WW: How come all the women riders are so young or why are so few women riders closer to your age?
EZ: I think probably because it takes a lot of work and the rewards may not be worth all of that. It's not easy to just say, "Hey, I'm gonna be a pro wakeboarder and I'm gonna get really good at this," without somebody's help. A lot of the girls on the tour live at home, their parents have boats, they live on lakes, do home school so that they can have time to train during the day. It's not so easy when your 26 years old and you have to not only take care of yourself, but also manage getting out and riding and progressing and then getting to tournaments. It's not so easy when it's just you.

Not to say that because they have it easier, that's why they're doing so good. They are just rippin'. Plus being younger, you're obviously a little bit more flexible, a little more agile, able to take the bumps, bruises and come back from them. But I've definitely tried not to let that hold me back. I started wakeboarding when I was 22. I had never done any kind of watersports at all, but I fell in love with it and mainly it's just determination and drive that have gotten me to where I am at now. I love the sport and I want to do whatever I can to be a part of it, so I've made it happen for myself.

WW: How did you get into the sport?
EZ: I was hanging out at the lake on the shore, drinking with some friends. There was this girl that came by on a jet ski with an old Wake Tech Flight 69 with sandal bindings offering people pulls. So I said, "Hey yeah, I'll give that a try." The first time I got on that board, stood up on it and crossed the wake, I was hooked. That was it. It was all over.

Soon after that, me and some friends started riding behind...well, the guy who I was dating at that time had a Bass Tracker, a seventeen foot aluminum fishing boat with a 50 horsepower engine. We tied a rope onto the back of that thing and rode that whole first summer. Then the next summer I met some people in Austin, like Greg Lawrence, who completely helped me out and got me on my way.

WW: What riders out there do you admire and look up to?
EZ: Let's see…gosh there's so many of them for different reasons. I'd have to say if there's one ability that I wish I could have, it would be Colin Wright's ability to spin. Just this year I've started to get better at spinning and I recognize how very difficult it is and how very stylish it is. I'm really impressed by his ability to just spin like a mad man. Parks, because he goes big and is completely fearless, just insane and does things out there on the wakeboard that no matter how many times you see it, your jaw drops wide open. Shaun Murray because he has the most incredible attitude. He always seems to be signing autographs and talking to the kids and just seems like an all around great guy and role model for the sport.

WW: What do you see yourself doing when you're done wakeboarding?
EZ: I hope to never be done wakeboarding. I hope I'm like Banana George Blair, a sixty year old woman out there rippin' it up, but I don't know. As far as once I'm done trying my hand at the tournaments, I'd definitely like to stay in the industry, maybe doing something with the media. I think that wakeboarding is growing so much that even though right now I live in Texas and that isn't the hot spot for the industry, I think Austin is gonna get some more exposure and it will be a bit more prominent in the wakeboarding scene. So it would be killer if I could stay in Austin and maybe be part of a school or wakeboard company or somehow promoting the sport, and still riding of course.

WW: Where do you see the sport going?
EZ: With the new tour format with the sliders and kickers and all that, I think more and more people are going to get into the construction of their own apparatuses. I think we will see a lot more regular Joes, not just the people on the pro tour, going out there, building these things and going off on them. I think that is really exciting. Besides that, it's so hard to tell. There's so many new things coming up. They seem to just come out of nowhere, so I don't really know, but I'm excited to see it and be part of it.

WW: Who are your sponsors?
EZ: This summer will be the beginning of my third year riding quality O'Brien products. I'll also be seen sporting killer Y2Kp Boardgear as well as a stylish, yet ultra-functional O'Neill vest, and on my board some sturdy red binding Lokz.

WW: Anyone else you want to thank?
EZ: I must thank my mom for being the best in the world. My sister, for her support and even interest in my wakeboarding, like remembering the names of some of my tricks. This is a major feat. I mean, she's not really anti sports, but...well, yeah she is. Also, thanks to Shellie and Tommy, Greg, Hunter and Cali, Trish and Brooks, "Scuba Scott" Williams, Todd and Kera, Benji, Mei Lin, Reid and Lance, Kellie, Todd, Carol and Rob at O'Brien, Ed at Y2Kp, Planet X, Pat and Paul. Each of you helped me to enjoy the best year, and I thank you!!

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