I made this post on wakeboarder.com, so I thought I'd copy it here. Hopefully a few extra people will be able to make use of it...
I used to live in AZ back in the day. I recall having a difficult time finding cool people that want to ride and share the stoke. Most people kept to themselves and ran with thier own crew.
Four years ago I moved out to the Dallas area. Since moving here I have been fortunate to be a part of an incredible network of wakeboarders (novice riders to semi pro) who love to ride, hang out, share the stoke, and get involved with the sport.
The members and organizers of Dallaswakeboarding.com have taken the local wakeboarding community to a new level. Every member is an educator, a promoter, and a positive influence for the sport. It is incredible what a small group of people can do to help balance the over-crowded waterways and share a common understanding between riders.
I'm not telling you all of this to promote dallaswakeboarding.com, but rather to share a similar stoke that a friend of mine is trying to create out in the Phoenix area.
The website is
www.phoenixwakeboarding.com. Currently there are about 30 members, with only a handful of them who actually talk to each other on a regular basis. Those that I've met are cool cats, and they understand the benefits of having a tight group that can represent your area. During my visit last week, they treated me well and took me back to the waterways that I used to frequent. We had a blast.
I don't mean to get all philosophical about this stuff, but I truly believe in the rewards of having your own community. WakeWorld, and other similar sites, definitely represent the US very well, but when you want to focus on your general region, you kinda need a site specific for that region.
Dallaswakeboarding.com started off with just 15 or so members, now we're beyond 1,000 and still growing. You can virtually find a ride any day of the week, and most days out of the year. The members educate new riders/drivers on boat ettiquite, offer trick tips, share their stories, and welcome the opportunity to educate a new rider on the progression of the sport and the equipment. It took over three years to get to this point, but we had to start somewhere. Hopefully you can do the same in Phoenix.
So, if you live in the Phoenix area, or Arizona in general, I recommend that you go check out this website and drop a line or two. Share your stories, share your boat, ask for a ride, or just talk about wakeboarding related stuff. As you start to get more involved, the website will grow and you'll be able to say that you were part of something that could potentially change the face of wakeboarding in Phoenix. All it takes is a little kindness and willingness to get involved.
All I can say is that I wish I had something like this when I lived in AZ. Hell, I think each city should have their own site. It's a good way to meet people and ride as often as possible!
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