About Us

We are the official water ski team of Texas A&M University and our purpose is to promote interest in water skiing and its related activities among the students, faculty, and staff of TAMU. We are one of 38 sports clubs sponsored by the Texas A&M Department of Recreational Sports and we meet every Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Room 281 of the Student Recreation Center. Through USA Water Ski and the National Collegiate Water Ski Association, we compete in 3-event water skiing (slalom, trick, and jump) against other schools in the South Central Region. These other schools include the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Texas State University, the University of Texas at Austin, Baylor University, the University of Arkansas, and Southern Methodist University. We travel to seven tournaments a year, and host daily “practices” at our lake 20 miles from campus in Iola, TX. Members are not required to compete, or attend any team events; everything is optional and at your own pace! We are always looking for new members. Whether you are a seasoned pro, a recreational skier, or someone who is interested in simply getting on top of the water; we welcome you!

Events

Slalom

Trick

Jump

Slalom

The slalom event is performed on a single, narrow ski, with one foot placed directly in front of the other. The athlete must navigate around six buoys placed on alternating sides of the boat's path in a zigzag course without falling or missing a buoy. Each successful buoy rounded earns the athlete one point, and the skier with the most points wins. The event begins with a 23-meter (75-foot) slalom rope at the minimum boat speed for the skier's division. As the skier successfully completes passes and reaches the maximum boat speed for their division, the rope is shortened in pre-measured lengths, increasing the difficulty of clearing the buoys. The skier must enter through the entrance gates, round all six buoys, and exit through the exit gates to complete a pass, with points awarded based on the number of buoys cleared, boat speed, and rope length.

Trick

The trick event, described as the most technical of the three events, involves performing as many tricks as possible during one 20-second pass. Beginners use two short skis, while intermediate to elite athletes perform on a single short ski with one foot in front and the other angled behind it. Each trick, whether a spin, flip, or other stunt, has an assigned point value and can only be performed once. The more difficult the trick, the more points it is worth. Tricks can be performed with the handle held in the athlete's hands, known as hand tricks, or with the foot slipped into a strap attached to the handle, known as toehold tricks. Advanced trick skiers demonstrate excellent balance, coordination, gymnastic ability, and precision. Although classic trick skiing is typically done on a specific type of trick ski, points can also be earned by tricking on a wakeboard, kneeboard, or combo skis. The athlete who earns the most points wins the event.

Jump

The goal of the jump event is for an athlete to jump as far as possible, with no points being awarded for style — just launch off the ramp and fly! Each athlete has three attempts to achieve their longest jump, with set boat speeds and ramp heights varying by division. Most divisions use a ramp height of five feet (1.5 meters), but elite women jump at 5.5 feet (1.6 meters) and elite men at six feet (1.8 meters). While average jump distances range from 80 to 170 feet (24 to 52 meters), the men's world record is an impressive 254 feet (77.4 meters). Jumping is done on two large, wide skis, typically taller than the skier, who wears a padded jumpsuit and helmet for protection. Skiers are scored on the distance traveled from the end of the ramp to where they land and ski away. Beginners usually approach the ramp head-on at the boat's speed, while experienced jumpers typically increase their approach distance to gain speed and achieve longer jumps.

FAQ

I am not very good at skiing, will I fit in?

There are many people who join our club just for their love of the water! We enjoy teaching people to do new things so don't be shy!

What does the lake have to offer?

We have equipment for use by club members; slalom skis, trick skis, jump skis, life jackets, wakeboards, wakeskates, slalom course, jump ramp, and a BRAND NEW 2024 MasterCraft Prostar!

What are the dues?

Dues are $325 for the semester. This goes to cover boat cost, lake rent, gas for the boat, transportation and lodging for tournaments, club equipment repair, and general maintenance. Your first trip to the lake is free if you would like to come check out the team, but we can only allow this once. The second time out, we require full dues, which means you would owe $325. Sorry, we wish skiing was free too. You can pay dues to an officer in either cash or a check made out to TAMU Water Ski.

What is Collegiate Water Ski like?

It's the best community you've never heard of. Watch this video from this years nationals to get an idea of what collegiate skiing looks like! Please visit our Gallery to learn more about what collegiate water skiing is like!

Can I get discounts on personal equipment through the club?

YES! We are sponsored by Connelly Skis, Goode Ski Technologies, HO Sports, HTX Watersports, Masterline, Miami Nautique Pro Shop, and Radar Skis. We get huge discounts on products through all of these manufacturers direct from the factory. Please visit our Sponsors page to learn more!

How do I join?

Message us through our Contact page, give one of the officers an email through our Leadership page, email us at texasamwaterski@gmail.com, or join our potential skiers GroupMe to find out when we are going to be out at the lake! You can also follow our Instagram @aggiewaterski or our Facebook @Texas A&M Waterski Club where we will be posting our meeting times throughout the semester! Please visit our Join page to learn more about how to join!