Awards at 2025 FWSA Convention
/92nd ANNUAL FAR WEST SKI ASSOCIATION CONVENTION WAS A BIG SUCCESS! As promised, below is the entire list of all of our outstanding, well deserving Award & Recognition winners at this year’s annual convention held in Palm Springs. Members of our clubs and councils, as well as our industry partners, historians, journalists, and many snowsport enthusiasts within the Far West region go above and beyond to assist others. They get the word out through various avenues of media. They contribute to their communities. They sponsor activities and raise money for various charities. This is just one way that Far West Ski Association recognizes these outstanding people.
2025 FWSA Awards & Recognitions
Service Awards
Hans Georg Award – Sandra Knapp, Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs
J. Stanley Mullin Award – David Felker, Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs
Elizabeth “Schatzi” Wood Award – Barbara Blase, San Diego Council of Ski Clubs
Jimmie Heuga Award – Dr. Dale Hull, Neuroworx
Jordan-Reily Award – Dave Tragethon, Northwest Ski Club Council
Bill Mackey Award – Debbie Helms, Roatan Charter
Tommi Tyndall Award – Skigroup.net
Terry Smith Award – Karen Albrecht, Singles League Ski Racing
Snowsports Builder Award
Ross Anderson - Champion Speed Skier & Advocate for Native American Youth in Snowsports
Phil Carter - Over 40 Years of Snowsports Passion, Service, and Stoke on the Slopes
Golden Lifetime Legacy Award
Jane Wyckoff – Past President, Far West Ski Association
President's Awards
Sheri Parshall – Councils’ Volunteer of the Year Chair
Debbi Kor – FWSA Convention Chair
Media Awards
Bill Berry Award – Featured Article: Eddy Starr Ancinas, “Olympic Valley & Alpine Meadows: Tales from Two Valleys"
Bill Berry Award – Hard News: Tony Crocker, Freelance Writer, Snowfall Statistician and Analyst
Warren Miller Modern Media Award: SYNC Performance
Public Affairs Awards & Recognitions
Richard Lubin Safety Person of the Year – Linda Johnston, Arizona Ski Council
Environment Award – Joe Houde, President, North County Climate Change Alliance
Western Ski Heritage Award – Dana Mathios Zapfel, Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame & Museum
Club, Council & League History Award – Karyn Tablada, Far West Racing Association, “A Story: Ski Clubs & Ski Racing 1960’s – 1990’s"
Historic Ski Clubs. Councils, Ski Schools & Ski Patrols
Big Pines Ski Club – Founded 1932
Mountain High Snowsport Club – Founded 1975
Leavenworth Winter Sports Club – Founded 1928
The Unrecables – Founded 1975
National Brotherhood of Snowsports Western Region – Founded 1975
Councils' Volunteer of the Year
Debbie Kelsey – Bay Area Snow Sports Council
Tollakson Outstanding Club Award
Skiyente Ski Club, Northwest Ski Club Council
Finalists:
Arizona Ski Council – Phoenix Ski Club
Bay Area Snowsports Council – Modesto Ski Club Central
Council of California – SLO Skiers Inc., A Skisports and Social Club
Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs – Century City Ski Club
National Brotherhood of Snowsports Western Region – Snowbusters Ski Club
Northwest Ski Club Council – Skiyente Ski Club
Orange Council of Ski Clubs – Huntington Beach Ski Club
San Diego Council of Ski Club – Get Off Your Rockers Ski Club
Sierra League and Council – Reno Ski and Recreation Club
Club & Council Communications Awards:
WENTWORTH OUTSTANDING CLUB NEWSLETTER
(Club Name, Council Name, Editor)
Masters 1st Place – The Unrecables, Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs, Gordon Cardona
2nd Place - Mountain High Snowsport Club, Northwest Ski Club Council, Emilio Trampuz
3rd Place - Castro Valley Ski Club, Bay Area Snow Sports Council, Dennie Warren
3rd Place - Modesto Ski Club, Bay Area Snow Sports Council, Dave Garcez
Advanced
1st Place - Bogus Basin Ski Club, Northwest Ski Club Council, Carol Peterson
Novice
1st Place - Skiyente Ski Club, Northwest Ski Club Council, Elie Jacobsen
2nd Place - Balboa Ski & Sports Club, Orange Council of Ski Clubs, Donna Harvey
3rd Place - Wailers Ski Club, Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs, Michele Ambers
WENTWORTH OUTSTANDING COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
Council Name, Editor
1st Place - Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs, Gordon Cardona
2nd Place - Bay Area Snow Sports Council, Dennie Warren
3rd Place - Northwest Ski Club Council, Linda McGavin
OUTSTANDING CLUB WEBSITES
(Club Name, Council Name, Webmaster)
Masters
1st Place - Mountain High Snowsport Club, Northwest Ski Club Council, Emilio Trampuz
2nd Place - The Unrecables, Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs, Dee Armstrong
Advanced
1st Place - Inskiers Ski and Snowboard Club, Bay Area Snow Sports Council, Ashkan Ahani
2nd Place -Balboa Ski & Sports Club, Orange Council of Ski Clubs, Dan Moritz
Novice
1st Place - Bogus Basin Ski Club, Northwest Ski Club Council, Carol Peterson
2nd Place - Skiyente Ski Club, Northwest Ski Club Council, Elie Jacobsen
2nd Place - Nisei Ski Club, Bay Area Snow Sports Council, Karen Soo
OUTSTANDING COUNCIL WEBSITES
(Council Name, Webmaster)
1st Place - Northwest Ski Club Council, Linda McGavin
2nd Place - Bay Area Snow Sports Council, Ashkan Ahani
3rd Place -Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs, Sandy Blackwell
CLUB & COUNCIL SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS
(Club Name, Council Name)
1st Place - Get Off Your Rockers Facebook Group, San Diego Council of Ski Clubs
2nd Place - Wailers Ski, Snowboard & Social Club Facebook Group, Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs
3rd Place - Skiyente Facebook Group, Northwest Ski Club Council
CHARITIES & OUR COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS
Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs
Sandra Blackwell, President
Action Ski & Snowboard Club
Roger Hiltpold, President
San Diego Council of Ski Clubs
Bogus Basin Ski Club
Lynda Clark, President
Northwest Ski Club Council
Get Off Your Rockers
Rod Innes, President
San Diego Council of Ski Clubs
Grindelwald Ski Club
Philip Grant, President
Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs
Long Beach Ski Club
Eric Hartman, President
Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs
Modesto Ski Club
Christopher Hutton, President
Bay Area Snow Sports Council
Monterey Ski & Social Club
Greg Robinson, President
Kath Maki, VP/Volunteer Director
Bay Area Snow Sports Council
Mountain High SnowSport Club
Bill King, President
Northwest Ski Club Council
Phoenix Ski Club
Geoff Turner, President
Arizona Ski Council
Reno Ski & Recreation Club
Peter Olsten, President
Sierra Council
Rusty Bindings Ski Club
Lisa Jarvis, President
Bay Area Snow Sports Council
Sierra Snow Gliders, Inc.
Carolyn Haywood-Wright, President
National Brotherhood of Skiers - Western Region
Skiyente Ski Club
Marina Nimmo, President
Northwest Ski Club Council
Wailers Ski, Snowboard & Social Club
Tammi Loveland, President
Los Angeles Council of Ski Clubs
Racing Awards
FWRA Championships
League Champion – Sierra League & Council
Roma McCoy – Sierra League & Council
Far West Ski Week
Joe Ross – Sierra Direct
Lake Louise – Sierra League & Council