IU Water Ski club makes waves at Lake Lemon

Just because Indiana is stuck in the heartland of America doesn't mean IU students can't have fun on the water. The IU Water Ski Club has about 20 active members and visits nearby Lake Lemon to water ski, wakeboard and meet new people.\nMembers participate in tournaments all over Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio throughout the fall, with a few tournaments in the spring. Events include slalom, jump and trick. Recently, officials have added wakeboarding to the trick event.\nIn the slalom event, skiers must maneuver around a zig-zag course while boat speed is increased and rope length is shortened. Trick events require participants to perform routines involving tricks with a set assigned point value. In the jump event, distance is the goal after clearing a five or six foot high ramp.\nThough the club is a member of the National Collegiate Water Ski Association and the Midwest Collegiate Water Ski Association and they attend several tournaments, this is not a competitive group. \nClub secretary Kelly Elbert said the main purpose is "to have a good time, to get water time and to maybe improve while hanging out with people who love the same things you do."\nVice President Robb Robison called tournaments a "weekend of camping on the water."\nFreshman Caleb Zehr happened to see a chalk advertisement on the sidewalk about the club and decided to go to the call-out. He said he was initially skeptical about joining, but after he became a trick water skier, he said this is "probably (my) favorite thing in college."\nWhile on the water, he concentrates on what tricks he should do and thinks "just don't fall and make an idiot out of yourself."\nElbert shares similar sentiments. She is new to the sport, and in the beginning had trouble staying up. After learning how to be more in control, she wanted to try flips, and then she discovered a valuable lesson about the sport.\n"I learned the difference between being fearless and just stupid," she said.\nWater Ski Club members will agree that being on the water is a lot of fun, but Robison assured that safety is top priority.\n"All of the drivers are certified safety officers with certification in CPR," Robison said. "(They are) experienced and more than willing to help people learn new things."\nRobison wants interested students, faculty and staff to look for campus chalking as well as check out Boat on Campus Day coming up in late April. Their boat will be located between the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and IU Art Museum and members will be there to hand out fliers and answer questions to recruit for the upcoming year.\nSponsorship chair Ryan Birge said he wants to encourage others to go to a call-out meeting to see how laid-back the club is. \n"(Students might think) it's too competitive, but there's a lot to offer," Birge said. "It's good to check out."\nHe has helped coordinate deals with companies such as Pro Form and Hyperlite to give substantial discounts for members.\nRobison emphasizes that the club is all about fun, stating "we try to include everyone we can to make others feel welcome."\nFor more information on the IU Water Ski club, visit its Web site at www.indiana.edu/~waterski.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Kacie Foster at kdfoster@indiana.edu.