Why Toutnaments?   Water skiing "just for fun" is so enjoyable that many beginning skiers ask, "Why tournaments? We have more fun skiing all day at home."   Tournaments grew out of the natural desire of people to compete, compare individual skills. Through competition, each skier improves his ability and attempts to raise his own individual score. He watches other skiers carefully and learns the techniques of skiers more skilled than he.   Important to most competitive skiers are the elements that make life fun for each of us, water skier or not. Making new friends with common interests, contributing our efforts to a sport we enjoy, traveling to new places, and learning more about the sport are a few of the things competitive skiers value above the possibility of winning a trophy.   Tournaments are scheduled throughout the State of Minnesota each year and elsewhere across the country and are open to skiers of all abilities and ages. Every tournament in Minnesota has divisions for Boys and Girls, Men and Women, and Novices in all age classes in the three events of Slalom, Tricks, and Jumping. For those skiers good enough to qualify there is the Mid West Regional Championships and the National Championships.   Water ski tournaments are sponsored by the Minnesota Water Ski Association and by local water ski clubs. They are sanctioned by the American Water Ski Association and USAWater Ski.   Beginning skiers enjoy competition under the AWSA novice rules, which are designed especially for them. The novice events during the regular tournament serve as an introduction to more advanced competition and as a challenge to increase ability.   Behind any tournament is a staff of many people who work in organizing the event, taking the registration, judging, driving, scoring, safety, and other areas. Water ski tournaments are all run by volunteers, those being the participants. People can take training and go through the necessary steps set up by AWSA to be a qualified official. There is plenty of room in any tournament for interested workers, whether or not they are skiers.   A good answer to "Why tournaments?" is:   Because they make skiing so much more fun!!