Date: 10/31/02
Author: Chris Witham

The extension of my legs ends in a flat piece of fiberglassed foam. It cuts through the top of the water systematically. Working along, pushing away each molecule of water one at a time, each in its turn. It cuts hard right and barrels, sighted in on the outcropping of water, crosses fiercely up the mound. Droplets fly in the air responding to the systematic effect of the board. Reaching down, my hand grasps the front of the board, clamps on, then releases. The extension is brought around to land on the second outcropping, separating more of the water. I ride away smooth, ready for the next.

What just happened there? We all know because we are wakeboarders, everyone reading this alike. I didn't explain anything spectacular. Does it matter? No, it doesn't, because it feels good. Just say it everyone. Wakeboarding feels good. That's why we do it, right? At least that's why I do it. Wakeboarding should be fun. Otherwise, find a way to make it fun or get out. Wakeboarding is a true sport and, at the core of this sport, there are a few simple principles that everyone should live by.

Wakeboarding should not be divvied up in some huge ladder of who's better than whom or who can do what trick. It doesn't matter how good you are, what "phat setup" you have or how many hot chicks you're "pimpin" on your boat. These are extras to the great sport of wakeboarding, not something to be worn like a medal. If you have to brag about something, brag about how much you like wakeboarding.

When wakeboarding is put under this bragging rights rule, it brings down on the sport. It takes away one of the major differences between wakeboarding and other sports, such as football or baseball. With those sports, all you can come down to is, "Well he has more rushing yards or more home runs than the next guy." I've never heard a fan of these sports lead a successful argument with, "He can catch the ball more stylishly" or "Look how much fun he's having while he is hitting those home runs." It's because our sport is more fun. That's how we can get away with these things. So go out and have fun. Don't brag about needless things in wakeboarding.

Progression is another major part of our sport, not only personally but also for the sport as a whole. Personal progression is just like it sounds, personal. As I mentioned earlier, it is not something to be thrown around. It is the best feeling in the world to stick a new trick, and you can celebrate the success within yourself for accomplishing this goal, and celebrate with friends in the boat. But don't try to compare yourself to others. I know it is hard, but this is where this hierarchy is set up and is detrimental to the entire sport's progression. Progression of the sport can be attained quicker when we are all out there having fun instead of being out there in cut-throat competition trying to outdo each other just for the sake of being better than the next guy. Be better for yourself.

Earlier, you probably saw me mention "our" sport. I meant exactly that. Wakeboarding is a true sport supported by all the riders. We all work together to keep the sport running and moving forward. Therefore, it is all of ours. We all made a contribution to its excellence. Some people seem to have a problem with the other half, the "sport" part. Wakeboarding is a sport, the best one out there in fact. It doesn't need to be defined by inferior sports such as skateboarding or snowboarding. I'm not saying that people shouldn't do two of them, or all three. It doesn't matter. Too many people think that our tricks are defined too much by earlier sports for ours to have its own identity. This is all bull honkey. I hear too many people thinking that we have to fall into this role of the "extreme sports fan," especially large corporations trying to swoop on our money with lame "Xtreme" gimmicky crap. But that's another essay much longer than this one, which is already way too long.

Don't get too partial to wakeboarding political parties. These, as American founding fathers said, can "divide the nation." East side, west side, it doesn't matter. We all wakeboard and hopefully we all enjoy doing it. Just have a style, one all your own. If that means doing all tweaked grabbed airs, that's fine. If that means doing all inverts, that's fine too. Just have a style and don't make fun or look down upon others if they're style is different.

So anyway, love your sport. Love it hard, to the death even. We can all be ambassadors to wakeboarding and no one can define where we can take this great sport together. We will not be required to live under anyone else's restrictions. It'll be just like moving out of your parents' house...and wasn't that worth it?

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