This coming weekend are the Great Plaines Conference Championships and the Great Lakes Conference Championships. This weekend will determine who qualifies for the Midwest Collegiate Regional Championships. This weekend will determine who get the opportunity to dog it out for the 5 "golden tickets" to Phoenix Arizona. Those tournaments are taking place at Waters Edge in Wilmington, Illinois and Lake Lottawatta in Hamilton, Ohio........for now.

Mother Nature had some other plans. In Wilmington there has been a 100year flood which has raised the water level to record heights. The water has actually risen above the canopies on the boat lifts. In fact they were a few feet away from having their two-lake site turned into one giant lake, because the water had almost risen over the center peninsula. Just talked to the Surdej family, Waters Edge Lake Owners, and they said that they are confident the water will come down to a skiable level in time. The water has subsided almost 5 feet already today, but the next 5 feet is what takes so long. There is no more rain in the forecast for the next week, so let's hope the weathermen are actually right for the first time in their lives. Keep your eyes and ears here for updates on the Waters Edge water level. But as of now, still plan on coming to Waters Edge for the 2008 Great Plaines Conference Championships.

In the Great Lakes the issues are just as serious, but for different reasons. While their western counterparts got the rain from Ike, the Great Lakes got the wind from the hurricane. Enough wind in fact that it took a tree, uprooted it, and sent it into the side of the jump ramp, destroying the right side curtain. That is of course the side curtain that is needed (especially for college jumpers trying to get their team to Regionals in one personal best jump). I talked to Andrew French, Great Lakes Conference Chairman, he said the hope is to get the side curtain fixed and ready to roll by Friday night. If that is for sure possible, we are not sure. If not, there are some back-up plans in place to possibly move the tournament, or move the jump portion of the tournament. Whatever decision is reached, you will find the most up-to-date information here.

So let's hope all of this emergency planning is just a drill and we are ready to go in the Midwest when Friday night arrives.