Welcome to the 2016 Kneeboard Line
A messsage from your coaches, The Treadway family
Welcome to the 2016 Kneeboard line! If you are new to the ski club, welcome! If you are returning from last year, we are excited to have you back!
Kneeboard is typically one of the first acts children participate in, so often there are lots of questions. Please make sure to read this message in it's entirety as it contains very important information.
Practices are held on Sundays from 11-1 at Jefferson Point. We are hoping to start practices on May 22. You will need to use your gate card to get in.
Please review the information below and share with your kneeboarder to make our practices run smoothly. We have 56 kids (double what we had last year) signed up this year so we will need your help to make it run smoothly. We will need parent volunteers each week to drive the safety boat and assist with coiling ropes. Bring older siblings so they can help too! Remember that this act requires assistance from a parent so parents must stay and help the entire practice times!
Safety First! Please be aware that safety is our number one priority. Please stress this with the children as well. All children must wear a US Coast Guard approved life jacket, preferably with both a zipper and buckles. Minimum is that life jacket have at least three buckles. Life jacket must fit appropriately.
Each participant will also need their own kneeboard. Sharing of kneeboards is difficult, due to the pace of pulls.
Second, our goal is to have fun. Introduce yourself to other kids and parents. This is a family organization so use this as an opportunity to make new friends.
Our ski club has an etiquette policy which states that we will be respectful to all citizens of the CA. Non ski club members are allowed to remain on the beach and watch our practices as long as it does not interfere with the safety of our kids or the spectators. We are asking that if an issue arises to let a coach or ski club representative intervene.
Remember that CA rules do not allow pets on the beach, although it is not our job to enforce this with non-ski club members, but let's make sure we ourselves are respectful of the CA rules. Please make sure that we clean up any mess we make while using the beach area, picnic tables, and Jefferson Point facilities.
Please ask your child to be respectful and listen to directions of the coaches and boat drivers.
All pulls will be from the beach. If your kneeboard has straps, either remove them or strap them together and have the child place his or her knees on TOP of the straps. We do NOT strap kids onto their kneeboards. This is a safety measure to avoid a child getting dragged through the water!
All children/adults will form lines according to sizes and we will run groups of 6-8 children at a time. Parents, if you can help keep the children organized and ready to go, this will maximize their experience. Parents, help the children be respectful and aware of their place in line. We will not wait on children who are not in line when it is their turn.
A parent/older sibling must hold each child's kneeboard. Sometimes we have siblings going at the same time or parents in safety boat so if you are available to help other kids as needed, it is appreciated. Hold the kneeboard on the back/side so that front tip of the kneeboard points out of water. Avoid pushing the board as the boat pulls away. Tell the kids to look up at the tops of the trees and hang on!
Parents can hold the child's rope, or some kids like to hold their own. Allow the rope to uncoil in your hand. If the rope develops a knot, throw it in the water, and the child can go with the next line. It is not safe to continue going with a knot in a rope and we will not allow it. Make certain the rope does not get wrapped around another child's body or kneeboard. We will go over this at practice!
When a child falls, they should wave and smile to indicate that they are ok. If not ok, they should cross their arms in air to indicate that they need help. They should let go of the rope, lay on their kneeboard, and paddle to shore or await the safety boat to pick them up. We will always have a safety boat in the water to pick up children who fall. We will be unable to practice if a safety boat is unavailable.
After the line completes their course, the boat driver will motion for them to let go. At that time the child should let go of their rope and ride their board to the beach. Tell them to keep hold of their board to avoid having it hit another child. They should lay on their board and swim to the shore as quickly as possible. Please remind them not to linger in the water as this will cause delays, especially important during the show!
Again, welcome and feel free to ask us or any veteran parent any questions you may have.
We will be sending an invitation to participate in a app that allows us to communicate with you via text. The app is called REMIND. You will need to accept the invitation by following the directions on the invitation. This will allow us to communicate with you via group text in case of cancellation.
Other contact information for us is through our email at treadwayfam@charter.net or directly at (636)-399-4315 (Beth) or (636)-399-4178 (Ken).