turns at the South Center Regionals.  I was totally fired up.

While out on the boat with Aaron, he showed absolutely NO FEAR.  At 41 years old, he and his best friend Stuart Parsons (who's 30) are both learning inverted jumping and surface turns.  Aaron would take 3 or 4 good back crashes and get up time and time again asking for one more try.  I had to darn near drag him out of the water after each set.  I started calling him the Energizer Bunny.  He just kept going and going.  After a single morning 3 hour set, I was wiped out and ready for a long nap.  But right after I finished my last bite of lunch, Aaron was ready to go back out. 

After 2 long sets lasting until about 5pm, we finally got off the water.  I headed right for a soft couch.  Aaron, on the other hand, seemed to kick into another gear.  He had told me a couple buddies would be stopping by that evening to play some music.  They had a little band he said.  To my surprise, Aaron set up a sound system that would rock the nearest 10 mile radius.  He set up, did sound checks, then spent at least 3 straight hours on the drums with his band.  Boats on the river came from all around just to hear them play.  Country, Rock, blues, they played it all.  

On the water, Aaron is very competitive.  The gang is always kidding one another about whether they can perform in the big show or upcoming tournament.  Aaron loves the excitement of competition so much that he regular calls his buddies out to an impromptu Wakes or Tricks tournament.  I was lucky enough to participate in one of the Wakes challenges and had a great time.  We had a couple stop watches and drew straws as to who would go first.  And talk about being critical.  You scoop or sit down early, and you'll find your friends are too forgiving, especially if there's 5 dollars on the line. 

So, I decided to nominate Aaron for many reasons.  His success in his business, his dedication to his faith, his dedication to his wife and friends, his desire to continue learning new things in the sport he loves, and especially for his unwavering drive to be the best he can be.   It's a balancing act that few can achieve, but that Aaron makes look easy.

Congratulations Aaron for being nominated Footer of the Month!   Aaron is now eligible to be voted the 2003 Footer of the Year.