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Lauderdale Lakes BREEZE Summer 2019 • Second Edition
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SUBMITTED PHOTO Lauderdale Lakes Breeze
The Southern Wakes United Water Ski Show Team is ready to put on the skis and take to the water for the 2019 season. The team is a merger of the Lauderdale Aqua Skiers and Minneiska Water Ski Team from Whitewater.
Making waves
Combined ski team now into its second year By Tracy Ouellllette STAFF WRITER
he Southern Wakes United Water Ski Show Team is a merger of the Lauderdale Aqua Skiers and the Whitewater Lake Sports Club (Minneiska Water Ski Team). The non-profit water skiing organization works to give the young and young-at-heart an opportunity to work together to build confidence in their abilities, learn new skills and promote leadership development, water safety education and sportsmanship. The two ski teams merged in 2018, forming the only water ski show team in Walworth County. “The teams were combined for a number of reasons, one being that both teams were suffering in membership, and merging them was the best way to combat that issue. We are two very similar teams that are situated quite close in proximity. It just made sense,” Southern Wakes board secretary Julie Abramson said. Board Vice-President Leslie Gostomski added that the gap between the “big” teams and the rest seems to be steadily growing. “At the size we each were, and with the limited resources and volunteer manpower we each had, we just couldn’t even come close to competing with the larger teams,” Gostomski said.
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The Southern Wakes team is in Division III, and Gostomski said they would like to make a splash in Division II and possibly make it to Division I someday. “Things aren’t like they were when Julie and I were newer to the clubs back in the 80s. In the summer, ski club was all we did and all we cared about. Now, sports are year round, and kids aren’t able to commit to the team like they once were, and parents are over scheduled as well,” Gostomski said.
DIVING IN With many of the kinks of combining the two teams worked out in its inaugural season last year, organizers say the new team is building on its strengths. “Last year was our ‘dating’ year, and actually it worked out very well,” Abramson said. “There is always a learning curve in how things are done one way vs. another, but overall, it worked and was a really good fit. The combination of our skiers, drivers, family and leaders is only making us stronger.” Gostomski added that mergers were sometimes tricky and all the team members had to make adjustments. “To a certain extent we were tiptoeing around each other’s feelings, but all things considered, we really have very similar clubs which makes the “our way” and “their way” minimal, and truly
everyone was very open-minded and honest through the whole thing. We are very lucky, and now I can’t imagine it any other way,” Gostomski said. Southern Wakes will be performing shows at all of the previous teams’ locations – Scenic Ridge Campground on Whitewater Lake, Lauderdale Landing on Lauderdale Lakes, Elkhorn Lake in Babe Mann Park and Cravath Lake in the City of Whitewater, throughout the season. See the related schedule on the next page. The team is also actively seeking to build its ranks. “We are the one and only Water Ski Show Team in Walworth County and we are always looking for and encourage new members,” Abramson said.
NEW THIS YEAR While the teams technically merged last year, this year it’s official, Abramson said. “New team, new name, new logo and great sponsors,” she said. Gostomski said they were starting with a “clean slate” in 2019 and focusing on playing to the team’s strengths. She added the team has been looking at its equipment and will have a new 2019 Nautique inboard coming, sponsored, in part by The Boat House of Lauderdale Lakes. “And we have updated and cleaned up most of our other boats,”
Gostomski said. “We were able to purchase some costumes from another team to accommodate our larger numbers. Our 2019 magazine will hit the stands Memorial Day weekend, and it is by far the biggest either club has ever had – 68 pages.”
A BIT OF HISTORY According to the Southern Wakes website, the Lauderdale Lakes Aqua Skiers began in the 1950s when a group of young people who loved to ski decided they wanted to perform for their friends and neighbors. Using their own boats and fuel, they performed a single, annual show in conjunction with the Lauderdale Regatta Day in front of the Sterlingworth Motor Hotel. Their only rewards were the appreciation of their audience and a complimentary dinner at the Sterlingworth after the show. With the advent of ski boats came new power and performance. LAS bought its own boat and began competing in the State Show Ski Tournament in the 1980s. In 1988, LAS took first place in the Wisconsin State Individual Barefoot Competition. Also that year team member Nancy Lynd O’Hara won the coveted Willa McGuire Cook Award for Best Female Performance Overall at the National Tournament. In 1990 the team won first place in Division II at the Wisconsin State
Show Tournament, claiming first place in dock equipment and safety, tow boat driving, announcing and overall show. In 1997, LAS hosted a “fun class” individual events competition where more than 150 novice skiers enjoyed the opportunity to compete in slalom, kneeboard and wakeboard. At the Wisconsin State Tournament that year, sisters Heather and Brooke Huelskamp were awarded the “Most Unique Act” for their slalom strap doubles See WAVES • Page 2
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