BallOfSpray

LAFAYETTE, La. — Alison Lindy and her University of Louisiana-Lafayette water-ski team took first in the Division I Collegiate Waterski National Championships last October in Austin, Texas. A freshman tricks and slalom specialist, Lindy was ready to play collegiate hockey at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter before skiing scholarships took her down to the bayou. Here, the 2010 Centennial High School graduate discusses her life in waterskiing and her favorite Minnesota lakes.

Q: How did you get your start waterskiing?

Lindy: My dad taught me when I was 3 years old. They would hold me up behind the boat. I started skiing on one ski when I was 8, which is harder to do and gives bragging rights.

Q: Did you go to school in Louisiana to ski all year?

Lindy: I was set to play college hockey at Gustavus but then I was offered scholarship money at Lafayette. I took my first look down here Aug. 17, drove down on Aug. 19 and made my first class Aug. 20. You could ski year-round here but of course I'll be home for Christmas break.

Q: Did you know Louisiana-Lafayette had a ski team?

Lindy: I was at a national tournament in August and I talked to a person in charge of the program here. Some of my dad's friends also lived here and they kind of bribed me to come. I knew about it, but I didn't plan on skiing in college because I wanted to play hockey. Hopefully it's better this way because I'll come out of college with something in my pocket.

Q: How did you start competing?

Lindy: My dad played a big part. My first tournament was when I was 7. My parents actually met at a waterski tournament.

Q: Is it a growing collegiate sport?

Lindy: It depends where you are in the world. I'm one of only three Americans on my team and I'm the only American woman. There are others from Sweden, Denmark, Austria, France, Italy, Colombia, England and Spain.

Q: How did you contribute to winning the national title?

Lindy: Slalom is the major event for women and I have the best slalom scores, which are entered into team scores for competition. My trick score is second on the team and my jump score is fourth or fifth. The craziest trick I do is a toe trick where your toe is in the rope and you spin around it 360 degrees in two different directions.

Q: What are you studying and what do you want to do after college?

Lindy: I'm majoring in biology. I want to be a doctor, perhaps a plastic surgeon. I have a friend whose dad is a plastic surgeon. I talked to him about the profession and it seems interesting. What I can't do is emergency room and broken bones stuff.

Q: Do you have any favorite Minnesota lakes to ski?

Lindy: The lake that I grew up on, Reshanau Lake in Lino Lakes. That's where I did 95 percent of my training to get where I am. Also lakes in Glenwood, Minn., And Trophy Lakes Estates in the Chisago Lakes area.

— Interview by Nicholas Backus

http://presspubs.com/articles/2010/11/09/quad_community_press/news/doc4cd97a2713f7d500731186.txt