Awards for Excellence in Journalism

The entries from the 2003-2004 ski season were judged in five of the nine categories this year. The winners of each category were honored at the 2005 NAJSA Annual Meeting in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on March 19. For the first time, all submitted entries were blind entries. That is, any reference to bylines or names of publications (where possible) were deleted.

The submission and judging process were adeptly overseen by ESWA member and past-president Sean Mulready.

Winners had their meeting registration fees paid for and received trophies as well as their choice of next year’s K2 skis or K2 snowboards. Honorable Mention winners received individualized plaques and Sport Obermeyer insulator jackets.

The Hirsch Awards have been given out since 1963 to recognize excellence in media coverage of winter snow sports. Be aware that the Book category will be judged this year. It is judged every three years, so an author with a copyrighted book from 2005 (up to June 30 of 2005), 2004 and 2003 is eligible to enter. The Broadcast category has been divided three divisions. The Television division will be judged in 2005 and the award will be presented at the 2006 annual meeting. Complete entry details will be available on the fall website and in the September directory mailing.

Magazine feature category

Winner: Jay Cowan, Snowmass, Colorado

Jay Cowan was born in Jackson, Wyoming and grew up in Wyoming and Colorado where he ski raced in high school and later was a certified ski instructor at Snowmass for 12 years. He and Harriet Garth divide their time between Aspen, Colorado, Montana and Hawaii while he writes for the likes of SKI Magazine, Cowboys & Indians, Links Magazine, Mountain Gazette, Ski Press, Aspen Sojourner, Rocky Mountain Golf, Big Sky Journal and a variety of other publications.

He has been fortunate enough to receive two prior Harold Hirsch magazine writing awards and several Honorable Mentions, along with a Lowell Thomas Award for print journalism.

The articles submitted were "Breaking Trail with Lewis & Clark," "Amazing Place" and "Sharing Paradise."

Newspaper category

Winner: Peggy Shinn, Rutoland, Vermont

Honorable Mention: Tom Eastman, Conway, New Hampshire.

Peggy Shinn is a freelance ski and travel writer living in Vermont. After graduating from Amherst College, she spent 12 years in the west bicycle racing on the National level and climbing most of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks (and skiing down a few).

In 1997, she returned to Vermont, answered a newspaper ad for a ski writer and won the Harold S. Hirsch Award for her work that first year. A former editor of a professional environmental journal and a former columnist for MSN, Peggy now is a regular contributor to Ski Racing, Skiing, skisnowboard.com, Ski Press and several newspapers, including the Burlington Freepress. She also has written the Vermont chapter for Fodor’s New England Gold travel guidebook. She lives with her husband, Andy, and 4-year-old daughter, Samantha, in Rutland, Vermont.

The articles submitted were "Legend Shoots the Chute," "Eating up Pre-Season Deals" and "Mucho Gusto,"

Columns category

Winner: Bob Cox, Torrance, California

Honorable Mentions: Helen Jankoski, Southport, Connecticut; Heather Burke, Kennebunk, Maine; Marty Basch, Center Conway, New Hampshire; Jules Older, San Francisco, California.

The winner of this year’s award for Column writing, Bob Cox has won a record of six Hirsch Awards, including four in the last four years for either newspaper features or columns. The columns category has been judged since 1999.

This is Bob’s 31^st season as a skier and he has been writing about skiing almost as long. He writes a weekly column about snow sports for The Daily Breeze in Torrance, CA and the Mammoth Times in Mammoth Lakes, CA as well as freelance articles for papers around the country.

After 27 years as a newspaper sports writer, he retired and began a new career in education, where he was a classroom teacher for five years. Recently, he moved into school administration and works as a teacher recruiter and trainer for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Bob and wife Nancy live in Torrance, CA along with 14-year-old son Randy and 9-year-old daughter Allie. In his spare time, he has been coaching Allie’s softball team.

The articles submitted were "Taking a Ride on Mammoth’s Memory Lane," "If the Boot Doesn’t Fit, then Fix It" and "Enjoyment is the Best Competition."

Website writing category

Winner: Mitch Kaplan, Fair Lawn, New Jersey

Honorable Mention: Steve Threndyle, Kelowna, British Columbia.

Mitch Kaplan covers skiing, adventure and family travel—and these days, 50-plus travel as well. He took up the pen to support his inexhaustible ski habit, writing locally for The Suburban News. He is currently the content editor for Kidznsnow.com, the northern New England editor for Onthensnow.com, and the ski columnist for The Record of Hackensack, N.J. Kaplan’s work has appeared in numerous national and regional magazines. He has authored seven books, most recently The Unofficial Guide to the Mid-Atlantic with Kids and The Cheapskate’s Guide to Myrtle Beach. His 52 Weekends in New Jersey will be re-issued by Countryman Press in June.

Articles submitted were "I’m Five, Let’s Ride," "The Ultimate Cool" and "Ski/Board School: What’s it all About?"

Photography category

Winner: Ben Eng, Durango, Colorado

Ben Eng is a freelance photographer who shoots many subjects, but primarily winter sports. His work has appeared in publications such as Frequency, Durango Magazine, the Durango Telegraph, the Durango Herald and the Aspen Times. Ben also has supplied images to clients such as Venture Snowboards, Purl Wax, Telluride Ski Resort, San Juan Ski Company and Durango Mountain Resort.

Ben was a new NASJA member in 2004.

His submitted work appeared in Snowboard Journal and Durango Telegraph.

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Judges

This year’s Harold Hirsch Awards were determined by a most distinguished panel of judges. They were:

Janet Bodnar. Executive Editor of Kiplinger’s Magazine and Editor/writer of MoneySmartKids.com.

Galen Crane. Editor of Adirondack Life Magazine, named "Regional Magazine of the Year" five times.

Greg Derr. Award winning photographer for The Patriot Ledger; frequent judge for AP photo competition.

Bob Hollingsworth. Former Magazine Editor of the Providence Journal Bulletin and Editor of Newsday; NASJA retired member.

Mike Kane. Columnist of Schenectady Gazette, President of the Turf Writers Association, five-time winner for "Best Kentucky Derby coverage."

Earl LaChance. Sports Editor of the Patriot Ledger; frequent AP writing competition judge.

Tyler Mathisen. CNBC anchorman, former Editor of Money Magazine.

Alison Moore. Producer of "Caputo on Business" for the Fox News Network; former columnist for "thestreet.com."

Steve North. Distinguished Professor of English, State University of New York at Albany; chairman of the writing program.

Abby Rand. Well-known magazine journalist; former columnist for Ski Magazine and former NASJA member.

Bob Verdi. Long time Chicago Tribune, Sporting News and Golf Digest columnist; author of the best-selling biography "McMahon."

Janet Webb. Founder/owner of Webb Designs, a 20 year old web-based editorial and design firm in Taos, NM

Paul Witteman. Former Time Magazine Sports Editor and deputy Managing Editor of Sports Illustrated