2003 AKA Athletes of the Year

The AKA Board of Directors has selected Miss A'lisa Piper, Fl as Female Athlete of the Year.  Kevin Felver, Indiana has been selected as the Male Athlete of the Year. A'lisa is the 2003 National Jr. Girl Overall Champion.  Her accomplishments in 2003 include achieving points in the trick event that qualify her for the Open Division.  Kevin Felver, is the 2003 National Men I Overall Champion.  He currently holds the Men I National Slalom record of 61.5 buoys.  Congrats to both!

A'lisa Piper	Kevin Felver

Q.  When did you start kneeboarding?
Alisa - When I was about 2 years old.
Kevin - I started kneeboarding at 4yrs old.

Q.What is your favorite KB event?
Alisa - Slalom.
Kevin - This is a hard one, I love Slalom because of its physical demand and rhythmic sequence, but I also love flying high off of the wake in Freestyle and performing mega tricks. I have to choose both Slalom and Freestyle.

Q.How often do you kneeboard or get out on the water doing any water sport?
Alisa - I try to every weekend especially with my team members that live on my lake (Lake Red Water).
Kevin - I don't get to kneeboard much because through the years, I have destroyed my knees. I do get out on the Hydrofoil about once a week in the summer though. A few times a year I enjoy my roots of show skiing and doing disciplines such as barefooting, jumping, shoe skiing, and round-a-bouts with my father, Denny Felver.

Q. Where is your hometown?
Alisa - Lake Placid, Florida.
Kevin - My hometown is Hamilton Indiana aka Hamilton Lake in the North East corner of Indiana.

Q.What lake do you ski on most often?
Alisa - My lake, Lake Red Water.
Kevin - I ski most often on Big Turkey Lake in Stroh Indiana because it is a small lake that does not have any restrictions on water skiing and has little traffic, which equals ideal water conditions.

Q.Which boat is your favorite boat to be pulled behind?
Alisa-  Master Craft.
Kevin - My favorite boat for slalom is the Malibu Response LX. My favorite boat for Freestyle is a larger boat with a huge wake like the Malibu Wakesetter.

Q.What do you enjoy doing in your spare time when you are not on the water?
Alisa - When I am off the water, I like to ride on my golf cart & hang out with friends but Id really rather be spending my time on the water having a good time with everyone or perfecting trick runs.
Kevin - In my spare time, I lift weights, restore vehicles and sell them, ride my mountain bike, and work on improving my business.

Q.How old are you?  What division are you in?
Alisa - I am 13 but will be 14 in May. Im in the Girls division.
Kevin - I am 25 years old and 2004 will be my first year in the Men II division.

Q.Do you belong to any other clubs than Skionee?
Alisa -  Only Skionee.
Kevin - I also belong to the Indiana Water Ski Association and USA Waterski, AKA.

Q. How does it make you feel to receive the Athlete of the Year award?
Alisa -  It makes me feel REALLY awesome. Its a total shocker to me really. I would never have thought that I would have been chosen for Athlete of the Year and that I was considered for such an awesome award and probably the youngest to receive such an honoring award. It makes me feel like I am #1 and that Ive done such great accomplishments in this sport. It is really exciting and honoring at the same time that it makes me want to Try, Try and Try more. I am really glad that I am sharing the honor of this award with Kevin Felver because he is such an awesome kneeboarder in the slalom event and I want to be AS good as him in the event (and some day Ill get there).
Kevin - I am honored to receive the male athlete of the year award. This award is a symbol of my dedication to the sport and many years of practice as well as physical and mental conditioning. I am proud to be a part of kneeboarding and receive this award. Thank You everyone.

Additional Comments from Alisa: Thanks to my Mom and Dad for supporting me in the sport and helping me make all the tournaments and clinics. Also to my brother, Chuck, if it wasnt for him pushing me to get out there and try new tricks and get them down I wouldnt have got so serious about the sport.A SPECIAL THANK YOU to George and Doris Rohner. I wouldnt have such a success in the sport they really have a way with people and teaching them such awesome things. I am really glad that they are there to help me and everyone else succeed in this sport. THANK YOU GEORGE AND DORIS !!!!I hope that I will be involved in this sport as LONG as possible. I want kneeboarding to come back BIG and see the sport grow and grow. One of my BIGGEST goals is to get More and More strong in the slalom event and come close to the girls record and then "I WANT to break it!" I also want to make it to England safe and sound with my team mates and WIN THAT RIDER CUP BACK !!!!