Water Ski team begins season on a high note

While the sun was out Saturday morning, the water glistened as the GCSU water ski team began their season as the GCSU Spring Freeze.

The wind and the rain were only temporary for the team’s opening tournament at Culpepper’s Lake.

Nick Marks, a junior mass communication major and vice president of the water ski team, said he was pleased with the weather’s transition to a sunny day.

“It was windy and cool in the morning, making the water colder than I would have liked,” said Marks. “But when the sun came out a little bit after lunch the skiing conditions were phenomenal.”

The tournament consisted of eight teams. Auburn University, Clemson University, GCSU, Georgia Southern University, University of North Carolina- Charlotte, University of Georgia, University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee competed in the GCSU Spring Freeze on Culpepper’s Lake. The Bobcat Skiers finished in 3rd behind UT and Auburn after the boats were retrieved, the skiers retreated and the excitement subsided.

Each tournament is composed of three events: slalom, trick and jump. After the first two events the Bobcats found themselves in 4th place, but after a 1st place finish in the jump competition, wound up in 3rd place overall.

“The first event is always the most difficult event of the season because we are rusty after the winter break, and not having been in competition since the end of the fall season,” said Marks. “I think we worked out all the kinks. Everyone performed very well for it being the first tournament of the year.”

The next tournament for the Bobcats calls for them to travel to Auburn, Ala. for the War Eagle Spring Tournament on Aug. 8 and 9.

Erin O’ Neil, a junior marketing major and president of the team, reconstructed the team in August of 2003. She felt the GCSU Spring Freeze shaped up well, but was more dynamic than simple water skiing.

“These tournaments are a lot of fun,” said O’ Neil. “The tournaments are a great way to meet new people from different schools and hang out with old friends. I go to the same tournaments every summer and all of my competitors are like my second family. The teammates, friends and experience are what make skiing so much fun.”

As the president of the Water Ski team, O’ Neil has led the Bobcats to two 2nd place finishes the past two semesters in the South-Atlantic Conference.

“Our most proud accomplishment since our reconstruction in 2003 was qualifying for the 2005 National Collegiate Water Ski Association National Tournament,” said O’ Neil. “Only the top 20 schools in the entire nation qualify for this tournament, and we are one of the only schools to qualify after only two years of becoming active.”

The team is becoming famous as the success continues, said Marks.

“The GCSU water ski team is gaining recognition and popularity,” said Marks. “The teams are getting bigger, the competition is getting better and we even have our own Facebook group with 71 members.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 7 2006. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry