BallOfSpray

By Bruce Campbell, Sports Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Oklahoma Bible Academy assistant football coach Todd Kuykendall tries to lead by example so his players “can be the best they can be.’’

He can only hope they do follow his example at the recent national water skiing championships in Wilm-ington, Ill.

Kuykendall won the men’s 4 division in the 44-52 age group with a personal best score of two at 41 off. He ran through four buoys to take his second national crown.

Kuykendall has been competing in the sport for 21 years. He trains at a ski lake five miles north of town that he helped built with his brother, Greg, Bill Ward and Dana Lamunyon 10 years ago.

He lives by the lake which makes it convenient for his training.

The skiing is a welcome relief from the stress of not only coaching but being involved in the family hearing aid business and owning Uptown Subs.

“It’s almost like worship to me,’’ Kuykendall said. “God has given me the ability and talent to go out and compete. I honor him in my skiing. I enjoy doing it.’’

Kuykendall was able to balance his time to train enough to be successful on a national level.

“It takes a lot of discipline to train for any sport,’’ he said. “I hope that as a coach I can encourage my football players that you can dream dreams.

 “You can set goals and strive for them and these goals can be reached.’’

Kuykendall attributed his success to a new ski and his brother’s coaching. Son Chris and nephew Kyle helped him as well.

“I had good coaching and a good ski,’’ said Todd Kuykendall. “I got in the zone and had a great summer.’’

Water skiing follows a course just like a skier in the slalom. A course consists of six buoys. Once the skier reaches the maximum speed (34 mph), the rope is shorten.

The skier goes through the course until he or she misses a buoy.

Kuykendall, the state and regional champion, was the No. 1 seed at nationals, giving him the advantage of being the last one on the course.

“I saw three guys go three buoys at 39 off, so I knew I had to get four to win,’’ he said. “When I went through the fourth one. I celebrated at that point. The Lord blessed me with a great ski season.’’

The competitive fires still burn in him at 46.

“Coaching for me is more difficult than actually doing it,’’ said Kuykendall, who was a receiver in college at Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Mo. “I have a lot of fun in practice, not just telling them but showing them how to run a route.’’

Kuykendall grew up skiing in Kentucky before his family moved to Enid when he was in the fifth grade.

He and his skiing buddies hold tournaments at the ski lake.

Kuykendall won a national championship in 2007 when he was in the 36-43 age group.

He was third a year ago.