It is time for your yearly Who Are You Guys thread:

[cobber]

Geordie Kurtz - 35 years old, single, live in Ariss, Ontario Canada. Started occasional cottage skiing at the age of 8 (skied once a year for the week when we were on holidays) didn't slalom ski until much later in life. Started skiing at McClintocks ski school about 5 years ago where I first learned to ski the course and became addicted to slalom skiing. Been skiing there ever since working on breaking a lot of bad habits. Currently I am a driver and member at McClintocks Ski Club and Ski School, working on 22 off and ski on a D3 X7. Other hobbies include, Lacrosse, hockey, snowmobiling, dirt biking and flying, don't ski near enough!!!!!  Love this site, thanks JTH and all the members.

 

Geordie

[9400]

My name is Richard Lacey, I'm getting awfully close to 51, tournament best is 1 at 39 (that's been a few years), I plan on bumping that up some. Got involved in tournament skiing around 1985 as a jumper. Some friends and I built a jump (prior to me ever going over one) and I set out trying to be Sammy, Carl and the others. There's a saying about jumpers, it goes "there are those who have had surgery and those who will have surgery". I did not have the knees or the skill/drive to be one of those guys but I still needed a water fix. I took up slalom in 1991 and was fortunate enough to eventually ski with a lot of the greatest skiers on the planet. But I was/am a hard headed student of the sport. All of directions with technique interpretations one could go, I would go the wrong way. 

 I got married, built a house and had a child in 2005 and 2006, my skiing took a big back seat due to lack of time. I'm trying to find time to ski tournaments again and learn to run enough buoys to be competitive with the guys at the top of mens 4 (man those guys run a lot of buoys). 

[kfennell]

My name is Kevin Fennell I am 27 and I live in Shreveport, LA and work as an engineer for an oilfield service company. I ski with Ward at Olde Oaks. I started skiing when i was 8, but just open water on public lakes with no one who knew how to coach. I did this until we sold the boat when i was around 19 and I didn't ski more then a dozen times until me and my wife joined wards lake this summer as a way to exercise and I basically had to learn over again, especially learning how to get up behind a inboard with double boots on was hard! I've made my way up to 6@-15@30mph so a long way to go still! I ski on a Senate with double Prodigy Bindings after learning on a F1X w/sidewinders the last two months, it is a way more forgiving ski and within about 4 sets I was back up to my PB with it. I haven't skied a tournament yet, but I will next year as soon as I am able to make -15@36 consistently... if that happens. Definitely need to get in better shape this winter to have a chance at that

[GAJ0004]

My name is Gary Janzig. I live in Streetsboro OH(between Cleveland and Akron).  I will be 42 in November. I have never been married and have no children. I ski on Lake Latonka in Mercer PA. I learned to ski when I was 12, learn to ride 1 ski at 14, and when I was 15 I got my first pair of trick skis, and ran the slalom course for the first time at 16. By the end of that summer I was able to run it at 34MPH long line(75' / 23M). The lake I ski on is about 2 1/2 miles long and about a half mile wide. We are fortunate to have a small group of us who are slalom course enthusiasts. You could say I am a total water ski addict. I slalom, trick, kneeboard, and barefoot. I have not entered a tournament since 1996. I never got past 22 off in a tournament. I only entered 3 or 4 of them.  My personal best in slalom is 2@35 off at 36MPH, and 3@35 off at 34 MPH. I estimate I can trick 1800 points. I have landed a couple of flips on the kneeboard, and barefooting I can do a deep water start, flying dock start, and tumbleturns all long line. My boat is a 1994 Ski Nautique. I had Perfect Pass Stargazer installed in 2008.  I have a 2008 D3 Nomad RCX slalom ski 68'' with double high wrap (D3 Leverage) bindings, a 2000  KD 7000 44' trick ski with the Wiley trick wrap, and an O'Brien Lowrider kneeboard. Ski season in Pennsylvania starts early to mid April, and goes to mid to late October.

[lpskier]

AB: I know Alan but not well. I never skied his site although it is only about an hour and a half from Lake Placid. He was really active when I wasn't. I know Warren. He and my dad were really good friends.

[lakeo]

Lpskier,

    You need to watch Dexster(showtime) and Curb your enthusiasim(HBO)

[east tx skier]

I'm Doug Ames.  I'm 37 years old.  I'm from Houston, Texas, but currently reside and have resided in Tyler, Texas since April 2001.  I'm an appellate lawyer working as a staff attorney for an intermediate state court of appeals.  I have been skiing since about age 9, but didn't start looking at it from a slalom course perspective until my wife and I bought our 93 MasterCraft in February 2003.  Since then, I have looked at skiing like I once looked at golf.  It's me against me.  I may not break any records, but I will get incrementally better year by year.  I do it because I love it.  The rest is just details.  That's a long way of saying that I'm a happy and gradually improving 15 off skier.  I have been a member of the Tyler Ski Club since 2003 and, despite my general desire to avoid responsibility, am currently its president.  We have two sons, ages five and 19 months.  Our five year old started riding his zip sled with dad hanging on behind him at 18 months old.  He was up on trainer skis at 3 and a half and has really taken to it by the middle of this summer.  Our 19 month old is following suit.  After nearly five years of skiing behind our 93 MasterCraft, we sold it in  September 2007 shortly after we purchased a 1998 Ski Nautique.  I'm currently riding a Radar MPD with Strada boots, but have been on an 04 Sixam also.  I'm not sold on the Strada boots yet and consider going back to Wileys.  Time will tell.  If you're ever in Tyler, drop us a line.

[behindpropellers]

I'm Tim Cochrane.

I'm 32 years old. I'm married to a great boat driver named Shannon and we have one dog. I live and waterski at Chippewa Lake, in NE Ohio but am actively looking for a good spot and people to dig a lake with.  I learned how to ski when I was 13.  I had the opportunity to use a slalom course on weekends when I was  14-17. When I was 18 or so I skied doing waterski shows at all  kids of different places in Ohio and PA and made some $$. I did the travel waterski show thing for about 5 years and then tore my ACL wakeboarding. I quit doing the travel shows and wakeboarding after tearing my ACL. After that I skied with the Chippewa Lake Waterski Show team up until last year. I can do backrolls and gainers on the hydrofoil. I can front and back barefoot, I can't do back deeps (longline) so I step off backwards. I don't trick ski much because I don't have a single trick but spend a lot of time on the wakeskate. With the ski team focusing more on winning competition and skiing at another lake I helped start another waterski club on our lake to get a course in and more of a grassroots approach. I spent a good amount of time working with our local park district (who owns our lake) to get a slalom course on the lake. Once we got the course in we had one organized ski night a week where club members could get a pull with an experienced driver and instruction from local talented skiers. Our club also hosted 3 other clinics taught by local skiers.  This summer I started working on the course at 3@32 15off and the last time I was out I made 3@36 15off. I skied in one slalom tournament this summer. Our current boat is a '96 Ski Nautique 176 with some motor and rudder modifications. PP Stargazer holds the speed for us.  In a couple weeks my season will end when my doc does some work on my shoulder to tighten it up to fix my problem with frequent dislocations. My other passion is flying. 

Tim

[The_Krista]

Hey there fellow Ballers,

My name is Krista Rogers, or as many of you so affectionately call me, The_Krista (For the record, it was a GIVEN nickname and I narcissistically jumped on the bandwagon. Hence my BOS and Twitter handle…)

Anyway, I am 24, claim Canyon Lake, CA as my hometown but currently reside in San Diego and skied my first tournament when I was 7. I was pretty heavily involved in competitive skiing up until 2005 when a jumping injury sidelined me and I threw in the towel. I tore my ACL, LCL, MCL, medial and lateral meniscus and fractured my femur and tibia on a landing. Two surgeries and two and a half years later, I could finally function, run and walk as a normal human being. I never thought I would ski again. I can be quoted saying “skiing is a closed chapter in my life, I am grateful for the experiences it gave me but I will never do it again.â€

After graduating from ASU, I moved to San Diego for a job and started hanging around the lake with my parents again. They convinced me to ski in what would be my first tournament and time back on the water in almost 5 years at the October 2009 Imperial tournament. After enjoying the friendly competition (head to head was sooo much fun), time on the water, in the boat and friends and family I came to realize how important this sport and community were to me. I developed an entirely new perspective on skiing and without delving into any more detail/epiphanies, I’ll just say that brings me to where I am now…itching for my next ride, typing in a cold office with calloused palms, distracted at work and dreaming of a headwind…

During the week I wear heels, pumps and other authority-asserting, toe-numbing, lady-like shoes to the firm I work for (I’m a publicist) and on the weekends I rock XXS double-wrapped, tall, super jump Wiley’s on my 88†Goodman’s. I slalom when I can’t jump and I do that on a 65†D3 Z7…which I won at the Imperial Tournament raffle last year (there is still time to sign up…best tournament of the year!) I trick on a D3 for overall but don’t let many people witness that…..My family is a Malibu promo fam and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I am a regular 3 event judge and scorer and assistant 3 event driver and really do enjoy working at tournaments.

Even more than wanting to improve on the water, I want to help advance and grow the sport. My best childhood memories are skiing with my family (blood and assumed) out on the lake, participating in competitions together and enjoying the camaraderie during after-tournament BBQs….Alright, so I promised myself I’d keep this short and failed miserably.  If you’ve made it to this last line of this over-zealous post, thanks for reading

[ForrestGump]

Geez, Krista. Apparantly you weren't trying hard enough, if that's all you damaged. ;)

[swc5150]

My name is Scott Calderwood, 37, and I'm originally from Spread Eagle, WI - neighbors with Jim. In fact, Jim's father was my dad's best man, and I played in a band with his younger brother for a few years. I'm now a marketing manager for Mason Companies, the largest footwear cataloger in the world - soon to break into general merch! I grew up on the Spread Eagle Chain of Lakes and have been waterskiing pretty much my entire life. Oct 27th, I close on a new home just north of my adopted home town of Chippewa Falls, WI (home of Leinie's!) on one of the best kept slalom lake secrets in the state - aside from the private lakes. I grew up in an MC family, but switched to a CC 196 as I could swing the freight myself. I'm currently boatless, after selling my '07LE, but have a long cold winter to shop for a new one. Cheers all!

[UTWaterSki]

I'm Nick Williams, a 21 year old architectural engineering student at the University of Texas. I started skiing in Arkansas when I was 6, first competition when I was 9, and moved to Lago Santa Fe near Houston when I was 12. I do most of my skiing with the UT Ski Team in Austin now.

I saw my first course at my first INT tournament in 1998, which was an awesome way to get into competitive skiing, and started in USA Water Ski in 2001. By the end of high school I was burnt out on skiing altogether, but collegiate skiing has turned that around! I have never had more fun in my life than at any given collegiate tournament, and I'm looking for ways not to graduate because of it. My tournament PB is 2@-38 36mph, 4.5@-38 in practice. I have recently started enjoying trick for the first time ever by attempting flips, the first change in my run in 8 years. I'm not very successful with them, but I think the chicks even dig the failed attempts. I used to jump but quit due to injury, and I haven't found anything that compared to the feeling of flying yet.

I've been an assistant judge for 5 years, I'm on the NCWSA Athlete's Advisory Committee, and am the vice president of the UT ski team. I say that skiing has taken a back seat to school, but any class where they take attendance can disprove that. I worked as a coach at M2 Ski School in Houston this summer, the best "job" I have ever had. I ride road bikes in the winter to keep in shape. Its the best way to release stress if its too cold to hang out at the lake all day.

[Boody]

Just want to say all these bios are great, read them all, very fascinating.  So many different stories about how we all got to this point in our lives.

My name is Mike Budreau, I'm 38 years old and married to a younger chika named Kim.  She kicks ass, just ran her 32 off at a tournament this past weekend, for the 3rd time.  I am so lucky that my wife loves to ski, always buggiing me to go ski.  So much fun during the summer, going to all the tournaments we can.  No kids, yay!

I started skiing in 1997 at a public course on a local lake.  Became addicted and eventually found a private site 165 miles away in 2001.  Skied on the weekends for a while until we finally got a private ski lake in 2007, 3 miles from my house.  Life is good.

Oh yea, I am a Detective Sergeant. Fun job, but not as fun as waterskiing.  Boody is my nick name from work, a shortened version of my last name, not because I have a nice one, but I think I do.

Dirt bikes in the off season.

[Than_Bogan]

Krista, I gotta say you do appear to be the perfect pitchman (pitchwoman?) for the sport of water skiing.

Enthusiasm, experience as a publicist, great skier, use the word "authority-asserting" comfortably, and a perfect TV face.

GOOD LUCK and GO KRISTA!

P.S. Don't try to keep it short.  I think I speak for a vast majority of the old men who populate this site when I say we feel an increase in coolness for each word we get from 20-something accomplished female skiers!

[lakeo]

I did not enter a bio when I suggested Dexster and Curb to lpskier. Here goes. I am a 52 yearold male who skis on a spring feed adk lake behind a nautique. While I have not attended tourneys in about 8 or 9 years I still ski daily from mid March to the end of september. Typically I'll run a few bouys at 11.25 on an 01 phantom. If I can get these 2 kids out of very expensive private universities I think'll buy a new ski. I do not snow ski, because I would like it and then I'd be living in a van at the base of some mountain.

[lakeo]

oops May to the end of september not March

[The_Krista]

Thanks Than! I appreciate the support and if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

 

[Horton]

Hmmm Krista, I would have never thought of that :- )

 

 

[jwr]

I'm John Roeder and I am 42 years old.  I began skiing at 5 and 3 evented in my first tournament at 8 years old in 1977 on Ky. Lake.  A couple of years later I jumped and slalomed in my first regionals, and then jumped at nationals that year.  The following year I won regionals and placed 3rd at nationals in jumping and 9th in slalom.  I skied one year in boys then moved to the virgin islands.  I surfed everday and traveled to other islands for surf contests.  I hope to get the chance to do that again sometime. 

Moved to Pensacola Florida for my senior year of highschool, and began to slalom and trick again.  Went to Clemson the following year, and began jumping again.  I think I started out doubling right of the bat.  All speed no brains.  After a very short stint at Clemson, I finished up my engineering degree at Florida State, and skied while I was there. 

After school, I got a job as an engineer and shortly there after got married to one of my best friends little sister.  We have 3 children 13, 9, and 2.  I think the 2 year old is going to be my jumper, she is wild.  When I started working, I quit skiing for roughly 15 years.  My friend Kirby Whetsel, and my sister convinced me to start skiing again.  I dusted off my old 65" EP Stilleto (I'm 6'-3" 205).  I taught my wife, who has never ever driven a boat before or even seen a slalom course, how to drive an old Mastercraft 240SC with no speedometer through the course.  People would cringe when they would see that monster barreling down on the course.  Wakes weren't bad though.  A few months later I got a used Mastercraft Prostar with PP, and a 67" Obrien Sixam.  Qualified and skied at nationals my first year back skiing tournaments.  Decided to start jumping this year, and dusted off the 72" EP Arion III's, and my friends laughed at me.  I decided I needed to get with the times, and opted for a pair of 94" Goodmans.  Those things are awesome.  I qualified for nationals this year in jump and slalom, but couldn't go because of work.  My goal for next year is to compete in all three events at nationals.  For anyone that has ever seen me trick, that will be quite the accomplishment. 

 I'm very gratefull to Kirby and my sister for convincing me to start skiing again.  I didn't realize how much I had missed it, and how important it was to me growing up.  I hope I can convince my children what a great sport it is.  I'm also very gratefull and lucky my wife was willing to go through the trouble to learn how to drive and spend the time on the water with me.  I'm hoping one day she will get the bug to want to try and ski the course. 

Thanks for the great site, after being away for so long, I've learned a great deal from everyone on here.  It has sped up my process greatly.

[Jody_Seal]

Thats it! blame it on Sandy and Kirby!! See how you are are.../vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif

[jwr]

I have to blame somebody.  I could blame you, for making my boat run so good./vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif

[lpskier]

Hey Lakeo, which Adirondack lake?

[ODBF]

My name is Old Dirty Bass Fisherman. Why is everyone talking about waterskiing on a bass fishing website?

 

Vital stats:Ski Club – CRB fishing club

 

PPB is 22 lb large mouth

 

Current boat – 2010 Bass Tracker with 200 hp Yamaha

 

Current ski – ski? whats a ski have to do with fishing?

 

Current bindings - huh?

 

Camo life vest, can full of sardines, 6 pack of Mountain Creek beer, and a playboy

[Horton]

when you say Playboy are you a fan of the current publication for the classic 70s issues?

[Bulldog]

A bass fisherman would only read it for the articles............

[thager]

You're assumimg they can read???

[6balls]

Great site Horton.

Dave Ross, 39 y.o. M3 skier.  Tourney PB 4@ 38, practice PB 2 @39.5.  When Men II 36 mph tourney PB 5 @ 35, practice 1@ 38.  Work as family doc in MN, plugging away at a MBA degree, and married w/2 kids 12 and 9.  I am a private pilot, and own the 198 lb bench press record in MN at 440.7 lbs.

Last of 10 kids, began skiing at 4 and was gloveless w/lame vest behind outboard until teens when Dad bought a Centurion outboard barefoot boat.  We got into footing and occasional course skiing, eventually hand driving that thing into 35 off at 36 mph.  Got big into weight lifting and broke ropes/took boats out of gates for a living w/rotten technique but decent scores...sorry drivers and judges!  First PP tourney I skied was 4 slow boat times for 36 mph 28 off.  Got in the habit of telling them I weighed 275...they would say "no you don't" and I'd say "you're right...but do you want a good boat time?"

University of Iowa ski team introduced me to inboards (a donated '83 stars and stripes).  Had a blast and many good friends from those days.  We get together for a week of skiing at my bro's place every summer for skiing and beer (aka "Club Ross").

Went to med school at Iowa and continued to ski the outboard Centurion in the course until '02 w/tourneys in between.  Bought that boat from my Dad in '99 and it sits on my lift today. It is our family ski boat, and now we have a '00 Nautique on a farm swamp w/2 courses for buoy skiing.

My brother Jim and I now talk slalom most days by phone/email/text, both trying to put the bruising, rope busting skiing in our past and become light on the line. Last season he smoked 39.5 on ZO in practice after back to back 38's, the same day I smoked 4 consecutive 35's and a 38. Memorable day! We were late to the party having been hacks behind outboards for a long time...so we feel there are more rope lengths in us if our bodies hold up. Anybody seen my glass of gin?

 

[lakeo]

lpskier. Ozonia. and you need to watch "Curb" Dexster and mad men al HBO I was a 24 fan and don't watch tv either

[lkb]

I'm Lindsay Burgreen from Athens, Alabama. Home of my ski lake which I call Area 41. Not bragging but it's an awesome ski site and I feel really fortunate to have it. I grew up Wally skiing on Elk River behind a bass boat with an 85 hp Johnson. Even as scrawny as I was I could pull it sideways. My first slalom was a Cypress Gardens El Bruto which I still have. I'm 45 and just went into M4. Single again with no kids but I do have a cool wire fox terrier named Scout. First course experience was in 1993 on public water. Only got to ski a few times a year at bad sites until 2002 when my lake was completed. I made it into 35 off pretty quick(2004 I think) but my buoy count from there slowed down a bunch. PPB and TPB is 2 at 38. I ride a warp and sometimes and S1. SN 196 in the boathouse. I've skied with Mr and Mrs MS, acmx, and skiep(I think that's it) from BOS. And just today OB dropped in for a couple if sets. We had great conditions for almost mid-October(glad you could make it OB). I really enjoy this forum and am glad to meet all Ballers. So if you're ever in my neck of the woods please look me up. Especially next year. I am cutting back at work and ramping way up on my lake time so I am looking for folks to ski with! Thanks Horton for a cool website and helping bring together good folks!

[skiray]

I’m Ron Ray, but I’m usually known as the husband of Michelle or dad of Rhoni and Anna.  I’m 38 and starting to show it. (Anna calls me fatboy)  Our practice PB’s: Ron – 6 @ 32 @ 34 mph, Michelle – 4 @ 15 @ 30 mph, Rhoni – 3 @ 15 @ 17 mph on combos and Anna 6 @ 15 @ ~ 10 mph on combos.  We moved from Auburn, AL to Nacogdoches, TX this May.  Nacogdoches is a great place to live but if it wasn’t for Joe Darwin we would be in a water ski waste land.  As a matter of fact, Joe told me about this site.  John this is a great website.  I appreciate you starting / providing this resource for the rest of us.

[usaski1]

I've been more active recently here.. so...

 

I'm Mark Turner, age 33. My wife, and I own a house at Aquaplex in Central Texas. Disabled sence shortly after birth, I ski in the disbled division (Check awsa website if you have questions, or just ask!) I slalom, trick, and every once in a while, fly 50 feet off the Jump.  I moved to Texas in late 2007. I spent 30 years in CA. I stumbled uppon this website while looking for information about Zero Off. Great site. lots of charged up people. I've seen a few friends here too.. (MAD11) I ski 15 off, 24/26/28mph. (actually we ski in KM, so 37k, 40k, 43k, and if Im lucky, 46k)  

[skifreak]

Oh what the heck. My name is Katie, I'm 25 and ski with my husband (kfennell) and skidawg at old oaks. My dad got into skiing in college and put me on skis (that he made) at roughly 18 months old. I didn't compete until I was in G3 and only did for a couple years ('96/'97? in Colorado). Circumstances resulted in me only free skiing a couple times a year after that. Eventually I smartened up and got back into skiing but didn't have the practice time (or coaching) that getting better required. This year my husband and I decided it was a priority to find a lake and here we are. I run 15 @ 28 consistently and have run 15 @ 30 a handful of times.  My husband says I don't try hard enough so I guess those numbers should be better... haha

[skier2788]

So I am Travis Torley skifreaks brother. Like her I started skiing when I was less then two years old. Started tournament skiing in B1 and did pretty well. I quit skiing tournaments when we moved to Kansas. My personal best is 4 @ 35off. Last couple of years I have been a little lazy on progressing my skiing but now that I am moving back closer to my lake I will get more ski time and hope to get back into tournaments. I take personal offense to the lack of coaching from skifreak. She just doesn't listen.

[ForrestGump]

Mark Turner, I've seen you at Aquaplex but we've never met.  Next time I'm there hanging out with MAD11 I'll make sure to come introduce myself.  Don't judge me because of my choice of friends, please.  :)

[eleeski]

Eric Lee

Started skiing in college (jimbrake skied at the tournament we hosted after setting up college skiing out west).

Built a trick ski for an engineering class. Trick magic! Have been chasing the perfect ski ever since. Currently building boron/graphite skis. The trick skis rock! The slalom skis - well I finally ran 32 in tournament on the current ski. Ski design is really enjoyable for me.

Briefly held the Hawaiian area slalom record (3.5 @ 35 - pretty good considering the conditions). Tournament pb 4 @ 35 matched a few times a couple of skis ago.

5000 point tricker. Skied Open at Nationals this year - first time qualifying in! Won Nationals tricks a couple of times in age divisions. Third at Senior Worlds 45-55 this year. Almost had the right birthday (IWSF put my scores in the wrong division for a while so I looked better than I am - they fixed it so I had to ski at Worlds against the kids). I am 55 now.

I plop over the ramp for an overall score.

Built a lake in the early 80s in the desert of southern California. Copied Dr. Horton except no islands (Tournament lakes do not need islands!). Got carried away and built 4 more ski lakes. Does anyone want to buy a ski lake?

Favorite boat - 79 American skier. Tinkering with boats for fun. Just got a new 11 MC - sweet!

Married (just had a 30th anniversary!), two kids. Lisa skis for fun (used to compete well). Ryan-Sandy skied at college Nationals one year before getting into sailing (started the UC Davis sailing team and qualified for sailing Nationals last year!). Kirk is a star 3 eventer and a fantastic tricker in B3.

Senior judge slalom and tricks. Enjoying the friends I have made in the sport at lots of tournaments and ski days. Skiing is keeping me young!

Eric

[jimbrake]

Eric,

You left out some stuff. Weren't you at Squaw for awhile? I remember seeing you loading the gondola way back when. That must've been before you went south, huh?

Jim

[Deanoski]

My name in Deano U'Ren 46 yrs old started skiing on lk sammish in 1970. first skied the course with my aunt Judy anderson in 1972-1978 on lk sammish then just free skied for many yrs, got coaght up in soccer and mtn bike racing. started skiing agian in 1996. when I started hanging out with terry goodman and building ARC waterski boots ( the first hard shell boots system)  married now 2 boys 10 and 5 yrs old. live in wenatchee wa, ski at cresent bar columbia river. have not been at a turny in two yrs hate ZO off and not much extra time!!! I did ski c-3 two week ago and liked it skied well so be may I'm getting used to it finaly. work for Head skis as a sales rep service 5 states ak wa or id mt. ski a 67 strada reflex front boot animal rear. pb 4@-38  tpb 1@-38 34mph. wife skis the coarse for fun -15 32mph kids are still not water skiing, they love to snow ski. so I hope soon they will get the bug like dad.I have learn and got many good ideas from this site!  thanks JH!\

 

think short

Deano

[Horton]

ARC Boots! WOW. My dad still uses them. Ahead of it's time.

[Deanoski]

John,if your dad needs arc boot parts I have tons of odds and ends sitting around!

 ARC boots were way ahead of there time.

your Bro jumped in them if I remember right. I got a pic of him in my garage Jumping I think it's him.

Deano

[Rup]

I am Rupert, 35 years old and live in Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Married with a 2 year old boy who is too young to ski (according to my wife).

 

Guernsey is a tiny island in the English Channel with lots of sea but no lake! I used to ski as a teenager but just messing around on the sea. I went for a ski holiday last year in France and spent five weeks in France skiing this year.

 

Running the course at fifteen off but still building up speed. Last time I was away I switched from a Triumph 71" to an A1 68.75". Hoping that 2011 will be a good Ski year.

[kstateskier]

WOW! 5 pages of Bios... There's 20 minutes of my life I'm not getting back!  JK, you people are interesting (maybe).

I'm Bradley Beach, Mens 2 slalom/trick skier from Kansas City.  I grew up a Wally Skier at Table Rock lake in the heart of the Ozarks!  The third day of college (Kansas State university!)someone knocked on my door looking for the "Guy with the HO Skis" Sticker on his truck (that was me).  He asked me to join the Water Ski team.  I was 18 years old and the next day I saw my first slalom course and rode my first trick ski.  Frankly things haven't been the same ever since...  Bought a 90 Mastercraft 190...

After college I was still a pretty horrible slalom skier, and an even worse trick skier.  My business was web design and I went to work for a Mastercraft dealer.  If you've ever shopped on BuyABoat.com or BuyAnRV.com (Both are now Powersportsnetwork.com) you've shopped two of my original sites.  The MC Dealer had a ski team and they needed skiers.  I ski'd in my first INT a few weeks later and met Ed Obermeier (Owner of Ez-Slalom).  Ed quickly became one of my good ski buds and we ski'd together for years.

Work suddenly gave me the incredible opportunity to relocate near Table Rock lake, where I grew up water skiing as a child, plus the job was too good to pass up so I moved to Springfield, MO (5 years ago today exactly!).  I met Jeff and Tina Lindsey, two of the most gracious skiers in all of the waterskiing Community!  They quickly took me under their wing.  Taught me that to be a good water skier, you had to treat it like a 12 month sport.  Offseason training, nutrition, proper training techinques, etc.  I quickly improved with their help and the help of the Shull family and their incredible private site in Hartville, MO. I'm now a Mens 2 skier in AWSA as well as a regular judge.  I ski at Lake Freddie, Bennett, Roger Boskus's lake in Elkins, AR and a public site on Table Rock Lake and have even written a few articles for WaterSki Magazine.

Still living in Springfield, Mo. I'm the Senior Web Designer for Basspro.com, couple time state champion in INT League, Multiple Missouri state slalom titles in Mens 2 , a trick title in AR, and recently trick title in for Missouri.   Regular Rated slalom & Trick Judge And trying to run 32 off with some consistency...  

Practice PB of 1@35, tournament PB of 1@32... Trick around 1680

[lpskier]

lakeo: Hey neighbor. Tell Brad Smith I said hello. Used to see him at tournaments but not for a while now.

[DanE]

Most of the time I´m a lurker, but I post sometimes. Consider this forum to be a great source of information, not only regarding skiing techniques but also when shopping for new gear. My name is Dan Englund and I live in Sweden together with my girlfriend and a 10 year old son. I´m part owner of an autorepair shop (specialized but not limited to heavy trucks and machines). I´m 43 years old and started waterskiing when I was 21 after I totalled my right knee in an Alpine ski competition. Eventually I had to quit alpine racing due to cartilage damage in my knee but waterski slalom has worked fine since then. Can´t really put down enough sets anymore so progressing in the slalom course is kinda rare these days. Tpb is 3 @ 38 (34 mph) and 4 @ 35 at 36.

Dan

[ToddL]

My name is Todd Leach.  I started water skiing at 13 when my dad brought home some wooden combos from a garage sale. We skied behind a 55HP Johnson (yea, me and my Johnson…) on an old fishing boat with no steering wheel – only a stick.  Within a year, I was up on slalom.   By the time I was 16, we’d upgraded our boat to one with a steering wheel (yea!), and I had convinced my dad to let me and two friends take the boat to the local public lake (Lake Georgetown) every weekday during the summer while he was at work.   That was the best:  dawn patrol every M-F, ski until about 11 am, pick up girls at the lake’s swim beach, home by 2pm, nap, then out on the town for the night, rinse and repeat.   I had seen slalom competition on ESPN and had a subscription to Water Ski magazine, so I knew about competition; but with no internet back then, I didn’t even know there where two competition sites within 30 miles. 

The summer after my freshman year in college, a girl at the home town told me about a ski lake in the middle of the corn fields just 20 minutes from my parent’s house where you could pay about $12 and get a lesson on the slalom course.  I met Jody Hooten, the son of the family who owned the site, who taught me to, “sink in with the knees on the turns, and lean behind the boat.â€Â  Later that summer, I entered my first tournament in the Novice (now called Fun) division.  I was hooked.  That next spring, my new girlfriend (who later became my wife) and I discovered the University of Texas Water Ski Team.   We both tried out and made the team.  

As typical with collegiate skiing, we learned all three disciplines:  slalom, trick, and jump.  I never excelled with jump, but enjoyed and pursued slalom and trick.   Not surprising, one of the team members was the son of the private lake owner who gave me that first lesson.   Back then, the rules were different and only the top two ski teams when to nationals, and there was no division 2.   With ULL and ULM in our SCR division, UT never got to experience nationals.  We seemed to always come in 3rd place, but barely beating out A&M.    After graduating from UT, I pursued a masters degree at SWT (now called Texas State).  Again, back then the rules were that graduate students could not compete, not even on “B†team.  Still, I paid dues, drove, and coached the SWT Ski Team so as to stay active with the sport.   Many people know that college ski teams are the best and most affordable way to have access to competition skiing and expensive inboard ski boats.    It also worked out well, in that all of my classes were in the evenings, so I could be at the lake most days.  During that time, the rules changed to allow a 3rd team to go to nationals if last year’s winner came from you region.   With ULL and ULM, SCR region almost always got to take a 3rd team to nationals after this rule change.   Also during my time with SWT, they beat out my alma mater, UT and placed 3rd at regionals – earning them a trip to nationals.

While getting started in my career and getting married to my college girlfriend, I kept active in local competitions via our local club.  I started and still host/author the local competition club’s web site:  http://www.waterskiaustin.com.  Also, about this time, the lake owner’s son was heading off to medical school and could no longer keep the ski school lessons going.   I picked up that service and have been known as “Coach Leach†ever since (like 13 years).  I’ve taught hundreds from 3 to 78 how to ski or advance their skills to the next level.   The ski school has been a hit and is really keeping the sport alive in our area.  Funny story - one year, I got a call from a lady whom I thought was a mom asking about how the lessons worked.  She had a lot of questions, but I was happy to tell her about the ski school.  In a few weeks, the school was all of the sudden over-whelmed with kids from a nearby town.  It turns out that the caller was a volunteer reporter for one of those free ad-based magazines that you see in the waiting rooms of local businesses all over town.   Every stay-at-home mom was loading up the mini-van full of the neighborhood kids and bringing them to ski school for them to learn how to ski!   I wish I could have cloned myself and expanded that summer.

Today, I have a son who is 9 years old.  He loves sports (basketball, flag football, baseball, karate) and music (piano, guitar, choir).  He started skiing at 3 and is now on slalom and just now running the full course.  He comes out to ski school every week and swims/fishes/skis and rides in the boat during many lessons – especially when other kids are learning.   Last year, he started wanting to coach, too.  So I let him talk to the skier at the end of the next pass.  To my amazement, he said, “Adam – that was a very good pass.  I really liked how you kept you chest up and proud.  Now, let’s do that again, but this time let’s bring your hips forward, too.â€Â Â Â  Wow.  Positive reinforcement, describing the correct position, and clearly explaining the action desired – signature coaching at 8 years old.    I guess soon, he’ll be running the ski school…

So, by now you can tell, I like to tell stories.   I guess it’s time to get to the typical bio stuff…
I’m 41 (damn, I don’t feel that old) and live in Round Rock, TX.   I currently ski at Frameswitch Ski Lakes behind a 06’ Malibu LXi, recently updated ECM and Zero Off.  My tournament best is 5 at -28/34MPH.   Practice PB is 2 at -32.    I ski on a 67†D3 RCX  with Strada sequence plate and boots.   I trick on 43†D3 custom and my best score is 1280 which I have done repeatedly. (Man, I need to learn more tricks…)   This year, I was on path for a break out PB season, when I took a stupid fall in August while practicing tricking resulting in a partial tear of my rotator cuff (no surgery, though).   It still hurts when I reach behind my back (wise-crack PT guy says, “then don’t do thatâ€).  I hope to get this resolved over the off season and come back strong in 2011. 
I love coaching.   If I could win the lottery and never have to worry about money, I’d coach skiing every day for the rest of my life.  I am genuinely invested in each skier’s progress, and it shows in my patience and commitment.  I don’t have all of the titles to back it up, but I do have a knack for figuring out what words will “click†for the students.   Recently, I got one of the best complements from a good friend (I think his best is a couple at -38 off) who has skied most of his life, but is struggling with new skis and new styles.   We had met up on his way through town for a bite and were talking shop.   (I’m sure the other patrons were wondering as I demonstrated some of the motions.)   After a quick chat about counter rotation and handle-control, he looked up at me and said, “you just solidified in less than 5 minutes what at least four $100/set coaches haven’t been able to explain to me in the past two years.â€Â  Full disclosure – I was just sharing my interpretation of what I’ve learned on here (handle control, center of mass, light on the line, elbows into vest, etc.).  I guess I just put it in the right words for him...

Thanks to all who participate in BOS and to Horton for keeping this site alive so that we can share ideas and successes!

[ryderdoane]

[Ed_Obermeier]

Skier 2788 wrote "...I quit skiing tournaments when we moved to Kansas..."

Where in Kansas are you?  I'm a half hour south of KC on the Kansas side.  If you're close to the east side of Kansas you should look into the INT League tournaments next summer, I'm very involved with the Kansas INT.  We're at about the same level and we could always use another good skier or two at the tournaments.  Message me if you'd like more info.

Ed

[TeamWally]

Uncle Craig here for you INT fans, Winlock Waters Washington in the summer, ski slopes in the winter, Crystal Mtn, Snowbird etc. Just moved into Mens 6, turned 60 a week ago, absolutely no threat to anyone on the rankings list, although I did lead regionals fot the 1st 9 skiers this year in Mens 5. I've been fortunate to be involved with Rick,Jac and INT since the mid 90s, took me forever to run 15 off, much less do it at 55k ! Every now and then I surprise myself and run into -32 now days. I'm exceptional grateful to have had the opportunity to travel around  announce and  ski at all of the INT US Championships, except the one I missed in 2005 due to open heart surgery. Guess that was an excused absence. I've been hitting a few sanctioned events the last couple of years, had the opportunity to be Chief Announcer at this years Regionals in Caldwell, Id. I suppose I'm a better talker than skier, which is a good thing cuz I sure couldn't make a living skiing. All in all I'm very impressed with all the folks I've met at INT and AWSA, hell I even ski with some of them from time to time. Always an open invitation for ballers at Winlock, 3 lakes to choose from and lots of green up here in Washington.

[9400]

TeamWally - you sure look young for 60! It's impressive to run 32off on those trainers!

[Mrs_MS]

Hello. My name is Kim. I'm married to MS. I often refer to myself as "just the wife", as I am not a good skier or a hot young chick. I'm proud to say I have supported MS 200% in regards to this great sport, so long as we could afford. I love to ski. I love everything about it from the sound of the engine to the smell of a new pair of gloves and everything in between. My first time skiing was when I was 10 yrs old, at the cabin behind a bass boat. By the end of the weekend I was getting up on 1 ski and crossing the wakes. Not long after my parents divorced. I have often wondered...What if? I started skiing in my mid to late 30's. Mark bought me a HO Odossey. He was ever so proud when I ran all the green bouys at my first INT tourney and got a 3rd place medal! That year I took 4th at the INT nationals in novice. I ran 4 orange bouys at 26mph/15off, the others were skiing long line.I had so much fun! I have been hooked ever since. My husband is the best...he makes sure I have nice ski gear...though not worthy of it. I ski on a D3Z7 with a D3 Leverage front boot and a HO rear toe. He also bought me a Lady Z custom vest this yearhttp://www.ballofspray.com/vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-smile.gif I am now working on 34mph/15off. I have run it several times, but not in a tournament where it really counts from what I understand. I'm fortunate to live on a man made ski lake and have skied behind new Nautiques for 10yrs. I am an Asst. driver, judge and scorer. Working on upgrading those to reg. I love to help out at tournaments when given the oppertunity. I'm also lucky I get to tag along with Mark and ski in tournaments at amazing sites all over the country. We both work for the airlines and are blessed with free space available travel. We have made so many friends who we miss all winter long. I learn alot about skiing from BOS and am often entertained as wellhttp://www.ballofspray.com/vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-smile.gif Ok...that's probably enough! Over and Out!

[Horton]

You can drive me any day.