Wakeboarding

My life changed when I was introduced to my passion of wakeboarding seven years ago with the help of one of my cousins. I remember it was a very hot, sunny day in August down on the Columbia River near Chelan. When I first started growing up I was very sketchy about the Columbia River since it was very cold and for some reason I was always intimidated to be around that river. At the time, I was very nervous about trying this new experience. With the help of my cousin on the beach I was able to be up riding a wakeboard within minutes. I remember people watching me on the beach and cheering for me when I finally got up on the wakeboard.

After that day I was no longer intimidated by the Columbia River. I think I spent enough time in the water that day that I was finally comfortable with being in the river. Ever since that day, wakeboarding is one of my favorite ways to utilize my free time. I usually spend most of my days off in the summer, out with my buddies on the boat wakeboarding.

I got involved in many wakeboarding camps during the summertime when I was a kid. The goal was to improve my skills and succeed, so I decided that I would take some lessons. The lessons were given out on a private ski lake in Toldeo, WA, near Olympia. I loved taking lessons out there because I got to ride behind some of the nicest boats around. The boats they had out at the lake threw up huge wakes that launched me into the air like I never had experienced before.

The lessons I took at Active Water Sports were an awesome experience for me. I remember taking my lessons in February when it was only 40 degrees outside! As soon as I got done with one of my sets, I would come inside the little shack that sat by the dock and would blast the propane heater so I could get some feelings back into my fingers! I really learned many skills to help me be more successful and progress in wakeboarding. The camps put on by Active Water Sports offered during the summer were