There is no giving without receiving, just as there is no taking without loss. And in today’s world there's a lot of both going on. Chris O’Shea dives into the realities of your actions from his newly acquired orientation as Company wakeboards distributor.
The Currency of Today.
By Chris O’Shea
As we wrap up 2010 - Dean Smith; World Champ, Harley Clifford winning Parks’ ‘Double or Nothing’ competition and me, Alliance magazine’s ‘Rider of the year’ in 09. I think to myself how far, in Australia, the sport has come. From my first event back in 1997 to now.
Back then Wake Mag was a newspaper. The cover was an ‘Air Railey’ behind an outboard with a low-pole. It’s amazing how far it’s come from those days, from no real industry to speak of, with Waterskiers writing it off as a ‘Fad’, to nowadays, with new cable parks popping up everywhere, Pro contests that US riders come over for and two of the most progressive mags in the world. Also, in my opinion, one of the best wakeboard movies of all time about to drop worldwide by Australia’s very own (Josh Robinson).
But how did we get here? How did this country produce some of the best wakeboarders in the world? Answer: Through those involved putting back in. Giving back to the sport that has giving so much to them. Riders like Daniel Watkins, Brett Eisenhauer and Josh Sanders being pro active and putting there own time and money back into the sport and showing us what can be done with passion. It’s people like Dimi (Boarder Mag creator and The APTW director) and Mick Watkins (Ex-Boarder & Wake Mag Editor, APTW creator and now Prowake Director) busting their arse for the love of the sport. Whether it’s running events, helping build rails or running a magazine these guys have spent countless hours of their free time making the sport better. As a collective, the industry has worked so hard to get to where it/ we is/are now but I fear it’s all about to come crashing down.
Why? Because, as much as the internet has helped our industry and sport, it’s now
killing it. Killing the Australian industry that so many have dedicated their lives to make. How? Through an ‘everyman for himself’ attitude. A take what you can without care of its consequences stance.
With our strengthening dollar comes the benefits of online buying from the states and while that may seem like a good idea for your bank balance it is not a good thing for the Australian Wakeboarding industry. “Yeah, so what, I can save myself a little money” Yes, but at what cost? Shops are going out of business and they will continue to do so if everyone buys through Over seas websites. And without the shops you’re
without a place to take warranties, without a place to look at product, to get the best service and advice, to demo boards. If we loose shops, we will loose distributors. Distributors like Wayne Ritchie (Sports Image: Hyperlite, Byerly, Humanoid and Ronix) & Mick Neville (Masterline: Liquid Force, O’Brien and ML Boarding) losing dollars that they put back into the sport through Event sponsorship, Rider sponsorship and Magazine advertising. No Rider Sponsorship means no opportunity for Aussie riders to grow and potentially win in front of the world stage.
Wayne Ritchie was the one that helped me get started, help me to live my dream and he was Daniel Watkins’ first sponsor all those years ago too. Mick Neville has done so much for this sport and the youth coming through today; Riders like Mitch Langfield (Jnr world Champ) Harley Clifford (US Pro Tour champ) would have never have had their opportunities if it weren’t for Mick Neville.
So if you say you love wakeboarding and you think it’s rad that there is all this cool stuff going on then you have to realise that going on ebay and/or searching for a deal from America is harmful to your Industry. So let’s not throw it all away for the sake of saving a few dollars. Please get behind your local stores and they will get behind you. We are all Aussie and we should be proud of our industry, I know I am. It’s up to you to keep the dollars in Australia. Next time you look for the better deal outside of Australia; think about your sport and its future before you’re wallet. Do it for your industry today, and your kid’s industry tomorrow.
Thanks
Chris O’Shea
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