About the Tournaments
Throughout the Fall of 2017, Key Log Rolling® will be conducting Collegiate Regional Log Rolling Tournaments across the United States. From Maryland, to Missouri, to California, these tournaments will put collegiate log rolling on the map and will set the foundation for the first-ever United States Log Rolling Championships™.
The Collegiate Regional Log Rolling Tournaments are unique in objective and scope. These are the first-ever structured regional tournaments that will lead to a national collegiate competition. They are also the first log rolling tournaments to span across the entire nation.
“For more than a century, the sport has had limited access,” said Judy Scheer Hoeschler, world champion and co-founder of the portable Key Log. “It's really great to finally have mainstream participation in the aquatics community. People are going to be surprised at the fun and intensity of competitive log rolling!”
For Emily Ward, a Hall of Fame aquatics coach and Director of Program Development at Key Log Rolling, the tournaments represent an opportunity to introduce the sport to new people in a competitive environment.
"The goal of these tournaments is to grow the sport of log rolling. The first step has been introducing it recreationally to new rollers at more than 100 campuses. We're now introducing the sport to rollers in a competitive environment that is comparable to other collegiate sports," said Ward.
Connecting Log Rollers
The tournaments will bring the sport of log rolling to the national stage, and also connect college rollers with other competitors around the country. "I'm really excited to see the engagement with participants. These tournaments are designed to connect rollers of all different experiences, skill levels, and backgrounds with the sport. It's going to be a great collaborative atmosphere," said Ward.
The tournaments are open to any student enrolled in a university with a recreational Key Log Rolling program, regardless of whether their school has a competitive log rolling club.
"The main goal we have for the competitors is to have fun. This isn't a ‘one and done’ format tournament. Every competitor will have the chance to compete with all skill levels, interact with other log rollers, and find a sense of community," said Ward. “Already, we are seeing positive engagement on social media. New enthusiasts are coming out of the woodwork in places where log rolling is completely new.”
About The Hosts
The hosting locations for the tournaments include the University of Missouri (Midwest Regional, September 30); the University of California - Santa Barbara (Western Regional, October 14); and the University of Maryland (Eastern Regional, November 18). Much like the competitors in the tournaments, the schools have varying experiences with log rolling.
For Matt Quigley, the Manager of Pool Operations at the University of Maryland, the tournament will be a kick starter for a local log rolling program of their own. "We've always been excited about log rolling, but we currently don't have a log rolling program on campus. Our end goal is to develop a club sport for the University, and this tournament is a great step in that direction," said Quigley.
Quigley believes that the regional tournament is a perfect fit with what they want out of aquatics events. "We try to bring variety and inclusion to all of our events. Log rolling is a unique sport and fairly unknown in our area. This tournament will showcase a unique sport, while also being very inclusive since it appeals to all skill levels and gets people in the pool who may not normally feel comfortable," said Quigley.
Every host has a unique story with Key Log Rolling. These stories will be showcased building up to the regional tournaments.
Keep Up to Date On Social Media
Registration for the tournaments will be available late summer. In the meantime, follow the build up to the events on all social media at Key Log Rolling. And spread the word that collegiate competitive log rolling is here...and that you're all invited!
For more info, contact Emily Ward at emily@keylogrolling.com