Wakeboard/Waterski Club Callout Meeting
Date: Thursday, Aug. 25
Time: 8 p.m.
Where: Schwartz Digital Complex, Bracken Library
Wakeboarding and waterskiing don’t just have to be summer vacation sports. Ball State’s waterski and wakeboard club gives students a chance to experience these sports during the school year as well.
Rachel McDaniel, a sophomore computer science major, is the club’s president. She joined her freshman year with no knowledge of how to wakeboard.
“I had never done it before, but I always wanted to try it,” McDaniel said.
The club practices twice a week at Prairie Creek Reservoir. Coach Chris Walker owns and boat and takes members out to practice.
Competition season is during September, and the club travels to Ohio and Illinois for competitions. Members compete each weekend, and there is also a regional competition. Nationals are in the spring.
Schools from around the Midwest compete, including Ohio State, Indiana University, Purdue University and Michigan State. Scoring is based on each rider’s tricks.
“They’re measured on difficulty,” said Travis Schlabach, a sophomore business management major and the club’s treasurer. “You just do your own thing and see how it measures up to everyone else.”
There are four groups of riders, in groups A-D. “A” riders are more advanced, while “D” riders are usually beginners.
Schlabach, who grew up on a lake, competes in the “A” group. He competes in both waterskiing and wakeboarding.
McDaniel joined the club a little late into her freshman year, and was unable to compete. When she does, she will compete in wakeboarding.
“They said competitions were every week in September, and I realized I already had plans every weekend,” she said. “I’m really excited to go to competitions this year, though.”
Although Ball State hasn’t won any competitions yet, Schlabach is optimistic for the future.
“Ball State was 15 points away from nationals last year,” he said. “I think our future’s pretty bright.”
The competition season ends in September, but the club still meets in October to practice, depending on the weather. Normally, the water is too cold in the spring to practice, but members still have get-togethers for fun.
There are only about 15 members, and the club is always looking for new ones. New members do not have to provide their own boards, skis or life jackets.
“It’s fun,” Schlabach said. “It’s why anybody does it. If you don’t like the lake, come anyways. You’ll learn to like it.”
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