Teaching kids to wakeboard

Last weekend we got my kids and my buddies kids up with us on our wakeboards (they stood in the middle of the wakeboard while we rode), and they absolutely loved it. We plan on doing this again this week, but my five year old is already asking to "do it himself". We already bought a board for him, but was hoping that someone out there has already taught 3-6 year olds to wakeboard and might have some learning tips. I saw a post mentioning using a tube at first and wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions on making this fun and successful for the 4 kids.

Thank you in advance,

JP

Our cousin Madisen started riding that way. (they stood in the middle of the wakeboard while we rode) She was able to get up alone at age 5. I really don't have many tips, the girl is a natural. I think riding with her parents helped her get the feel of the sport.

I had been doing what you are talking about with my son since he was two, now that he is almost five I bought him his own board (Hyperlite 109)and am in the process of teaching him to get up on his own. He just about has it now and he should ride further than 10' in the near future.

A couple of things I am doing with him that might help.

1. I am in the water with him stabilizing him from the rear.

2. He is so light I am starting him out with the board already turned towards the boat rather than him starting sideways and turning the board himself.

I try to go into a cove where it is semi calm and close to the shore and I shorten the rope to about 50', when he falls he can flip the board over himself and get positioned for the next try.

I taught my son when he was five. We started close to shore and I would just hold the rope and pull him by hand. This really helps them get used to getting up and when they fall they don't have to float out in the middle of the lake waiting for the boat to get back. Once they have getting up mastered then take them out behind the boat. You don't need to go fast or hit it hard, they will pop up almost at idle speeds.

Here is a video of my son the first time he got up behind the boat(age 5):

http://photos.wakeboarder.com/showphoto.php?photo=1632&cat=500&ppuser=100

And this is last year(age 7):

http://photos.wakeboarder.com/showphoto.php?photo=10169&cat=500&ppuser=100

Good luck and have fun,
jjakober

Ive gotten a couple kids up ages 5-7 and I found it easier for them to Initially get up on a larger adult board. Then once they get more comfertable more them down to a board of there size. It also helps to get into the water and kind of stabilize them and cheer them on. Kids get frustrated so easy

One thing is to hardly give it any throttle when pulling them out. It's amazing how little it takes to get them up. I did the stabilization in the water thing too. It is also kind of intimidating for them when they're out there by themselves so being with them helps for the first few times. Of course, when they get up you're left floating there...

There are a couple of things you can try to get the kid up on thier own. First it might be a good idea to try off a beach in the shallows. That way someone can be in the water with them while they try to get up, and you wont have to leave someone in the middle of the water if they do get up and go for a long time.
Second, talk with the kid, make sure they know that when they fall they need to let go of the handle (laugh if you want but I have seen many kids, my sister included back in the day, who continued to hang on to the rope thinking that it will get them out of the water). Let them know you will come back for them, not to panic, etc.
Next, make sure they are comfortable with the board in the water. Mostly that they can flip themselves over if they need to do so. This again can help you from having a kid panic attack in the water.
Ok, now for the juciy stuff. Kids are great to teach because they will not try to muscle anything. This is great for boarding. First, determine which foot will be in back. You do this by having them stand in front of you and you slightly push them. Push them straight just enough so they have to take a step back. Whatever foot they put back to balance themselves is the foot that will be in back. Do this 3 times to ensure that you give them the correct foot. Next, have them sit on the ground and show them how to get up on land. This might seem really dumb and truthfully you are really just making sure they are going to naturally do it right (most kids will naturally get up correctly). Just have them sit on the ground legs in front of them, like you would be in the water, then have them wrap their arms around thier legs, like they are hugging them. Have them grab the handle, then pull them with the handle. You want their butts to touch their ankles then stand up. Just like you would with anyone else. This position is a very strong position and will help the kid get up easily. After they are above the water have them stand on what would be thier back foot, and stand up straight. Make sure you emphasize standing up straight. I like to make the analogy of standing like superman; straight, with chest puffed out.
For the driver, driving kids is a great challange. They are light, VERY light, and just the natural idle of the boat can seem like a huge pull on the kid (thats why you have someone in the water with them, so you can get the rope tight easily.) Put them on a VERY long rope. All 80ft if you have it. I would even go as far as say add lengths if you have any laying around (further back is smoother water in the wake and there will be less churn in the water). When you go to pull them up, pull up slowly and gradually. You will probably only have to go 11 mph if that. When they get up watch them closely as a driver you can help them a bit. If they start to put that handle above their head give a slight bit of gas (VERY LITTLE), if they start to butt check slow down just a bit, but the biggest thing is if they get up and start to shoot off to one side, slow it down enough to ensure they go outside the wake before the white wash is created. This will build thier confidence about being out there later.
Finally, after they get up go ahead and teach them to carve back and forth. You can do this in two ways. One, put him in your legs again and have them practice pushing on thier heels and sitting in a chair, then come back by pulling the rope closer to the hip and standing on your toes. The other way is by giving analogies. First heel side cut looks like how a cartoon character would stop if he were running. Toe side is standing on your toes to give someone a hug (slightly lean forward , on your toes, and pulling something in.) Do not be afraid to teach the kid as much as they will absorb.
Remember, this is all a confidence game. Give them a lot of confidence and they will do it, no problem. If you can avoid a faceplant on the first couple tries then your golden (when and doubt go slower.) If you dont think your kid is ready to go by themselves due to courage, then put them in your legs again, then have them crawl up to your shoulders. Give them confidence of being behind the boat.
If you have any questions, let me know. I useally teach about 6 kids a week about 8 and under.

Oh let it know how it goes!

J Jakober: Thats awsome! You have a quite a boarder there.

(Message edited by annq42 on June 26, 2006)

With my son who is 5, we just held his butt up while in the water so he didn't sink. After a couple of times going 10 ft and not having someone to hold his head above water he figured out how to do it himself. Everything else (turning the board,ect.) he did it on his own.

What I'm saying is we didn't do anything special. Kids will learn very fast if they are determined and can go all day without getting tired.

We did make sure that we had all day for them only, so they could try as much or as long as they wanted.

Wow, thank you all very much.
ANNG42 awesome, I took notes and cant wait to get on the water with the little guys. Will take some pics and post...
JJAKOBER - man your little guy boards great even at 7 YEARS OLD.

Thanks all, will let you know how they do.

JP

My 7 year old daughter just tried for the first time this past weekend. I agree with a lot of what everyone has said already.

To start, I towed her by hand around the beach to get her used to the pull of the rope...with little effort I was able to stand on the shore about 10-15 yards from her, pull gradually on the rope feeding it through my hands, a little faster with each pull until she was "popping" out of the water".

We then hooked up a rope to the PWC, I floated with her in the water to stabilize the board beneath her and to get it going in the right direction. The good thing about the PWC was how much we could control the speed at takeoff...idle to get some tension and then very little throttle was needed to help her pop out of the water. It took about 6 tries before she rode for about 300 yards on her last attempt.

Good luck!!!

If you can keep them smiling and calm, it's all good and they'll figure it out. Here are a couple things that have worked well for me when teaching small kids: first make sure they can turn over in the water with the board on.

We use a knee board with an aqua hook. I get in the water with a rope about 1 foot shorter than the rider. I'm on my belly (big) on the kneed board with the rope attached to the aqua hook. I hold the knee board with one hand and with the other I hold the back of the riders board and get the front pointed up and out of the water. I agree with the previous post that it is easier to come out of the water that way as opposed to coming out sideways and then turning. When we start I hold the back of the board steady until it gets up out of the water. When I let go I just lean away from the rider and cruise along side and give direction. When they crash, I unhook the handle and I'm floating with them. It's like holding on to the back of a bike seat and running along side with kid learning to ride a two wheeler.

I've found being in the water eliminates the panic and I can easily help them get positioned and help with the "rope management". It's so cool when they get up and I'm riding along side of them cheering them on.

We've had excellent success doing this. I think 4 years old was the youngest and last weekend I got in the water and did this with a 12 year old first timer. Over last few years I've got about a dozen kids up doing this, and I can't recall it ever not working.

Good luck and if you keep them smiling, they'll be coming back for more......

I didn't read every word of the thread, but I didn't see it mentioned to shorten the rope. This helps in a couple of ways. One is that the rope doesn't get slack in it as easily. It also gets them closer to the boat so that you can talk to them. My son was five last year when he started wakeboarding and the shorter rope definitely made it easier for him.

Jman

I've taught a pile of kids to board, and the universally most successful method was to start them sitting on a tube, board in the water, hands on the rope. I sit on the back of the tube to keep the front lip up and to offer advice and encouragement. Start the boat out at just above an idle, and when the kid feels right about it, he stands up. Since he isn't 'in' the water, there is a lot less effort to stand. This has worked with many kids.

My kid got up 2 days after his 5th birthday using a deep water start, he popped up and cruised on his third attempt. He's a natural.

At eight he started wakeskating. He's nine and it is time for some real lessons. (sigh!)

We're trying to get my 7 year old to give it a shot. He got up twice last fall but now is reluctant to try it. He loves the water but is nervous about being out there by himself. Thanks for the great tips, we'll give it a shot this weekend.

Jman-I mentioned that above in my post to shorten the rope.

I got mine up with a boom. It is super easy.

When my daughter was 7, she was very afraid to try it. So we took her in to the 5 mile zone and told her we were just going to drag her behind the boat slowly and told her just to hang on and made her promise not to stand up. Well, she stood up anyway when we went 5 miles per hour. So we drug her out of the 5 mile zone and she began wakeboarding. I know it was sneaky, but it worked.

MORE PICTURES OF KIDS RIDING PLEASE!!!


I cannot wait to get Brady up. Kids inspire me! I hope Brady loves the water as much as his parents do:-)

By the way, who has the youngest kid riding? Seems like 5 is the youngest. Any 4 year olds out there?

I had my son riding in the pool at the YMCA when he was 4:





Here are some from last year when he was 7:





Later,
jjakober

I'm looking for a used youth-sized board/bindings to get my boys started. Posted in the "wanted" section of the WW classifieds, but no interest. Anyone looking to get rid of boards their kids have grown out of??? Thanks!

J Jakober who/what was pulling your son/rope at the ymca?

That would be me! When they are that small it doesn't take much to get them up and going.

jjakober

Were you running along side the pool?

Alright my boy is 2, never gets off the tramp with the tramp board (can do a bouncing 360 with the handle by the way), always wants to watch wakebording vids, I just don't have to push but is 2 too young? If not will the hyperlite 109 be perfect for him?

Stefani,

I was on the other side of the pool. He would start in one corner and I would go over the the opposite corner at the other end. I would then just walk kinda fast and he would pop up like it's nothing. The cool thing was that we did it during the winter so when summer finally came he basically knew how to get up.

jjakober

any one close to san marcos texas. try the lessons at texas ski ranch. jp was very patient with my daughter who is 8.