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photos by Bill Singleton /Shutterrific Photographyabove topics as they apply to ski club dynamicswas the mission of the attendees in the afternoonsession of the Snowsports LeadershipAcademy. The attendees split into threegroups where each brainstormed on ways tobe more effective in their marketing efforts,mentoring successors for club board positions,and the use of various mediums to convey theclub message. In the final stages of the session,each group presented their findings to the entireaudience.To begin, each group had a facilitator toassist in getting the ideas flowing. Marketingwas the task taken on by Jo Simpson, Presidentof Sierra Council, to help foster ideas onbuilding club membership. They focused ondefining the club demographic, creating interest,and how to convey the message.San Diego Council President Eileen Sanfordwas charged with the duty of helping hergroup come up with creative ways of cultivatingsuccessors for club board positions. Thetheme centered on developing an action plan,utilizing resources in the club, and how tomonitor the results of your efforts.Sheri Parshall, President of NorthwestCouncil, led her group through the process ofdiscussing media and effective outreach communications.Emphasis was placed particularlyon websites, social media, and networkingas the standard today.Next…The Snowsports Leadership Academysessions have provided a high degree of enthusiasmand have been well attended each year.Next year at the 2013 convention in Reno willbring something new to the program. Don’tmiss out.Held inOgden, UtahConvention attendees enjoyed avariety of optional events including apool party with a mechanical bull atthe Marriott Ogden, and the 6thAnnual Michael German MemorialGolf Tournament at the Wolf CreekResort Golf Course in Eden, Utah.Greg ThomsonShows Way toPreservation ofSki Historyby John WatsonHistorian, FWSAThe legacy of ski history is rapidlyfading to forgotten. Firsthand experienceolder than about 1965 nowresides only in octogenarians. Memorabilia,photographs, journals, banners,medals are vulnerable to dispositionby people who don’t understand theirvalue as history. Even well meaningdescendents and friends puzzle overwhat to do with these collections. Dr.Greg Thompson, our 2012 SnowsportsBuilder honoree, showed us the wayin his presentation at the Ogden convention.He has for 22 years conductedacquisitions for the SkiArchives (he is a cofounder with thelate Sue Raemer) in the University ofUtah’s J. W. Marriott Library. He isthe Associate Dean for Special Collections,which includes ski materials.This has entailed a tenacious longterm effort to capture personal materialsfrom skiers piece by piece beforethe material vanishes or goes intothe dumpster. Thompson has conductedthe Ski Affair for 20 years, raisinghundreds of thousands of dollarsto maintain the special collections activity.Special collections is an initiativeall regions, councils and clubs need totake up as well, naming an archivistwho can serve as a collection point,cataloging and securing material forultimate educational purposes in asuitable library, university or museum.Save your paper products, memorabilia,paraphernalia and recordsof skiing’s legacy and let’s get localspecial collections archives started.The MakingHistory DVDprovides a historyof Ski Clubs andRacing over thelast 150 years.See page 27.Far West Skier’s Guide 2O12 - 2O13 31