Were you on a college ski team? Please share here your experiences and thoughts.

[escmanaze]

Hi Everybody,

If you have experience with collegiate skiing, whether positive or negative - please leave it here as I'm doing a little bit of...let's call it a research project for use with a local government entity.

 

Thanks

[Rpc29]

I skied for the University of Georgia from 2006 - 2009. Nothing but great things to say about the entire experience. The ski team became my friend group both in college and I've maintained many of those friendships into my 30's.

 

[JackQ]

Essentially all positive. Meet lifelong (35+ years) friends on the University of Florida ski team, both at UF and teams we competed/partied with. Met my future wife, and leaned how to run the course, jump and trick. Progressed through the 36mph longline barrier and progressed to a few buoys at 35. Took a lot of time and effort to ski and maintain goode grades, but could have easily wasted the time on less positive activities.

[RazorRoss3]

Member of the Iowa team fall 2011- spring 2015

President of the Iowa team fall 2013-fall 2014

 

My experience skiing with them is 100% positive, without question the best decision I made in college. I just attended a ski wedding with two of my friends from the team getting married.

 

My experience as President was ungodly stressful. I spent 40 hours a week thr entire year making or budget work because of how difficult it is to work the finances. Manage all the equipment. Liaison with the university, sponsors, marinas, members, officers, and everything else. That 40 was in addition to the 40 hours a week at my internship during the summer and my 30 hours a week of class during the semester.

 

I wouldn’t change any of that, my previous manager told me when I recently changed jobs that part of why he hired me was for my experience managing the collegiate team, so I’m some ways I owe my career to collegiate skiing.

 

Best part of college by a wide margin

[UWSkier]

Didn't have a boat until my senior year, but I would give almost anything to go back to those days.

[jjackkrash]

My one college skiing regret is that it lasted 4 years and not 40.

[escmanaze]

So far exactly as I expected. Other than the research project - it should probably be just a good fun thread of good vibes and fun memories.

 

Thanks everybody

[6balls]

My best friends are from my ski team...we had a riot together on the water (off the water, too) and going to tournaments.

 

Post college it morphed into the 20 consecutive year thing that was "Club Ross" at @razorskier1's place. An annual week of skiing, yard games, cards, beer, and watching all of our kids grow up together--just about the most meaningful thing to me that's ever been.

 

It also resulted in a few "musts" for me. House on a lake, and easy access to a course or courses. Been here since 2002.

 

If I were near a team...I'd consider coaching...but not at the hour requirement @razorross3 describes. Maybe some dry land and on the water clinics...and steal their best driver as my primary ski partner!

[eleeski]

We started college skiing! At least out west. Western Intercollegiate Waterski Conference started in about 1975. SDSU dominated but the rest of us tried. Most of the teams were a couple kids who skied and were still in college who dragged their friends to tournaments. Fun times!

 

I'm still good friends with some of my teammates. They still ski - but not so much in tournaments.

 

Eric

[keithh2oskier]

I did 4 years of collegiate skiing (Sacramento State) from 04-08 and had the opportunity to ski D1 Nationals all 4 years where we placed around 5-6th if I recall. I served as President for a year or two. It was a great time, made my college experience. My only regret was not skiing in All Stars.

[jercrane]

Founding member of the Bates College Water Ski Team here. We started the team in 1994. I think the team is still going today but its had some fits and starts. Its a club team and doesn't really get any funding from the school. We were lucky enough to have a the US Junior Trick champion attend Bates. His family was incredibly generous and donated a boat to the team. Skiing in Maine in the spring certainly builds character. We hit the water the week after Ice out every year. Usually setting the course with slushy ice still on the water.

 

Loved the collegiate tournament vibe. Long road trip with the team then camping on site. Skied some of the most amazing sites and some whacky ones. Ever ski Avon in CT? now that is a short set up! Not one of my best tournaments. :D

 

I do miss the late spring days heading out with the team every afternoon and taking sets until dark.

 

 

[travtitle]

I skied for four years for SDSU and we had our tournament out at eleeski's lake in the middle of the desert my senior year. We had a nine-hole golf course and a disco party at night. It was awesome. I think I skied at some point during the tournament, but I somehow don't remember that part.

[RazorRoss3]

@6balls, I only put in 40 hrs a week while president of the Iowa team, and that was 40 hrs of work not including skiing/coaching.

 

While I was down in Texas and coaching the UT team I probably coached them 4-7 days a week depending on the weather and while some weeks might have hit 40 hours, it was all play. Couple sets of skiing and the rest of the time sitting in a boat watching PBs and some great crashes... hard to imagine a better way to spend a Saturday.

 

UT is competing this weekend in D2 by the way, already with some great jump scores.

Top men's jumper with a 98, all 5 men landing, 4 of 5 women riding away as well. Sitting in 7th at the end of day 1. I'm pulling for them to hit the top 6 this year!

 

Hook 'Em!

[Orlando76]

Never knew collegiate ski teams existed when I was in college.

[aspski]

I never knew college skiing was a thing until I got on BOS. Man I would have loved to go to a school with a ski team. No schools in Canada have one that I know of though so I would have had to go to the States to be on one of the teams. Sounds like a blast though!

[The_MS]

I should have recorded the after hours story telling at the 2007 Ski Tests. Some of the best college ski team stories ever.

[UWSkier]

A particular midwest team showing up with a portable hot tub on a snowmobile trailer towed by an ATV going around playing music and at certain points, all the girls popping out of the tub... Man, it was hard being off the dock at 7 am those mornings. Not many PBs set before lunchtime.

[BCM]

Skied for 4 years during my undergrad. Bounced on and off academic probation, but always had good standing for nationals/all-stars. Skiing kept me in school when I wanted to drop out. It gave me a reason to get my grades back up. As my grades improved I found a passion for my career path. My grades continued to improve. Due to my improving grades and experiences I gained traveling the country and hosting tournaments (without school financial support) I received a fully funded graduate position to pursue my master of science. My desire to ski lead me further into my career which lead to my pursuing a PhD. Upon completion of my PhD I landed a great job and moved to a couple miles from a great 3-event site. Long story short, I was a piece of garbage when I joined the ski team, on the verge of dropping out of school. Skiing helped me turn myself around and go from potential college drop out to a full blown doctor.

[eleeski]

From way back.

[shansen345]

I was the president of the USD waterski club for a couple years. One of the most fun experiences of my whole life - easily!

[mwfillmore]

Collegiate skiing kept me in school... skied for Purdue 04-08 only regret was I didn’t go back for a masters cause I only skied A team. For 3 years. Coulda had one more year....

Met my wife thru a skier on my team... Was President for a year, which gave me something to talk about in job interviews out of school. Wouldn’t trade that experience for the world.

[RINLE]

Ole miss in the late 80s. Wonderful experience. Wish I could go back in time and do again.

[z_skier]

I am currently skiing collegiate, and to add to the rest, it has been the BEST decision of my life. No regrets ever. I have made life-long friends, not only just in college, but in the non-collegiate side of the sport as well. This sport and opportunity has blessed me beyond belief.

[parkerc2112]

Skied at SWTSU (Texas State) for 4 years Late 80’s. Great times, we basically had a frat house of skiers.

[UCFskier]

was fortunate enough to ski with the University of Central Florida. I was luck to meet not only exceptionally Smart and Hardworking athletes who taught me how to study and prioritize readings which helped me graduate with a 3.75 (up from a near failing after my first year) but I also got to train and ski with some of the sports great!!! Overton, Cox, Swanson, Ross, Rossi, way too many to list!!

 

oh and yes Im old as hell UCF alumni 95'

[schroed]

I skied for Chico State in Nor Cal from 89 to 93. Some of the best times of my life. I'm still friends with many of my former teammates and I'm still skiing after all these years. College skiing brought me into the tournament waterski seen and for that, I am grateful.

[jjackkrash]

The closest slalom course to a bar in the world is in Chico. :)

[eleeski]

@jjackkrash The bar is actually a mod built into the Chico boat. Engineering is pretty strong at Chico.

 

Eric

[jjackkrash]

@eleeski, I think one of the funnest times I ever had in the history of ever at least tangentially involved a few unnamed college skiers burning down an old barn in the middle of the desert. And its been a long time, but I am pretty sure it was your barn.

[eleeski]

Sigh, rebuilding that building before it got condemned was really tough. They helped with the cost but I did the work alone. I hope those marshmallows were good.

 

College skiing is great but we do need to be very tolerant.

 

Eric

[liquid d]

 

UCF Knights 1983...I think...Who needs a Fraternity when you've got S K I

 

I had more fun than any one person deserved! Go Knights!

 

[JackQ]

Different era, names withheld to protect the guilty.

 

[liquid d]

Why are guys wearing girls shorts?

[skimtb]

The one in the middle has long hair, maybe that ties into the shorts?

[greghayes]

I skied for UCLA in the early 90s. We had no regular ski site, someone flipped our boat on the interstate within a year of getting it ... but we traveled all over the state and despite mainly "practicing" at tournaments, had the best times. I also have fuzzy memories of @eleeski and camping at the shrimp farm - thank you.

 

My favorite memory was visiting Canyon Lake to unsuccessfully recruit Rhoni Barton to the team to get some real talent. Our program wasn't quite developed enough for skiers of her caliber. And her family was unpersuaded by the fact that our tournaments were always of the best attended - mainly due to the great Saturday night parties we made sure to host.

 

I wouldn't trade those times for anything. Long live college waterskiing!

[liquid d]

Rhoni!!! Ucf Grad baby! Sorry bout your luck.

[unksskis]

Collegiate skiing was the best experience one could ask for. From the social aspect and life long friendships, the team and individual development, to the individual business and leadership skills learned by running an organization, working with the school, and all the life lessons that came with it, including being a great resume talking point.

[jcamp]

@greghayes Man I wish you would have been successful at recruiting Rhoni, she beat us like a drum for four years straight.

[ToddL]

Best of times!