Scarpa Rating


Pro Instructor(s)	Paul Macdonald, Jace Foss
Assistant Instructors	Ron Scarpa, Elisa Scarpa
Pro Shop Assistants	Jen Macdonald, Elisa Scarpa, Paul Macdonald, Jace Foss
Max ski time with Pro	33%-50%
Other specialties	RSWS teaches Barefooting Only
	2000 Rating	2004 Rating	2009 Rating
1. Upfront Interaction with Pro	3	4.5	4.0
Over the last few years, Ron has been slowly transitioning himself out of the boat an into more of a management role at RSWS. He has had Paul Macdonald take over the on-the-water responsibilities of teaching students along with Jace Foss. Ron and Paul have worked well together for many years and now look at each other as equal partners at the school. Ron sill continues to be involved, but more as a mentor or consultant to Paul. Expect to see Ron at the school randomly throughout the week. He makes a point to stop in to say hello and many times will jump in the boat and take skis sets with students. The staff at RSWS works as a team from answering phones to working with students during their visits. When you decide to go to Ron Scarpa Watersports, you're decided to attend the most tried and true barefoot training organization ever. Every barefooter that ever decides to start a school tries to model their business after RSWS and gages their success on who well their business is doing compared to RSWS. To be as successful as RSWS, the company has to be able to run 2 or 3 boats at a time. If the organization isn't structured to support it, it won't grow and students will see a disconnect between instructors. Ron has always made sure that his school can support the growth and made sure to choose instructors that fit within his proven system of progressive learning. Paul Macdonald and Jace Foss are extensions of that system. We knocked RSWS down a 1/2 point this year due to the confusion surrounding the transition of the business. There's still a lot of speculation in the market that will only resolve itself over time.
2. Stresses Safety	5	5	5
RSWS practices safety, but doesn't go overboard with it. They have 2 or 3 boats on the water at all times, and we're sure safety is always at the back of their minds. They always have you start each day with a complete warm up and stretching routine to help reduce your chance of injury during a fall. They also ask you to fill out a medical form that lists any previous injuries or surgeries that you may have had, as well as emergency contact information. They do the little things like turn the boat off when a student is getting in from the water. Things you won't notice, but are just a part of their routine.
3. Warm up Routine	5	5	5
The instructors at RSWS are adamant about warming up. Their warm-up stretching routine is very thorough. We would go as far as to say it is the most thorough of all the schools. They spend time joking around with the students and asking them what they would like to accomplish that day during the stretch routine. Before you know it, 30 minutes have passed and you're ready for the water. It's a good way to start the day.
4. Pro Enthusiasm	5	5	5
The instructors at RWSW are always upbeat and positive. They like to kid around with all the students. The eintire staff is very upbeat and positive, and fun to be around. An added bonus is Elisa Scarpa's ability to speak in multiple languages (English, French, and Italian). Elisa's ability to communicate with foreign students, coupled with Paul McDonald's upbeat energy levels give Scarpa the best team in the business.
5. Availability of smooth Water	3.5	3.5	4.0
Unless the wind is calm all day, expect to ski in rougher water in the afternoons. Being that they ski on public lakes, the runs are shorter and require the driver to turn more often. If you normally ski on rivers, you will not be 100% satisfied with the short runs, but you'll get lots of them. Paul McDonald makes a strong effort to find good water, which is a plus to having Ron in the boat, who was notorious for taking students out in rougher water to test their ability to compensate for conditions. Paul has always been known as the instructor that will spend some extra time to find the smoothest water conditions. We've given them an extra half foot rating this year for that. They pay close attention to the wind forecasts and will adjust the ski locations accordingly. But on public lakes, you never know for sure what you will have to deal with. Expect the best water conditions in the morning sets.
6. Teaching Technique	5	5	5
			Click Here For Video of Paul McDonald 1.0Meg file size	Click Here For Video of Ron Teaching 3.0Meg file size
the first question you should expect from the instructor is "What do you want to learn during your visit?" Then, no matter what your level, the first thing RSWS instructors will want to see from you is a warm-up run on the boom doing tumble-turns and basic tricks. They want to gauge what level of footer you are, and if they need to correct any bad habits before moving on to more advanced tricks. If you're there to learn surface turns or some other advanced trick, this may annoy you, but don't take it personal. The better you are at the basics, the easier it will be to learn the advanced tricks. If you're not ready, they will advise you on the areas you need to work on before going to the next level. All of our judges were extremely impressed with Paul McDonald. His upbeat attitude, skiing ability, and teaching technique was fantastic.
7. Does pro ski for you	2.5	5.0	3.5
			Click Here For Video #1 of Paul McDonald 1.2Meg file size	Click Here For #2 Video of Paul McDonald 1.2Meg file size
With so many students to teach & a business to run, it's hard to ski for everyone. But if you can get your instructor to do it, it is well worth the effort. Don't expect to go to the school for only one day and get to see your instructor ski. They don't ski every day. Remember, they already know how to foot. But if you're there for 3 to 5 days, you'll most likely get to see them ski a few times. A good way to convince your instructor to take a quick run is to give up one of your sets to allow them to ski for your group. It's a good idea to ask in the afternoon set, which is less hectic than the morning sets. Take note that at RSWS, they are always playing barefoot videos during lunch. He has the most diverse collection of videos period. They go back 20+ years. A lot of the videos have Ron and many other famous skiers in them.
8. Informative on phone	3.5	5	5
Prior to attending RSWS, you will spend most of your time speaking to one of his assistants or Paul's wife Jen. The assistants are very helpful, but you never know who's going to answer the phone. You might end up re-explaining yourself once or twice before you're done. His current team is very friendly and willing to help out with anything from directions, to hotel reservations, to special food requests. Important Note: RSWS has a policy that whoever gets their deposit in first gets the spot reserved. First come first served. If you are planning on skiing in early Spring, spots go fast. Be sure to re-confirm with them that your deposit has been processed.
9. Food	5	5	5
As you saw on the Lunch button, RSWS prepares a great lunch packed with plenty of high-energy food. Students who frequent RSWS training center get to know the meal alternatives and will make a point to request certain deserts and main courses. Ron's team does whatever they can to satisfy everyone's culinary needs. They have always had the reputation for having the BEST lunches.
10. Pro Shop	5	5	5
Ron has a big on-site pro shop with more things than you could ask for. He has everything from barefoot suits, ropes, handles, to apparel. Everything is very organized in the pro shop with a wide variety of sizes of different items.
11. Boat Cleanliness	5	5	5
RSWS keeps their boats very clean and orderly. They are wiped down and vacuumed out every evening. They have the boats serviced regularly, and always has a spare boat in case of breakdown. You can be assured you won't be left stranded without a boat when you attend RSWS.
12. Web Site	4.5	3	4.0
Since our last review, RSWS has updated their website several times. Consistent website support has been one of their biggest issues. The current site is very informative about the school, instructors, what to expect, directions, etc, but they've had difficulties making updates and keeping information current as compared to their competition.
13. Was the instructor on time	5	5	5
We have never been to RSWS when it didn't start on time and run like a well oiled machine. You can set your watch by it.
14. Time Management on the water	5	5	5
Everybody gets to ski 2 long sets in the morning and 2-3 long sets in the afternoon. Instructors will call each other throughout the day to make sure all the boats are keeping to the same pace. They make sure everyone gets back to lunch at the same time and has equal time to ski.
15. Wake on Boat	4	3	5
RSWS uses Malibu boats. Ron has been instrumental in working with Malibu on the development of their barefoot boats. When Malibu released the Response LXi a couple years back, the wakes weren't anything like the Response LX, so they convinced Malibu to return to the LX. Currently, RSWS is running a combination of Malibu Flightcraft outboards, Malibu Sportsters, and Response LX. They have the most diverse collection of boats.
16. Does the Pro mention their sponsors		4 for 2004	5
The entire team at RSWS make sure to point out the companies they are sponsored by that help them in their business efforts. RSWS is sponsored by Malibu, Eagle, Oakley, Clincher, Valeo.
17. Does the school carry the right type and amount of Ski School Insurance			5 for 2009
$300,000 coverage for accidents on land, $1million in coverage for accidents on water. Before any skier gets in the boats RSWS has them fill out a medical release form, which includes medical coverage information. In the event of an accident, they take the medical information and accompany the skier to the hospital/doctor. We will be there the entire time until all is taken care of. This is also important for our international skiers that may have issues with language barriers.
Total Possible Points	75	80	85
Total Points Received	66	73	80.5
Overall Rating	(4.4)	(4.56)	(4.74) RSWS is still improving year over year
In Summary: Great Score!! Ron Scarpa Watersports still stands out as the best all around training center. They have the largest staff, the most on-site amenities, been in business longer than all the other schools, and are the model the other schools try the hardest to replicate.