Jaquess Wins Jack Kelly Fair Play Award

Scott N. Atkinson September 09, 2009

Reginajaquessnews

Photo: USA Water Ski Files

Regina Jaquess received the 2009 Jack Kelly Fair Play Award based upon her sportsmanship at the 2009 U.S. Elite Water Ski Team Trials.

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) announced today that USA Water Ski athlete Regina Jaquess (Suwanee, Ga.) was named the winner of the 2009 Jack Kelly Fair Play Award. The award was established by the USOC in 1985 to honor the late USOC President and Olympic medalist Jack Kelly. Each year, the award is presented to an athlete, coach or official in recognition of an outstanding act of fair play and sportsmanship.

The award was presented today by Kelly's wife, Sandra Kelly, at the USOC's Olympic Assembly in Chicago, Ill., to recognize Jaquess' act of sportsmanship during an event last year.

Jaquess, a former U.S. Elite Water Ski Team member and world champion, and up-and-comer Caroline Hensley were both competing for a coveted spot on the U.S. Elite Water Ski Team. Hensley, participating in this event for the first time, arrived at the slalom starting dock anxiously waiting her turn. When it was time to start her final preparations, she opened her ski bag only to find that it did not contain her ski, but someone else's. There was no time to try to locate her own as she had to be ready to ski when the boat returned from pulling the prior competitor. No deviations are allowed in the seeded running order, only disqualification. However, as Jaquess was the next skier after Hensley, she was near the dock at that time and knew full well that she and her competitor used the same brand and size of ski. She immediately offered hers to Hensley even though this gesture would put her in a potentially risky situation. If Hensley fell or did not return to the dock with the ski, Jaquess would be immediately disqualified for failure to be ready to ski when her turn arrived as spelled out in the rules of the sport, unless, of course, she could borrow a ski herself. Despite the possible ramifications to her quest to make the team, Jaquess still insisted that Hensley use her ski so that she would have the best opportunity to compete for her own place on that very same team.

"Regina epitomizes the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship inherent in so many athletes associated with the Olympic Movement," said USOC Acting Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Streeter.  "Regina rose above a truly remarkable list of candidates for this year's award and represents another accomplishment in an already impressive athletic career."


"I am deeply honored to have been selected for this award," Jaquess said. "I have always tried to live by the USOC definition of fair play and uphold the spirit of competition, precepts that Mr. Kelly embodied both as an athlete and USOC president. I have witnessed exemplary displays of sportsmanship in many sports, but I can say with certainty that water ski athletes are more than willing to do what they can to help a fellow athlete in need. Whether it is helping repair damaged equipment on the starting dock, sharing practice time with others, or letting a fellow athlete borrow your ski, we are rather compassionate when it comes to helping others. In the end, it is not about who wins, but how you played the game."

Jaquess has dominated women's water skiing for the past decade. She has set national records in the National Collegiate Water Ski Association and American Water Ski Association, and has won titles at the Water Ski World Championships, Pan American Games, World University Water Ski World Championships, U.S. Open, Masters, Collegiate Water Ski National Championships, and a host of other professional and amateur tournaments. In July, Jaquess set three women's world water ski records. At the Florida Inboards Open on July 3 in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., Jaquess tied the women's world slalom record of 1 buoy at 41 feet off. In addition to her score of 1 buoy at 41 feet off in slalom, Jaquess tallied 7,530 points in tricks and leaped 170 feet in jumping to set a new women's world overall record of 2,895.45 points. At the Guadalajara International Cup on July 18 in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., Jaquess eclipsed her own world overall record of 2,895.45 points with 2,934.36 points after scoring 4 buoys at 39-1/2 feet off in slalom, 8,180 points in tricks and 171 feet (52.2 meters) in jumping.

The USOC describes fair play as an individual or team dedicated to playing fair, obeying the rules and upholding the spirit of the game. Sportsmanship is an individual or team whose conduct and attitude demonstrate gracious behavior before, during and after competition. Notable past recipients of the Jack Kelly Fair Play Award include Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Lance Armstrong, Michele Akers, Laura Kraut, and Erin Mirabella.

In addition to being a past president of the USOC, Kelly was an Olympic bronze medalist in single scull rowing in 1956 and an eight-time U.S. National Champion. He was awarded the James E. Sullivan Award for the top amateur U.S. athlete in 1947. He was the son of another famous Olympian, rowing triple gold medalist John B. Kelly, as well as brother to Princess Grace Kelly. Jack Kelly passed away in 1985.

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