Passing the Torch

I just picked up the Nemesis 118 for my 4 year old son, and he is fired up and ready to try riding this weekend.
For those of you who know me or have ridden with me at the delta for the past 3 years, you have probably seen my son out on the boat with me every weekend. He has been a die hard trooper going out every weekend with the boys, and now he is finally ready to give it a try for himself.
I'm so stoked right now. I think that when he finally gets up it will be a better feeling than when I landed my first invert.
This weekend is going to be awesome.

Just had to share.

Right on!! Way to share the stoke! Good luck to your son this weekend. My son loves getting bundled up (even in the winter) and heading out on the boat with us. He wanted to try last year, then I got hurt wakeboarding, so he was hesitant. Hopefully the memory has faded and I will get him out and up this year.

(Message edited by ivyrider on April 29, 2005)

Way to go Robert...Have a great time...post a few pics of the little shredder

awesome rob!

Robert-
I know just how you feel. 2 weeks ago my son, 6 yrs old, tried for the first time and got up! The water was cold so he didn't want to do it long but he went a good 50 ft before he drifted to the wake and let go. I couldn't believe it, he got up on his second try! I don't know if you have access to swimming pool, but I spent some time pulling my son around a pool to give him the sensation. I was actually almost able to get him up in the pool because he is so light. My biggest fear was that he would go over the front a few times, swallow half the delta and want to quit. I didn't want him to have a bad experience. It sounds like he is like your son, hangs with the big boys on Sat mornings.

As far as how you feel when they first get up, your right on the money. I could have landed any kind of invert or spin you can think of that day and it wouldn't have compared to how I felt when I saw him riding! I yelled so loud I almost lost my voice. Of course I took him out for icecream before we headed home.

just reading this post gets me excited for my son and he will be 2 this August!!!! yeah I know I am getting a little TOO excited....but now that we just bought a new wakeboard boat it will be even better for him in another 2 years or so.....Congrats to Trevor and Rob!!! As I can't wait to be in your shoes so I can too watch my son get up that first time!!!! May there be butter in all your future's! LATER

There is nothing like seeing the face of a rider getting up for the first time. Nobody understands the feeling until they experience it for themselves. And when you see YOUR baby feeling that stoke, it is the ultimate high.
Brandon...You can't start too early training them. First thing is getting them over the fear of the water. I have pics of my kids when they are less than a year old with an underwater camera and they are looking into the lens like they are fish. Jacob rode in his first pro am when he was 4 1/2. I am stoked for you guys and for your groms. Also, get them going out to the grass roots comps. It makes a world of difference in their motivation when they see kids their own ages bustin it out. Who knows who is going to be the next little Murray or Parks?? It could be your kid?? Sweet!!

I think you've handled it perfectly letting him come and watch and then decide when he wants to try it. One thing I have learned from teaching a lot of the little kids in our ski club is the worse thing you can do is force them out there and into a bad first experience. We've got a few kids that refuse to do it because they had a bad first try.

Excellent Rob. I have not seen you or the Kid for a while, its great to hear that he is going to join the ranks! It would be nice to get together again for a few pulls, so we can see how we have progressed! Good luck, take some pictures to post on Wakeworld for all of us to see!

Howard