An Introduction to Disabled Water Skiing

My first experience with disabled waterskiing was in 2009, when I found out that Carolina's Rehabilitation's Adaptive Sports and Adventures Program provided the opportunity once a week during the summer at the Lake Norman YMCA. I started learning with outriggers, which are two short ski tips attached to the sides of a sit ski to help stabilize the skier. The first time I got up on top of the water, I only lasted about 10 seconds before I fell over. I was so nervous, that I decided that I was finished and swam back to shore instead of trying again. Thanks to some coaching and motivation from my then mentor (now best friend) I gave it another shot.

When my nerves finally dissipated, I was hooked! I could hardly wait each week to get out there. Once I learned the basic skills to ski on my own with the outriggers off, my friend started taking me out on his boat. As a certified ski instructor, he spent countless hours guiding me to be a skier capable of competing for the US World Team at Nationals. After a year worth of training including a week with two World-Class Instructors in Brandon, Mississippi, that's exactly what I did. In 2010, we headed to Danville, Indiana where Nationals were being held and set out to make the team.

Training with Unlimited Skiing in Brandon, Mississippi 

I didn't end up making the team, but I did take home Silver in the Trick category and won the prestigious Royce Andes Award for the most promising skier of the year.

Receiving that award meant more to me than placing First. It was affirmation to me that I could set out to be anyone I wanted. Nothing could keep me down. In 2011, my friend/mentor and I were driving to a Handcycle race in Florida, and were lucky enough to contact the owners of the AWSEF  (American Water Ski Educational Foundation) Water Ski Hall of Fame/ Museum who opened just for us to come in and take a look around on our way. We learned some amazing things about the history of disabled water skiing, and even got a chance to see our names in the Hall of Fame on the award! That was so empowering to see in person. We learned so much on the history of the sport! In fact, the first World Trophy for disabled skiing took place outside London in 1987! You can read more about the history here. It was inspiring reading about how it all started. We spent a good time there just soaking up the information and learning more about what we were so passionate about. The couple that owned the museum were so accommodating and put a lot of time, money, and love into designing it. We really couldn't thank them enough. 

This August I will be trying again to make the US World Team in Elk Grove, California. If I make it, I will be competing at the World Championships in Milan, Italy in 2013. Keep your fingers crossed for me!! 

Want to know how you or someone you know can get involved? Contact me and check out this brochure!

All photographs taken by Shannon Bruce Photography.