|
|
| Women of Winter 3.7.97 The Snow Sports Association for Women (SSAW) is a new organization who's mission is to involve more women in winter sports and to become the leading industry resource for women in winter sports. Although a great idea, yesterday's first membership meeting here at the SIA show in Vegas had only a handful of women snowboarders among the group. Part of the reason for such poor attendance may have been that the meeting was at 7:30 in the morning and most of us were at the Ride party at The Beach until 3. But a little p.r. on my part and threats from friends that more women snowboarders had better sign up the next day at the panel discussion, or the SSAW would turn into a women's ski organization, resulted in half of the 75 attendees, were riders. The panel discussion started off with Joy Spring of Leisure Trends explaining why there's been an explosion in women in winter sports with charts, graphs, and tons of numbers to illustrate the economic strength of women in general. "Women are not small men," said Jeannie Thoren, a women's clinic organizer, and the next speaker on the panel. She concluded with a humorous top 10 list of how not to address women in a snowboard or ski shop. Dana White, from Condé Nast publications, spoke at length about the launch of their women's sports magazine this October with a convincing conclusion, "You know, we're about the reason women do sports, and, you know, we're the next generation of women's magazine, you know." (No we didn't know, you know.) But what really hit home was, Martha Harkey, from Yang snowboard clothes. As the only woman on the panel from the snowboarding industry and the last of the speakers on the panel, she got most of the skiers talking about taking up snowboarding the next time out on the mountain. Her three reasons why snowboarding is such a great sport for women included: 1) There's no baggage with snowboarding. Unlike skiing, there's no male-dominated history dragging the sport down; 2) the young women involved in snowboarding are a new generation for active women that are vocal and involved in what they want with a philosophy that if they can't find clothes to fit their needs, they'll make it themselves; and 3) the women pros are terrific role models for women and girls getting into the sport. Overall, it was a general stoke session for women with a compromising premise that by combining forces, women snowboarders and skiers will be able to make a difference in the future of women in winter sports. Membership is $25. For more information on how to join the SSAW, contact Mary Jo Tarallo at (703) 506-4202.
Welcome
To The Circus: Day One Of The SIA Show
3.4.97
|
