Chippewa Lake Water Ski Show Team performs

CHIPPEWA LAKE — This Fourth of July, the Chippewa Lake Water Ski Show Team performed a variety of tricks on Chippewa Lake. These stunts included skiing around the boat the performer was being tugged on, flipping while skiing, creating human pyramids and more. This team is the only competitive team in the state that competes on a national level. Bill Lee, show director for the Chippewa Lake Water Ski Show Team, said the team practices several days a week to be able to perform at the level it does. No trick is necessarily easier than another because they all require different talents. "Everything we do we put a lot of practice into," he said. "I know we make it look easy, but it's not." Team President Dan Gaudet said new skiers are guided through the learning process by people with new experience. Safety is one of the top priorities. "We teach them what they want to learn and guide them on maybe a new path they haven't even thought of before," he said. Water skiing is a family sport, Lee said. Team members range from preschoolers to senior citizens. "It's a great family environment," he said. "I've raised my kids here. You'll see that it's basically a family where you've got the mother, the father (and) the children. The sport also gives kids the opportunity to express themselves in a beneficial way, Gaudet said. "It gives them a positive outlet to express all their energy instead of going down what could be a different path," he said. Lee said he hopes the crowd was entertained by the show and gains an interest in the sport because the team is always looking for new members. Those interested can visit chippewaskiteam.com for more information. "I like (the crowd) to see the sense of community that we have," Gaudet said. "Essentially, when you join our team, we all feel very much like family, and very much have each other's back. We want the community to know that we have their back, too." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.