WakeWorld - Who remembers WAKEtv?

Who can remember back to 1999? The world of wakeboarding was just about to blow up, but nobody was out there shooting video magazines yet. WAKEtv hit the scene and made heros out of extraordinary riders like Andrew Adkison. I remember shooting a young rider formerly known as Froggy when he was only 9 years old and was still working on his mobes. I was shooting for WAKEtv Issue #1. Today, Phil Soven is all grown up and he's made his mark on this sport. I'm proud of every rider who made the cut and got some exposure on WAKEtv. I remember all of the festivals that suddenly came out of nowhere, all of them trying to be as cool as the very first LSF. WAKEtv was the only thing we had back then. Can you remember? I can. I remember Corey Kraut and Mark Kenney and Shawn Akers. I remember each day we invented a new trick and the development of wake-specific boats. I remember the Wakelist, all the love and the community that developed around the sport. We've come a long way, haven't we. Today, we have videos galore, new boats and boards that put the old Baby Blue Byerly to shame. Yeah, I remember the day that Mike Weddington won Worlds, do you? Wakeboarding has come a long way, but we still have so much to discover. Who knew there was a Whirly Dick hidden inside a little kid named Phil? I did. I knew it all along. From 1999-2004, my life was dedicated to promoting the sport of wakeboarding, all the riders, all the events and all the fun. It was great and I wouldn't change a minute of it. And it excites me to see that all is still alive and well, years after the fact. WAKEtv ruled in it's day. It was the dedication to the riders that put WAKEtv in a league of it's own. Yeah I remember all of that and much, much more. Peace to all who ride. Steve DiGiacomo (Formerly known as Jocko from WAKEtv)