Story originally printed in the Holmen Courier or online at www.holmencourier.com

Published - Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Come high water or whatever, club keeps skiing

The River City Water Ski Club puts on a show every Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. at Airport Beach, in addition to putting on five shows as part of La Crosse’s Riverfest. Lee Newspapers file photo

By JO ANNE KILLEEN | Staff writer

The high waters on the Mississippi and Black rivers aren’t keeping water skiers from enjoying the sport. The River City Water Ski Club has been practicing for their five summer shows scheduled during Riverfest in La Crosse this year at Riverside Park.

“The high water is a little bit of a problem,” said Tyne Kaiser of West Salem, show co-director for the club. “We try to get in more practices by getting in the water in the spring. Now, it’s getting a little close to the limit we can ski safely, but it hasn’t happened yet.”

The 60-member club also has shows every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Airport Beach from the middle of June to the middle of August. They sometimes perform a show for Lansing Fish Days and for Riverside Apartments. And they enter state tournaments.

While their focus is on performing well during the summer, club members, from age 6 to 60, practice throughout the year. They start planning activities in the fall and practicing indoors in January.

Kaiser, 20, from West Salem, and her co-director Alex Blaschke of La Crosse, plan the shows, which stunts or acts will be done and who is going to do them. “It’s pretty much like a play director,” said Kaiser, who finds time for classes at Western Technical College to become a certified nursing assistant and a job at Altra Federal Credit Union on top of the skiing.

“My whole life pretty much revolves around this,” Kaiser said of skiing. “My whole summer is dedicated to this.”

Kaiser said the water ski club became a family affair about 10 years ago. “Me and my brother joined and we became really close,” she said. “Before that we really didn’t want to have too much to do with each other. But it made us really close. Then my parents joined, then we got a boat and we spent as much time together as we could.”

Her brother Seth, now 23, joined the Navy and came back for the summer last year to help during Riverfest. Now, he’s back for good. “He just got back from the Navy and now we’re back to skiing together.”

Kaiser said the club is a good way to meet people, too. “I was always kind of shy, and this teaches you to be more outgoing because you’re out in front of crowds and stuff.” She said there are about 20 in the club around her age. “We’re the biggest age group.”

Anyone can join the River City Water Ski Club regardless of skill level. “We’re always looking for new members, all year long,” Kaiser said. “I didn’t know how to ski when I joined, and that’s like a lot of people who join.”

The annual membership fee is $180, which includes insurance as well as the skis, boats, gas and life vests. “All they have to bring is a swim suit,” Kaiser said.

Practices are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. until dark.

For more information, go the the club’s Web site at rivercity.waterski.org or call Tyne Kaiser at (608) 317-4236 or the club president Scott Snowberger at (608) 406-0270.

AT A GLANCE