The Unknown Sport of Waterskiing
Prelude
We are delighted to share a special story written by one of our own junior pro waterskiers, Solie Stenger. As part of a high school class assignment, Solie captured her personal journey and reflections on the unique and often overlooked world of waterskiing. This piece provides an insightful glimpse into her experiences, from the initial curiosity sparked by a Christmas gift to the challenges of integrating into a close-knit, somewhat exclusive community.
Please note that this content was originally produced by Solie for her school, and while we are thrilled to feature it on our site, we are not the original distributors of the work. Solie’s narrative is a mix of personal anecdotes, thoughtful observations, and a deep dive into the intricacies of waterskiing as both a sport and a culture. Through her words, you’ll get a sense of the excitement, challenges, and sense of community that define the waterskiing experience.
As you read, we hope you enjoy this candid and heartfelt exploration of the sport from a young athlete’s perspective.
The Unknown Sport of Waterskiing
The month is December, Christmas is rolling around, and with great anticipation I am unsteadily waiting for what gift my parents will give me this year. I’m 15, mom is a store clerk, and dad has a job as a teacher at the local elementary school. Both respectable jobs, and enough to get me a good amount of gifts during the holiday season, which is all that really matters right? I receive few materialistic gifts each year, but something special my parents spoil me with, unlike most, is the gift of an experience. Whether it be a concert or a trip to a different country, my parents want me to focus on what is actually happening, and something that memories can be made off of. Appreciative I nag my parents, asking constantly what the gift might be this year? They won’t tell, but say it’s out of the ordinary. Christmas day rolls around, and in the midst of opening my new vans, and a new set of lego’s I eagerly stretch my arm out to mom asking for the next gift. She hands me a small box, disappointed by its size I scratch off the santa themed wrapping paper, and see an envelope taped onto a pair of what looks like gloves?
“Mom, are you kidding me, you bought me gardening gloves?”
“Just open the card, you’ll see,” my mom says in response. So I tear open the previously licked shut card and see a picture of water skis, and a typed letter saying “a week of waterski lessons.”
“Waterski lessons? You really weren’t kidding, this is unique.”
Fast forward 6 months to summer time, the day has arrived to finally use my christmas gift, and those “gardening gloves” mom so happily gave me. I hop out of our 2001 VW (a little busted up but still does the job), and eagerly wait for instructions on how to begin the process of learning to waterski. Staring around aimlessly I see no one, not even a boat on the water, wondering where to go or what to do, I sit on moms car with her. Finally, a group of teenagers walks out, and with them laughing and giggling, I’m too scared to ask how to begin this process. So instead, I decide to sit and watch, sit and watch these blonde-haired, clearly privileged kids, laugh and run around on their golf carts and onewheels. Next thing you know, they are behind the boat, pulling each other going 36 mph, zooming down the glassy calm lake.
“Wait mom how do I do that, where’s my teacher?” I ask
She responds with “I’m not sure honey, hopefully we can get more info soon.”
After almost an hour now, of aimlessly waiting around sitting on the hood of mom’s car, an older woman with gray hair and a hefty southern accent comes out to greet us.
“Hey y’all, so glad you could make it, so sorry for the hold up normally kids ‘round here just know what to do, forgot y’all were newcomers.” Says the slightly intimidating woman in gray.
“All good,” responds my mom in a polite tone.
I’m observing this woman, noticing her clearly experienced mentality in this sport, and with that, the lack of understanding for people unlike her, as she gives me an interesting look of wonder.
“So I’m gonna assume y’all don’t know the lay of the land ‘round here yet?” asks the woman.
“No ma’am we do not” says my mom, trying to fit in with what appears to be a hang loose culture mixed with a southern belle accent?
In response to this, the woman shows me around the dock, elaborating what each ski does, how to begin, and what those “gardening gloves” are really used for. The gray woman insists on changing into a bathing suit and on finding a life jacket that fits my size and weight. However she does not tell me what she means by “size,” is it supposed to come over my neck? How tight do I buckle the straps? So many questions on my mind, but I don’t even know where to begin as I never got a true introduction to what it actually even means to waterski.
The world of waterskiing is a unique one, and unlike many or any others. Most don’t know anything about the sport or even that it exists. The community is quite secluded, and almost scared when new “foreigners” come in to play on their lake. This is a harsh reality that you don’t realize until you’re out of the bubble, or truly take the time to observe this community which people “in it” call home, call family. Why can’t everyone have the opportunity to call these people family? Why does money have to play such a large role? Why so much controversy?
Just like any sport if you are good, you fit in with a niche group of others who are also, just like you, good. But what does it mean to be “good?” Does it just mean that you can get into the deepest line length, or that you have the most money for the best coaches, and training? The sport is a complex, intricate one that involves much equipment. There are three events, slalom, trick, and jump. Many professional skiers compare it most to “gymnastics,” with the different events each person having a favorite, and best one.
The most common water ski event in the United States is the slalom event. This has gained its popularity overtime because it’s what most people imagine when the word “waterskiing” comes to mind. Most who prefer this event are known as “old hags” or the rule followers, the people who have enough attention and time to actually enjoy the intricacy that slalom takes. The constant failure that comes with slalom skiing has little reward. Success is sometimes just as small as getting around an extra ½ buoy. However, for those whose passion is in this event, that ½ buoy can make or break their day, week, month… or even year.
To break it down, slalom is all about how many buoys you can run at the fastest speed and shortest line length. There is a six buoy course, and two sets of gates, entrance gates and exit gates. The objective is to go around all six buoys, going through both the entrance and exit gates. The skier who does this at the shortest line length and fastest speed wins. “Each pass you shorten the rope once you make it around all six, and after running the 6, you try and get as many buoys as possible until the skier falls” (TWBC).
Next is trick skiing, the explanation sounds like its name; you do tricks. Each trick done is worth a certain amount of points, and the most points achieved by a skier wins the event. The boat goes down the lake a total of two times, with the skier having a time of 20 seconds to complete as many tricks as possible within the slot provided. Style does not come into play here, if the trick is done correctly, credit is given. Often there is what is called a “toe pass” and a “hand pass,” both vary drastically. The toe pass is where the skier has their foot in the handle, skiing only on one foot, and doing their tricks from this point. The hands pass however is when the skier is able to have both feet locked into their ski, and do their moves from there (TWBC).
Finally, the last event is jump. This is the most adrenaline pumping part of the sport, yet the most dangerous, with fun comes fear. A skier is towed behind the boat on two skis, and is expected to hit a 5-6ft ramp (most commonly known as a brick wall) going as fast as 35 mph. “However while the boat is only going 35 mph, the skier can be going as fast as up to 70-75 mph when hitting the big red wall” (TWBC). Objectively the goal is to obtain the most distance from the ramp as possible and win. Each skier gets 3 jumps per pull, three tries to hurl themselves off the big red wall and land. No landing from the jump results in no score.
So with all of the danger, why do it? Most skiers refer to this event as “the closest thing you can get to flying, to soaring.” On just two water skis you can jump and fly up to 230 ft (world record) in distance from the ramp. This event is all about the pendulum, the swing of the skier has to be at the exact right timing with the boat in order to achieve max speed, form, and distance possible. Everyone here is trying to fly the farthest as humanly possible.
Finally I go to put on my ski’s that the instructor gave me, following the instructions as he said. They look to be made of carbon fiber? I run my fingers across the smooth glassy surface noticing their used character. Even to a novice you can tell these planks have been used before. Going along the edges there are handle dents and scratches, some that look like a fingernail could have harmed, others that rather seem like rock needed to penetrate the thick material. Regardless they’re ski’s, they float on water and a person can ride them, simple. But now what about bindings? What are those shoe-like objects screwed into the hard planks? Harder to put on than my favorite pair of new balances, yet I can slide my foot out? I lace up the elastic strings, jamming my finger in the process, and then proceed to shove my foot into the boots. Ok let’s go through the checklist, lifejacket, gardening gloves (I think sarcastically) my wanna be looking new balances, and of course my ski’s. I am now sitting on the dock, just me, my handle (which is too big in diameter for these gardening gloves) and of course, my skis.
The instructor told me to always put the sticks of wood on with the metal fin off the side of the dock, so I did. However, now as the boat is pulling around I begin to notice that I’m stuck. Stuck backwards on a floating dock, probably with alligators in the lake waiting to eat me, and I can’t move. I’m strapped in. After asking my instructor -who later I would learn his name is Elijah- I figured out that it’s a full plunge in order to escape the situation I have put myself into. So I do what he said, standing up I lept backwards in fear of either hitting my head on the dock or on the skis attached below me, and suddenly I was submerged.
The inclusivity in the sport of waterskiing (when in it) is like no other. Many refer to it as a bubble, either you’re in it, or you’re not. But why? Why is inclusivity so seculsive? Why can some be included but others cannot? Why is it so hard to make it into that bubble? What do you have to do? What are the factors? This is an easy answer: money and where, and who, you come from. The sport is unlike most, you need cash, it’s not like soccer where you can go out and play with two sticks and coconut. Without money, making it in this sport is nearly impossible. Without having connections within the sport from the get go, making it is nearly impossible. And basically, without having everything lined up perfectly, the best conditions, and unbiased coach, it is nearly impossible.
Let’s start with the events listed above, slalom, jump and trick. Slalom takes just one ski, same with trick, and jump requires two ski’s. Planks of wood as some would call them, so in that regard wood cannot be that expensive right? Wood comes from trees, not that hard to get. Wrong. A high end competition slalom ski alone is from $1000-$2500, a trick ski alone is from $500-$700, and two pairs of wooden planks used to hit a big red wall, are a whopping $3950 (D3 Skis). Right there is close to $7000 required to start three event waterskiing. But wait, that’s all you need right, ski’s? Wrong, don’t forget about those gardening gloves, and that chunky handle, and your fancy life jacket.
The items required for slalom skiing are: bindings ($600), a rope ($100), handle ($75), a lifejacket ($200), and of course gloves ($50). This is a total of $3,025 to begin the sport of slalom waterskiing, and this doesn’t include the boat!
Next we talked about the mechanisms in the sport of trick skiing. This event requires little to no money at all, just again one ski right? Incorrect, the following is needed to trick ski: two handles ($200), two ropes ($100), and two bindings ($600). Including the ski, the sport of trick skiing adds up to a total of $1000
Finally we have the most daring event, jump. The required materials needed for the jump event go as follows: a jumpsuit ($700), rope ($130), handle ($100), bindings ($600), sling ($190), helmet ($450), gloves ($50). Add including the jump skis, you are at a total of $6,170. But wait, how much is this big red brick wall that everyone talks and fears so much of? In order to buy a personal jump you will need a total of $40,000. You heard that right, the same as tuition for a day student at mercersburg academy for one year!
Now however most people do not buy their own jumps, and normally join a club that has one. Saying this, the cost of a club membership at a 3 event lake site is $2,350 a year + $15 each time you ski. Here we have the fine and uncommon art of reality in the water ski industry. If you are a club member at a water ski site you have access to the boat, ramp and buoys provided on the lake.
Saying this, if you choose to not become a member, and actually have a life where you would like to work around your own schedule, a boat to pull the skier is needed. Tournament water ski boats are the only thing used at tournaments, and of course only the newest and best on the market are allowed to pull skiers. A tournament waterski boat is $151,957 for a Mastercraft Prostar (Mastercraft Boat Co). So yes if you have the money, own two businesses, or know people making it in the waterski world, it is as easy as it can be!
During an interview with famous water skier, Corey Vaughn, an insightful fact was taken when asked about the pricing of the sport and popularity. According to Vaugn “as a kid I was able to play a bunch of different sports, but of those sports, it soon became clear as time went on that waterskiing is the more expensive one.” He also said things and gave insight into the intricate dynamics like “everytime you go you need to pay gas, have a boat, which is not as cheap as needing a soccer ball and some grass.” Corey Is now a professional water skier, currently ranked 8th in the world out of small town, Bumpass, VA. Growing up in a financially strong and “well off” family Vaughn says that it was his family who introduced him to the sport, doing it for fun on the lake with his grandfather’s boat.
Now let’s observe this aspect of what if? What if the sport of waterskiing was more affordable, would It become more popularized, and would more talent be in the pool of people involved? When interviewing this question got mixed results, with some saying definitely and others believing that the world record of 3@ 43 off could not change. According to a junior skier out of Virginia “if equipment was cheaper then I definitely think there would be more talent, because there are just so many athletes out there with so much ability who simply don’t know about the sport, or if they do, they just can’t do it due to cost.” However, pro skier Corey Vaughn answered this question a bit differently. “If you double the number of people trying it then presumably the people out there who are gifted with a strong work ethic would truly be willing to climb the ladder. However, I simply cannot imagine someone being better than what is out there.” This would be a nice reality, and an interesting experiment to see what could happen to the sport if everyone, rich or poor, had a shot at it.
I had just gotten out of the water from my set, and WOW, simply WOW! Never had I ever felt that way before, the adrenaline rush was like no other. Full of excitement I jumped up onto the dock, ski’s still in the water with no care in the world for whether they floated away or not. In fact, I almost broke the place where each skier exited the water as I myself climbed up. The screws holding in the rickety wood on the dock came loose from me jumping up with so much excitement. I almost felt high, the adrenaline was pumping through my veins, I didn’t know what to do with myself, I didn’t even know if I could hold a full conversation with someone without screaming or jumping up and down.
Anyhow, once I calmed down and my knees stopped shaking, I approached my mom who was sitting on a white wooden bench up against the dock. She looked happy, content, but nowhere as excited as I was, her smile was big, but I can assure you that mine was three times its size.
She subtly asked “so how was it?”
“How was it?” I responded in shock and excitement “how was it?” I repeated once again.
“Amazing, mom I can’t even describe the feeling, it’s simply impossible”
“I’m glad” she responded, that was it, all that I got from her was a simple, “i’m glad.” Whatever she will more than likely never feel how I do now.
Walking around I saw those same kids I ran into earlier again, only difference now was that my adrenaline was speaking, not me, god knows what I could say in this state. What could be pushed out of my mouth simply through the joy running through my body, I can’t tell. Well something definitely did come out, a nice and simple “hey”.“Hey?!” what was I thinking? These were the cool kids, they were so good at skiing, had all the new technology, I wanted to be them. The first kid in the group had long blonde curly hair (which for my standard seemed too long to be a male’s hair cut), blue eyes and a corded necklace with a metal water ski on it. He was the one who approached and answered me to begin with.
“What’s up dude, saw you skiing out there, sweet stuff” said the nonchalant 6 foot tall ponytail rocking blonde white male.
“Really good” I responded, “I’ve never done anything like it, like I felt like I was floating on water, I can’t even describe it I-.” I realized then that I was rambling and embarrassing myself in the process.
The boy responded in a chuckle, with the rest of the 5 kids standing around him almost in shock to the rambling that just splitted out of my mouth,
“Good stuff kid, that sums up our sport pretty well” was all that excited his mouth, and afterwards, he proceeded to walk away with the rest of his clan.
I was humiliated, but why? They weren’t mean, and I didnt say anything offensive, I just felt out of their loop, out of their world. I’m the same age as these kids, but why cant I hang with them or talk in the same lingo they do. Listening to them speak sounds almost like a foreign language, overhearing things like “cut the line” “go later” “you were too heal heavy” “I need a pinner” or even something as wild as “you didn’t kick hard enough.” What does any of this mean? How does kicking have anything to do with skiing, and what the hell is a pinner?
It wasn’t that these kids didn’t want me to not understand them, it was just the simple facts. They weren’t trying to disinclude me or even be mean, it was just how it was. It was a bubble that I couldn’t break through, and a bubble that they didn’t have the energy to pop or open up.
Like any other small sport there is a small amount of people involved in it. With that, everyone knows everyone, and if you are at a certain level, you end up seeing the same people, at the same tournaments. This creates the well talked over “bubble.” Also, unlike most sports, the sport of waterskiing is a family sport, where instead of having your mother drive a sibling to a soccer game in Philly, while your father drives you to Ohio, skiing is an entire family event that takes all weekend. At tournaments, everyone can ski, mom, dad, brother, sister, you name it. Camping occurs, and at the end of each night there is often a big cookout, songs around the campfire, and some night swimming that goes down. Sounds fun, no? So why can’t everyone just jump right into it? Why can’t newbies also enjoy this community? It’s not due to the fact that the ski world is an intentionally non-inclusive community, in fact they want the sport to grow. Skiers live, work, sleep, eat, and breathe together all summer long, whether during training or simply hanging out, everyone is always together. Even pro skier Vaughn says “It does feel like a family, people look out for one other, people are friendly towards one another and it keeps us coming back.” If the sport was more popularized, many believe that the bubble could be easily pierced, as in basketball, where you can go play pick up with no fear, knowing there will be others to talk to. However in waterskiing, to break into that, you have to put yourself out there. There’s no invitations being sent out, it’s not easy to know about. This is partly because the sport doesn’t have a big public platform or strong organizational grassroots efforts that create a pipeline into the sport. A pipeline where you can dip your toe in and decide if you like the sport and want to pursue it further. Waterskiing has to be sought out and, and then, if you do find it, you have to show up. You may be towards the bottom of the talent pool, and from there you have to decide if you want to put in the time and effort to climb the ski ladder.
Another aspect for why the sport is not booming quite as much is its popularity. During the 1980’s and 90’s, the sport of waterskiing was televised on national TV and ESPN. Then, people actually knew what the sport was, and there was a bit of money that went into it as well. Pro skier Jimmy Seamers, who skied the pro tour at the time, says “I would win a car a torment, I was treated like a real pro athlete, and didn’t have to have a side hustle simply to compete at a pro level in the sport I love.” This is a big issue in the waterski community at the moment. Being a pro water skier means earning small cash prizes, and having flights and equipment covered by sponsors, and that is it. This is due to the decreased popularity of the sport from lack of mainstream media coverage. Vaugn has an idea on how to resolve this issue, “we need to connect the streaming platforms while using the already broadcasting water ski network (TWBC). They already have high streaming quality, so it’s only a matter of getting it on the platforms themselves.” The idea here would be that once it is televised to the public, many issues can be solved. First off, the sport will be cheaper for pros, as they will be paid more, and treated fairly once again. Secondly, more people will see the sport and learn about it, connecting the two worlds, new skiers won’t feel so new, as they will already know something about it from TV.
Insight from a young water skier on the USA national junior team on this “bubble” says “when you’re in it it’s amazing, they’re my second family, the people I can depend on with my life, yet me being a newbie and not from one of the generational ski families, I know what you mean, the amount of work and effort I put in to get here was immense and not all can do that. It is diverting participants away from the sport.” It’s the work effort that steers people away, and the fact that you have to put yourself out there. Even trying to qualify for tournaments, you have to know someone to walk you through it, you cannot just simply look it up. A simple fact is that you won’t make it in the waterski world without connections, and these connections are inside the thick layered bubble.
One part of my story that I forgot to mention is that unlike the other kids, I spent so much time pining over, I was not a blonde haired blue eyed baby. I am part African American, part Puerto Rican, I’m a mixed 15 year old boy. Nothing is wrong with that, or so I feel like there is nothing wrong with that. Yet going down south to ski, I felt like there was. The ski camp that I was at was in Alabama, a small fact I forgot to mention. The kids surrounding me didn’t look like they were from Alabama, they had more of a west coast surfer feel to them, yet if you listened closely they still had that southern twang at the end of their voice, secretly slipping in a “y’all” here and there.
It wasn’t that these kids or adults were racist towards me, or in any way disrespectful towards my race or appearance, but it was almost like they were in shock. Like they have never seen a mixed child before. Why? Don’t we live in America? I know that I’m a little down south, but seriously, I’m not that special? After a day of being at the ski sight, I began to figure it out, I started to understand. I was in fact the only colored person at the ski lake, everyone else was either white or European, there were some people from South America, yet no African Americans. I was the only one, and I’m going to guess one of the only ones that they have had come to ski school. It’s not that I felt dismayed, but rather out of the loop, like I didn’t fit in with the culture, or even the language of which they conversed.
Another aspect of this community that many don’t think about is the diversity range. Waterskiing is a sport that needs warmth, and so geographically it mostly takes place in the Southern Hemisphere. With location comes culture, southern culture being one of them. The waterski world is by no means racist, however, the lack in racial diversity has a range of causes. First being the cost, and publicity. People know about the sport by word of mouth, since it cannot be televised. The grapevine chain being used to spread this word is often over golf, with rich white men, who when they aren’t white, are high ranking South American government officials. A professional water skier out of Florida says “yea, I mean it’s pretty clear to see when you look across the landscape of waterskiing is a very homogenous sport, it’s primarily white folks who are upper middle class or upper class who are doing it, and I think that’s unfortunate.” This is a large issue in our sport once again going back to the common topics of stereotypical bubbles, money in the sport, and talent pool. What could happen with a wider range of diversity? How can this problem be resolved? How can we burst the separation?
On the drive home I did some reflection on my takeaway from the experience. I expressed all of my troubles in the writing, as well as the aspects that I felt were odd about this world I had just entered. However, I failed to mention all of the positives that came from my experience. Every time I thought about my trip, my mind sped to one simple thing, the feeling of walking on water. This was something that I just couldn’t bring myself to get over, the adrenaline, the shredding, the cutting, everything about it was simply the best feeling of my life. I’ve never ever felt anything like it, it was in a sense, a natural high.
I understand why these kids are so tight knit, I now see why they all talk in the language they speak, and I think I have come to understand why they waste so much time, money and effort on something as stupid as two planks and a boat. It’s the feeling they get from it. I’ve made an executive decision to keep my gardening gloves, and use them in the future for more than just gardening!
So why do water skiers do it? This journalism project has just covered all of the bad sides of a close knit society, and how when integrated into a sport, what can happen to it. One topic that has not been covered is the good things. The thing that draws everyone back is the feeling, atmosphere, friendships, and overall family that comes from waterskiing. This essay was all about what it is like to be outside this bubble, on trying to get in, and how to burst it. However, no light was shed on what it feels like once it finally does burst. Vaugn describes it as a sense of nostalgia, “most of my best friendships have come through waterskiing and remain through waterskiing, so I’ve become so in meshed in the culture of the sport and the community of the sport, that when I look around me, all the people that I love are also in it.” This simply goes to show that the close knit culture is a family, it’s a close family of people sharing a common passion, a common passion where people are willing to give up everything to do it. Money, travel, time, even their real family, just for this community. Some skiers don’t want it to get bigger for this reason, in fear of losing their family by expanding. Yet, most think it can only lead to positives. Everyone wants to have the feeling of “shredding waves of water so when you look down it’s a rainbow,” everyone wants to have the feeling of “soaring through the air with complete and total control,” everyone wants to “get the natural high of waterskiing.”
Rich, poor, white, black, hispanic, blind, disabled, city, country, tall, short, everyone should get an equal shot at this opportunity, everyone should be able to burst the bubble and walk on water.
Works Cited
D3 Ski’s. USA web forum, “Slalom Ski Prices.” Accessed April 18, 2024. https://www.d3skis.com/.
Finlayson, Trent. Personal Interview by the author. Melbourne, Australia. March 6, 2024.
Kackprowitz, Gage. Personal Interview by the author. Palm Beach, FL. February 12, 2024.
Mastercraft Boating Co. Mastercraft Boating Co. to Mastercraft web forum, “Mastercraft Boat Prices.” Accessed April 18, 2024. https://www.mastercraft.com/.
Quimper, Aj. Personal Interview by the author. Bumpass, VA. May 29, 2024.
Seamers, Jimmy. Personal Interview by the author. Balm Peach, FL. February 28, 2024.
The Unknown Sport of Waterskiing. Directed by Tony Lightfoot. TWBC, 2023.
Vaugn, Corey. Personal Interview by the author. Bumpass, VA. March 29, 2024.