Lexie did it! (pic)

Today was a great day for the Smith family. After countless early mornings holding flags, sleeping on the boat, and never, ever complaining, Lexie got her first taste of being up on a wakeboard today. Everyone is very stoked, including her. Way to go Lexie! I am one proud daddy today, what a great "end" to the summer....

WAY TO GO!!!!

That is FABULOUS!!! Great Job Lexie! Keep it up!

(P.S..... she's a little cutie Paul. Wait 'til she's a teen... you'll have your hands full I'm sure!)

Yeah, that's when Paul finally turns into a conservative! She'll be like "But when can I start dating, Daddy?" and he'll be like "When I'm long dead and gone, hon. When I'm long dead and gone."

Just ribbing ya, Paul. Congrats to your little girl. It's good to see families together on the water. I know I had a blast with mine when I was a kid.

GO Lexie GO!!!
Thats the coolest thing, watching your little one get up for the first time!

That's great to watch the Little kids wakeboard for the 1st time..... I wonder if they make Drysuits that small?
I've seen several munchkins at OWC ride for the 1st time....if I only had the energy they had.
I don't think Lexie will have any problems dating as long as he has UCLA in his DNA....

congrats to Lexie and Paul. Way to go Lexie!

Thanks everyone! I will pass all your messages on to Lexie. She has already asked if we can take her boarding again next weekend.

Here are some more pics of her adventure today...









Congrats also to my neice Jessica who got up for the first time on a wakeboard today. So fun to spread the stoke....



Also, after a year off for shoulder problems my mom got back up on a board today. Not bad for 51 years young....



Also, its just been a fun overall weekend, as we spent the day yesterday with a bunch of great friends. Here's Lexie going off-roading with Dave and Dawn Vincent's son Carson. I'm keeping my eye on that little guy.....



And, of course, since I am being an obnoxious Dad here's a pic of Lexie on her first day of first grade last week.

NIce pics, sounds like you had a successful weekend of 3 out of 3 people getting up. I taught my 11 y ear old cousin to get up on the wakeboard too and she loved it! Great to see little ones so stoked.

Way to go Paul.....Congrats!

I would give anything to go back to the day that we got our girls up for the first time.....Makes it worth every penny we spend on this sport!!!!!

Nice pics, thanks for sharing......

And Stef is right, you are going to have your hands full!

Cheers.

Paul, That's awesome!!! Way to go Lexie.

That's awesome Paul. Tell Lexie congratulations!

Hey Paul,

Do you have any pointers on getting the little ones up on a wakeboard? I have a 6 year old who is really interested, but I'm not sure how to get her started. Thanks in advance.

(Message edited by ichoop on September 01, 2003)

Mike, just give her as much help as posible. I just learned, after like 3 years of every one elce wakeboardin, and no one can really help. They just tell you the same things. Just gotta be suportive, and make sure she doesnt give up. hope it helps!

I have people go heels to butt, and havem just do that and they'll put weight on thier back foot and drift that way, then i tell em to stand up. it seems to work pretty well

Mike, for the little ones it is more about the emotional aspect than technique. Sure, give them the fundamentals (stay crouched, heels to butt, let the boat pull you up, etc). But, more importantly, you have to walk the fine line between being supportive and being pushy (or at least I have always had to with my daughter). The last thing you want to do is make it a bad experience and really set them back for awhile.

One thing we did with Lexie several times was to put her on the board and let her float around in the water and get used to the feeling. Then, on a sandy beach, a friend of mine who much is owed to for Lexie getting up yesterday (Ryan McDaniel, thank you!), took a rope and handle and got her used to the feeling of being pulled up.

As far as Sunday goes, I got in the water with her with my life vest on and coached her through everything. Here's the kicker. As the boat started to pull the slack out for the first time she started crying. I told her we could get back in the boat no problem, nobody would blame her as it IS scary the first time, and we could try it another day. Or, I told her she could just let the boat drag her a little at idle speed and get the feel of it, then get back in teh boat and know that she actually accomplished something and made progress.

She chose the latter option, immediately realized there wasn't much to be scared of, and probably tried about ten times, actually standing up on most tries before sliding out backward. She then did it all over again later that day.

Anyway, sorry for going on at length about it but the point is that you have to be their emotional coach more than anything else. They are so light that the boat literally pull them up with just the slightest of gas. Getting them over the fear issue (at least in Lexie's case) in an appropriate manner is the hard part.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Hey Paul...I'm smiling real big for ya.
Way to go Lexie!!!

Paul, that's terrific! I'm happy for Lexie.

Now that you have another boarder, you'll never get the yard work done!

Awesome!!!!! Tell Lexie congratulations!

Uncle Ryan is very proud of you Lexie!!!

I'm looking forward to riding with you....tell your daddy he can come too.

Mike, as Paul stated patience is key with the little ones. I think the biggest fear that needs to be over-come is just floating alone in the water with the board on. Especially floating face down and learning how to flip back over. Before she even gets behind the boat, strap the board to her feet and just float with her. Giving her that confidence will really help the learning curve.

Ryan, exact spontaneous quote from Lexie on the way to school this morning:

"Dad, do you know if Ryan is coming with us wakeboarding next weekend because I really want him to see me wakeboarding."

Pretty cool. Thanks again for all the efforts to get her comfortable in the water with a board strapped on.

Paul, I did that exact same thing with my son who just turned five. It is more about coaching emotions than anything else. They're so light that they can almost stand up at idle.

Her little smile was all the thanks I ever needed.

Congrats to you Dad, you did a great job coaching her. I know this has been a moment you have looked forward to for a while.

Congratulations Lexie, I can’t wait to see you in action. Paul, good job on the effort and patients. She has been an awesome observer for so long without complaint and it just pleases me to no end to see her grow into this sport, it’s a wonderful thing.

I leave town and come back only to feel like my child has gone away to school, I’m sorry I missed out, I guess I will have to wait for Carson’s first ride.

Paul, she's adorable! Tell her I said congrats.

B-

Congrats Lexie! You too mom and dad. I bet this means that wakeboarding takes priority over surfing now....hehe!

Here's some pics from when Ryan was working with Lexie on the beach.

Those pics are way tooooooooo cute!

Paul, What size board is she riding?

Thanks Stefani.

Rene, she is on a 119.

Those pics and the stories have brought a large smile to my face during a rather depressing week!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for posting it and I can't wait to see all of you in October. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!