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A Self-Study Course For LearningHow To Teach Beginning Water Skiing

• Two-Ski Techniques • Kneeboard• Slalom • Barefoot• Tricks • Water Toys• Wakeboarding • Boat Driving & Water Safety

Table Of ContentsTable Of ContentsTable Of ContentsTable Of ContentsTable Of ContentsIntroduction 3 - 5

Chapter 1 Safety In Water Skiing 6 - 8• Water Skier’s Safety Codes• Communication / Hand Signals

Chapter 2 Boat Driving And Safety 9 -11• Towboat And Equipment• Towboat Crew• Driving Techniques And Patterns

Chapter 3 The Water Ski Instructor 12-15• Role Of The Instructor• Communication• Instructor Signals• General Lesson Plan

Chapter 4 Equipment Care 16-17• Equipment Maintenance

Chapter 5 The Grip 18

Chapter 6 Two-Ski Techniques 19-29• Equipment• Dry Land Instruction• Water Start• Assisted Methods• Learning Two Ski Maneuvers

Chapter 7 Skiing On One Ski 30-35• Equipment• Learning To Ski On One• One Ski Maneuvers• One Ski Starts

Chapter 8 Tricks Skiing 36-42• Equipment• Dryland Practice• Body Position And Riding The Skis• Basic Tricks

Chapter 9 Wakeboarding 43-54• Equipment• Starting On A Wakeboard• Riding The Wakeboard• Learning Basic Wakeboard Tricks

Chapter 10 Learning To Kneeboard 55-62• Equipment• Starting On A Kneeboard• Teaching Young Children• Learning Basic Kneeboard Tricks

Chapter 11 Learning To Barefoot 63-70• Equipment• Proper Barefoot Position• Getting Started

Chapter 12 Water Toys 71

INTRODUCTION

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Anyone who has ever participated in the sport of water skiing has a story about how they firstlearned how to water ski. Most people learn how to water ski in an informal recreational set-ting, such as with family and friends, or in a more formal setting, such as participating in anorganized water ski program offered by a summer camp, city recreation department, vacationresort or private water ski school. But whether the setting is formal or informal, there always isat least one individual present on the dock, in the water or in a boat who has the knowledge ofhow to teach beginning water ski skills. And if you think about your own first water ski experi-ence, you more than likely remember who this person was and how important he was towardsmaking your first experience a success.

This person is a water ski instructor.

The primary purpose of USA Water Ski’s Level1 Water Ski Instructor Manual is to teach anindividual how to become a water ski instructor.The manual introduces the basic skills and tech-niques needed for teaching beginners how towater ski. USA Water Ski has assembled thesafest and most advanced teaching methods inone source so that an instructor can learn how toorganize lesson plans to meet the specific needsof each student. The teaching methods andwater ski skills and techniques in this manualhave been tested in the field by experiencedinstructors. However, alternative teaching meth-ods are included in the manual. Each instructoris encouraged to use discretion when applyingthese teaching methods and base his decision touse them upon the ability of the student.

In addition to introducing basic water ski skillsand techniques, the manual also includes equipment recommendations and basic towboatdriving information that an instructor will need to know to conduct lessons in a safe environ-ment.

Coaching Development Although this manual is an ideal source for training individuals who will serve as water skiinstructors in organinized programs offered by summer camps, city recreation departments,vacation resorts and private water ski schools, the manual also is the first of three levels ofwater ski instructor certification in USA Water Ski’s Coaching Development Program.

USA Water Ski’s Coaching Development program was introduced in 1991 as a three-levelprogram that provides a structure for the certification of water ski instructors through a three-step process of education, participation and evaluation. The primary goal of the program is toimprove the quality and consistency of water ski instruction and coaching in the United States.

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USA Water Ski presently has three levels of certification for water ski coaches:

Level 1 Beginning teaching techniques for introducing two-ski, slalom and tricks (figure)skiing. The manual also includes teaching methods for beginning wakeboard,barefoot and kneeboard skills, plus a section on water toys.

Level 2 Intermediate teaching techniques for three-event slalom and tricks, plus begin-ning techniques for three-event jumping. Slalom competition techniques for long-line (75-foot rope length) passes at maximum boat speed are introduced. Level 2teaches an instructor how to assemble competition tricks runs of up to 2,500points. This level also introduces jumping techniques for distances of up to 80feet. Level 2 also teaches a coach how to analyze and evaluate an athlete’sperformance and apply his understanding of water ski techniques to help theathlete improve. A Sports Science/Medicine supplement for teaching an athletehow to develop an off-water training regimen also is introduced.

Level 3 Advanced three-event slalom, tricks and jumping teaching techniques for athleteswho desire to successfully compete in sanctioned tournaments at the state,regional and national level. Level 3 introduces short-line slalom passes, how todevelop tricks runs of up to 7,000 points and jump distances up to 160 feet. Thislevel also includes a Sports Science/Medicine supplement that teaches a coachhow to help an athlete develop a comprehensive off-water training regimen whichwill enhance performances in sanctioned competition.

More information about USA Water Ski’s Coaching Development Program can be obtainedby contacting the Athlete Programs department at USA Water Ski headquarters or by visitingthe Athlete Programs menu on USAWATERSKI.org web site.

Level 1 Objectives After earning a Level 1 water ski instructor certification, an individual will be better preparedto:

• instruct beginning water ski skills and techniques using safe teaching methods• advise students on how to select safe and appropriate water ski equipment• conduct lessons using safe and efficient towboat driving methods• instruct beginning two-ski skills and techniques• teach one-ski, or slalom, skills and techniques, plus various starting methods• introduce beginning tricks skills and techniques• instruct beginning wakeboard skills and techniques, plus several novice tricks• teach beginning barefoot skills and techniques off a boom and long-line behind the boat• introduce beginning wakeboard skills and techniques, plus several novice tricks

Although the teaching methods for the beginning skills and techniques in this manual arebased upon the experiences of veteran water ski instructors and coaches, USA Water Skirecognizes that there may be other effective teaching methods which are not included in thismanual. As with the alternative teaching methods which are included in this manual, eachinstructor is encouraged to use discretion when applying teaching methods not included in themanual and base his decision to use them upon the ability of the student.

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How To Apply This Knowledge Throughout the Sport The teaching methods and beginning skills and techniques included in this manual are thefirst level of instruction of all water ski disciplines. In addition to three-event, wakeboard, bare-foot and kneeboard disciplines, an instructor and his students also can apply the skills andtechniques in this manual to other water ski disciplines not mentioned in the Level 1 text, suchas show skiing and water ski racing.

USA Water Ski also has a sport division dedicated to water skiers with disabilities and offersspecial adaptive programs for physically challenged athletes.

For more information about show skiing, water ski racing and special adaptive programs forphysically challenged athletes, contact USA Water Ski headquarters or visit the Athlete Pro-grams menu on USAWATERSKI.org web site.

Chapter 1Safety

Safety should always be emphasized in any water ski instruction program. As a instructor/coach, you will be teaching skiers who often have not had previous exposure to the organizedsport of water skiing. As the instructor, you have a great deal of influence in teaching anddemonstrating safe water skiing practices. Water Skiing is safe if the following precautions and rules are followed.

Water Skier’s Safety Codes All Students must be well versed in the 15 fundamental water ski safety rules before pro-ceeding onto the water for their first ski lesson.

Rule 1: Always wear flotation.A properly fitted personal flotation device is designed to fit snug, so that it won’t slip upon the body during a fall. The recommended type is a jacket or vest which covers thechest, abdomen and back.Rule 2: Always be sure your equipment is in good condition.Your personal safety and enjoyment depends on the equipment you use. Check yourequipment regularly. Be sure that your skis do not have sharp or protruding surfacesthat could cut or scrape the skier. Check towropes for frayed areas orbroken bridles and handles. Repair or replace damaged or unsafe articles.Rule 3: Don’t give the starting signal until ready.Make sure that you are ready, the slack has been taken out of the rope and that youare clear of any dangerous items around you. Keep your ski tips up.Rule 4: Do not ski near docks, pilings, other boats or swimmers.Always look ahead and be sure you are aware of your surroundings and where youare going at all times. Many water ski injuries result from collisions with docks or othersolid objects.Rule 5: Never put any part of your body through the handle or wrap the linearound yourself in any way.Rule 6: Never ski in shallow water or an area where there may be obstructions aboveor just beneath the surface.Rule 7: When a fall is inevitable, try to fall backwards or to either side.A forward fall increases the chances of contact with the ski.Rule 8: Know and use the skier hand signals.It is particularly important to use the skier’s "I'm O.K" signal after a fall if you are all right.Rule 9: If you fall in an area where there is other boat traffic, lift one ski half way out ofthe water.This will signal to other boats that there is a skier in the water.Rule 10: Never ski to the point of excessive fatigue.Rule 11: Always ski during daylight, from sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.Rule 12: Never ski directly in front of another boat.Rule 13: Always use equal length ropes when skiing double.Rule 14: Always ensure that the motor is “off” when a skier is entering and exitingthe boat.Rule 15: Always have an observer in the towboat.

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Communication Communication between the towboat crew and the skier is essential. When a skier is in thewater before starting, there are two important verbal signals. “ In gear” tells the driver to gentlyidle forward away from the skier until the slack has been taken out of the rope. When the ropeis clear of the skier and he is ready to start, the skier should yell “Hit it,” signaling the driver toaccelerate sufficiently to pull the skier out of the water or off the dock. When a the skier is up on the water, effective voice communication is impossible. For thisreason, USA Water Ski recommends the standard hand signals.

Fallen / Injured Skier Falling while water skiing is a part of learning. Although falls are a normal part of water ski-ing, occasionally a fall can result in an injury. Obviously,a skier faces the additional danger of drowning if anapproved personal flotation device is not worn. There-fore, it is your responsibility as a coach to insist thatflotation is worn regardless of the skier’s swimming orskiing ability. As outlined already, in the event of a fall insist onseeing the two hands clasped over the skier’s headindicating that he is O.K. (except in the case of injury). The most common injuries you will encounter will bebruises, scrapes from falling on the skis, rope burn,pulled muscles and skiers “getting the wind knocked outof them.” Infrequently, skiers may be knocked uncon-scious. The most important items to check in the case ofa bad fall are the ABCs of basic life support

A. Make sure that you clear and maintain anadequate airway. The most common airway obstruction is the tongue. Therefore, theaccepted way to open the airway is to extend the neck and tilt the head back.

B. Make sure that the injured skier is breathing. This can be assessed by looking forthe rise and fall of the chest, listening for breathing sounds at the mouth or feelingair movement against your cheek. If not breathing, start artificial respiration.C. Make sure that the skier’s blood is circulating by checking for a pulse.

It is recommended that all instructor/coaches take a course in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscita-tion (CPR) to prepare for such emergencies. It is advisable that the observer in the boat always wear a flotation device, so he can quicklygo into the water to assist an injured skier. With an unconscious skier, it is important that theairway and breathing be quickly assessed in the water. Don’t wait to remove the skier from thewater. If the victim is unable to climb into the boat with little or no assistance, he should be floatedto shore, supported by his flotation device in a semi-recumbent position. When in shallow waterand secure footing has been reached, he should be lifted from the water using a back board. Under no circumstances should an injured skier be hauled passively over the side of theboat. If the injury has occurred some distance from shore or in water cold enough for prolongedexposure to be a hazard, the victim may be lifted into the boat on a back board. This is noteasy and should not be attempted unless there is an adequate number of people available tolift the board, with the victim on it, head-first, over the side of the boat (for example, two people

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in the boat to lift the board over the gunwale and two people in the water to support the victimon the board). It is emphasized once again that if an injured skier is unable to climb into the boat with littleor no assistance, the skier must be floated to shore and lifted from the water on a board. Hemust never be hauled over the side of the boat.

USA Water Ski offers a safety course for the sport of water skiing. It is recommended that allcoaches take this additional training to better prepare themselves in the case of an accident.

Skier Hand Signals

1. Speed-Up: 2. Slow Down: The 3.O.K.:If the newlyThe "thumbs-up" gesture "thumbs-down" gesture set speed or boatindicates that the indicates that the path is good, thenskier would like the skier would like the the skier may usespeed increased. speed decreased. the O.K. signal.

3. Turn: When either the skier or the driver 4. Back to the Dock: A pat on thewants the boat turned, a circle motion head indicates that the skier wouldwith the arm over the head with like to return to the dock.one finger in the air is used. It is usuallyfollowed by pointing in the direction of the turn.

5. Cut Motor / Stop: A slashing motion 6. I’m O.K. (after a fall): This imporwith the hand across the neck indicates the ant signal indicates that a skier isboat is to stop immediately. This signal O.K. after a fall. It consists of bothcan be used by the skier, driver or observer. hands clasped over the head. As a

coach,insist upon seeing it every time.

7. OK: If the newly set speed or boat path is good than the skiermay use the OK signal-- an “O” made with the index finger andthumb. This signal can also be used between the skier andobserver to indicate that signals given by one of them has been received by the other.

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Chapter 2Boat Driving and Site Safety

The boat driver is the person ultimately responsible for making sure that a skier has a safeand enjoyable water skiing experience. An experienced boat driver develops a feel for properacceleration and speed that will aid the beginner immeasurably. It is important that an ob-server also is instructed and familiar with the proper procedures to assist the driver with com-munication signals, rope handling and retrieval of skis, if necessary. USA Water Ski offers aTrained Boat Drivers course, which is recommended to all drivers and coachs.

Ski Area The area required for a water ski program need not be very large. The boat, moving betweem15 and 25 mph, should be able to travel in a relatively straight path for a minute or more withlarge sweeping turns at either end. The boat should remain at least 100 feet from the shore atall times. Check state and local laws for the local requirements for the area where you will beteaching. These laws may differ from state to state. A private site closed from other activities during the instruction program is ideal. The size ofthis site should be approximately 2,000 to 2,400 feet in length and 250 to 300 feet in width. The water surface is best if calm and well protected from wind and heavy boat traffic. Areaswith protruding docks, pilings and breakwaters should be avoided. Any current should beminimal. A sandy beach is a valuable asset for teaching when working with students, puttingon skis and dry land instruction. It is best if a portion of the water area is waist to shoulderdeep to allow the instructor to touch the bottom, as well as support the student when learninga deep water start. Although a beach area is nice, it in not absolutely necessary as studentscan be taught just as effectively in other situations. A dock or pier also can be used as long as it is low to the water (approximately 18 incheshigh is ideal) and free of unnecessary protrusions which may snag towropes or clothing. If thewater level fluctuates, a floating dock is recommended so that the dock is always the samedistance from the water surface. A nice addition to any ski dock is covering it with indoor/outdoor carpet which provides safe footing, prevents splinters and protects skis and otherequipment.

Towboat Many different types of boats are used for water skiing. Because each boat performs a littledifferently, a driver should always be familiar with the performance characteristics of the boatbefore towing a skier. To pull lightweight youngsters on the water, very little horsepower is required. Low horsepower (20 to 35 hp) outboards can be used successfully to teach small youngsters to water ski.For larger youths and adults, a higher horsepower motor is necessary. For the average waterski instruction program with both children and adults or large youths, a boat capable of attain-ing and maintaining 25 mph while towing a skier is suggested. A water ski towboat should be equipped with a tow pylon or a similar type ski hitch device.Other important additional equipment includes a speed indicator, a rearview mirror and seatingenabling the observer to face the rear to watch the skier. Water ski towboats should have a lowfreeboard for better visibility while towing a skier and when approaching a fallen skier and/orfor ease in getting in and out of the water.

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The Observer The towboat crew should include an observer whose responsibility is to watch the skier andkeep the driver informed of the skier’s progress. It is advisable for the observer to wear a flota-tion device and be prepared to enter the water if necessary. The observer has three mainresponsibilities:

1. keeping the driver informed of the skier’s progress2. keeping the driver informed of the skier’s signals3. assisting the driver in being aware of possible safety hazards

Drivers Checklist This is a quick checklist the driver should go through before towing a skier. Make sure theboat is adequately equipped with: Gas Paddles

Bailing Can Fire Extinguisher Rope

• Make sure that the observer knows his responsibilities and if not, explain them.• The skier and observer must know the skier hand signals.• Confirm with the skier exactly what type of tow he wants, how fast, how long and also find out his ability level.• You and the skier should know the water with respect to obstacles, reefs, rocks

and shallow areas. Choose an area free of moorings, swimmers, drivers, fisherman and other boats.

Pulling The Start The start method is basically the same for the driver. Whether a skier is starting from thewater, a dock or the beach. When the skier is ready to go, he should call out "in gear” to signalthe driver to gently idle forward to tighten the slack out of the rope. When the skier calls “hit it,” you must make a quick check to determine:

• if the rope is tight and the skier is clear of the rope and straight behind the boat• if the engine / rudder is straight• that there is nothing in your boat path

At this time, the driver asks the observer to do what is called “overlap.” The observer watchesforward and sideways of the boat for obstacles and other boats while the driver watches theskier come out of the water for the start. It is important that the driver know he is responsible todouble check the observer with a quick look ahead just prior to the start. Once underway, theobserver watches the skier and the driver steers the boat. When pulling a beginner for a deep water start, the driver must be extremely careful. First,make sure the area is clear of any rocks and debris. The driver must make sure that the skierlines up in the center of the boat wakes behind the boat. When the signal to put the boat “ingear” is given, the driver should start idling forward slowly. If the boat is traveling too rapidlyand dragging the skier, the driver should stop accelerating and put the boat in reverse gear fora few seconds. This allows the skier to assume the correct starting position. Dock starts also need to be done with slight modification of the normal procedure. The drivershould line the skier up in the center of the wakes behind the boat, with the skier facing directlyin line with the back of the boat. The driver should slowly idle straight forward to tighten thetowrope. Once the skier gives the “hit it” signal, the driver should accelerate smoothly andrapidly to pull the skier off the dock and onto the water. When the skier has successfully at-tained the correct skiing postion, adjust the speed.

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Driving Patterns There are several acceptable boat patterns for towing a beginner skier. A large loop is oftenpreferred because it does not require the skier to cross the wake and contains large turns,which are easy for beginners to negotiate. When skiers are at a more advanced level of skiing, a looped end or dumbbell pattern maybe used. The dumbbell pattern provides for long, straight runs and allows the boat wake to bedispersed to either side, leaving the skier with a smooth water surface.

Dumbell Boat Pattern

Picking Up A Fallen Skier When, and if, a skier falls, the driver should immediately pull back on the throttle, turn thewheel and idle around before slowly accelerating back towards the skier. The driver shouldthen slow the boat down well before getting back to the skier, and then idle around the fallenskier. When a skier falls there are a few factors to consider:

1. Make sure the O.K. signal is given by the skier, then approach at an idling speed.2. Always approach on the driver’s side at least 12 feet away from the skier.3. Beware of winds and currents that may push the boat towards and over the skier. Therefore always pass the skier downwind or down current.4. Make sure that the boat is in neutral as you pass and drift by the skier.

There are two different patterns to use when picking up a fallen skier. The first is referred toas the half-turn method. It is used to avoid any possibility of the rope becoming tangled aroundthe skier. The second is the keyhole method. It is used for the more experience skier who isable to handle the rope by lifting it over his head allowing it to pass slowly through his hands. With both methods, the boat speed is very slow, just in and out of idle. Because the rope ispassing through the skier’s hands, it is important not to go too fast. The driver should be pre-pared to put the boat in reverse if the skier is not ready to proceed once he reaches thehandle.

Landing A Skier When landing a skier, the driver should reduce the boat speed significantly and approach thedock or landing area in a parallel pattern and far enough away so that the skier has no chanceof hitting any obstacles. It is the driver's responsibility to control the skier at all times. Theobserver, once again, should look forward and watch for obstacles while the driver balanceslooking forward and watching the skier to make sure he does not cut suddenly for the dock atthe last minute. When pulling beginners, it is a good idea to reduce the boat speed allowing theskier to sink slowly into the water at a safe distance from the dock or shore.

Half-Turn Method Keyhole Method

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Chapter 3The Water Ski Instructor / Coach

As an instructor/coach, you hold a very influential position; and this is probably increasedconsiderably at the beginner level. The impression that your students carry away from theirfirst water skiing experience, whether negative or positive, will affect their attitude toward thesport of water skiing for a long time. The nature of those first experiences will have a great bearing on the development of thestudent, especially if the experience occurs to a youth.

Instructor Effectiveness The effective instructor will always have a genuine interest in the progress of the student. Besensitive to the feelings and needs of the student and respond according to those needs. Aneffective coach will know the material to be taught and deal with the detection and correction oferrors. Communication is the most important aspect in working as a coach. The skills to communi-cate simply, precisely and effectively with the skier are of the utmost importance. The coach that holds these traits will be better able to project self-confidence in a informalmanner, which is most effective in reducing a student's anxiety and increasing the learningsuccess. Each lesson that a coach teaches should be well rehearsed and planned, but still flexible tomeet individual needs. When working with a student at any level, always keep the lessonsimple while still managing to get your point across. A recommended progression of instruction is to show the student the lesson, instruct thestudent on how to do the lesson and have the student practice the lesson.

Use positive comments as much as possible to:1. increase the student’s self confidence and enjoyment, which will improvethe student's performance.2. be specific when making corrections in movements.

Using negative comments should be avoided as they:1. will increase the student’s anxiety, hamper self-confidence and hinder theenjoyment of performance.2. Tend to cause concentration on what should not be done rather than whatshould be done.

Almost all beginning lessons in water skiing can be preceded by a simple dry land demon-stration and practice. It is important to demonstrate a new skill to the student first on dry land toensure that the student has an understanding of the skill before entering the water.

A General Lesson Plan1. Explain to the student what he will learn.2. Give a dry land demonstration about the fundamentals of the skill.3. Have the student try the skills - Comment on what the student is doing correctly and

then correct the errors with suggested improvements.4. Have the student repeat the skill until you are satisfied that he understands the skill and is doing it correctly.5. Move to the water to try the skill.6. If problems develop, go back and repeat step 2 (dry land demonstration) and then steps 3 to 5.

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Demonstration Skills When you demonstrate a skill, make sure that your demonstration is accurate. Observe yourskier throughout the lesson and make sure that he is psychologically ready to attempt the newskill, not just physically. Be aware of differences in what he might say (e.g. “Sure, I’m ready”).Notice what his behavior is telling you. It is important to receive comments and feedback as accurately as possible. Therefore, focusonly on one or two major points to avoid overworking the student’s memory. Explain thesepoints as simply, but as thoroughly, as possible. Always ask the skier to repeat back to youwhat he has been taught. This will quickly indicate if you have gotten your point across and ifthe student understands the lesson. Whether you feel positive and supportive or negative and apprehensive about a skier’sprogress, your body language will relay that feeling to the student. Remember to be aware ofyour body language.

Teamwork An effective water ski program requires a highly trained and competent team to functionproductively and safely. Ideally, the team will consist of three people – boat driver, coach andcompetent observer. As we progress in the skill development of the student, it will becomeevident that this ‘team” is important to the program’s success. It is also recommended that the trained boat driver and safety courses be taken. When work-ing on a waterfront water skiing program, it is also good to know basic lifesaving skills and firstaid procedures offered through many local and state associations. Since the coach should be capable of mature judgment, it is recommended that an coach bea minimum age of 18 years old. If a younger person is interested and capable of providingcompetent help, this person can be used as an observer. Also check with the state to deter-mine local and state laws on the age of the observer.

Number of Students When working with a student, the best student-to-instructor ratio is one-to-one. A privatelesson with individual attention focused on the student and the instructor is best. If working at acamp or some type of recreation area that cannot operate on a one-to-one ratio, the followingare suggested maximum students-to-instructor ratios.

Age of Student Instructor Ratio6 years or under 1 instructor to 4 students7 and 8 years 1 instructor to 6 students9 to 14 years 1 instructor to 8 students15 to 18 years 1 instructor to 10 students

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Coaching Signals In chapter 2, the water skier’s hand signals are discussed as a method of communicatingbetween the skier and the boat driver. When teaching, it is also important that the coach beable to communicate with the skier from the boat as well. The following are suggestions of thecommon hand signals used by coach. Make sure that your student understands these signalsso you can communicate effectively with them.

1. Bent knees – The coach bends 2. Arms Straight – Coachand pats his knee. Meaning– Indicates to extends his arms straight out.the student to bend his knees more. Meaning– tells the student to

straighten his arms.

3. Handle Position – The coach will 4. Back Straight – Coach placesposition the handle to his body to indicate his hands on his back and straightenswhere he wants the student to hold it. his body. Meaning– tells to the student Mean-ing– this motion is to indicate the to stand up and straighten his back.handle position relative to the body.

5. Head Up – Coach pats under his chinand extends his neck and chin up. Meaning–tells the student to keep his head up.

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Working With A Beginning Water Skier When working with a beginning water skier, a good instructor must be aware of some of theconcerns that a student might be facing when attempting to water ski for the first time. Somethings are often taken for granted by experienced water skiers. It is important to recognize thisto prevent a beginning skier from becoming frightened or confused. One of the most common concerns for a beginner is the fear of falling. The fear of fallinginvolves not only the concern for physical injury, but also the fear of falling in the middle of alarge body of water, or the fact that the water is cold. When working with a student it is yourresponsibility to talk and work with the student about his concerns.

1. Injury – Explain to the student that falls are no more dangerous in waterskiing than they are in running and jumping into the water from the dock.Explain to him that he is going to be wearing a jacket for flotation thatwill cushion and protect him in case of a fall.2. Fear of falling in the middle of the lake – Falling in the middle of the lakeis often a traumatic experience for beginners. The student should beencouraged to trust the Personal Flotation Device and given the opportunityto float around with the jacket on in deep water if needed.3. Cold water – Even if the water feels warm to the coach, it can quicklydrain the strength and coordination out of a young student. The instructorshould be aware of signs of a truly cold child and remove him from the water.

The instructor must also be awareof the problems of a social naturethat might hinder a child from learn-ing. A student may find it embar-rassing to try and possibly fall infront of a group of peers. Whenworking with a group, it is importantto provide encouragement andsupport. Also use the group toprovide moral support to the begin-ner.

When working with individualpersonalities, many challengingsituations may present themselves.The best solution to any situation isto provide encouragement to thestudent.

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Chapter 4Equipment Care

As with any other type of equipment, using proper care will prolong the life of the equipmentand the safety of the skiing experience for your students. The following are some importantfacts and ideas to help maintain water ski equipment and keep it in good condition. It is alsosuggested that you read the manufacturer's product manual, for specific care and maintenanceprocedures.

Skis Skis are commonly made of wood, fiberglass and carbon graphite. If a ski or pair of skis aremade of wood, many manufacturers use walnut, mahogany, cherry or other durable hardwoods. The hardwood is used for the spring and life of the wood. It is best to look for a multiplelaminated hardwood ski and avoid a softwood ski when possible. Most manufacturers now usefiberglass in their skis or phenolic resins. These materials, though more costly in labor andworkmanship, will out last a wooden ski. The polyester resins also allow a manufacturer toduplicate the same design for each unit, as wooden skis will differ slightly per ski. Fiberglassand resin mixtures will often perform better, keep their appearance and require less mainte-nance.

Maintenance Suggestions For Skis• Do not step on the rear section of a ski when it is lying on a dock or beach(This could cause the ski to split).• Be sure to check skis regularly for scrapes, splinters, gouges or sharp edges.If the edges are damaged, they should be sanded and smoothed. Wood skis shouldbe revarnished. Make sure wooden skis can dry out a few days prior to revarnishing. Asynthetic ski gouge should be filled with an epoxy resin or fiberglass and thensmoothed. Follow directions in the ski manufacturer's product manual.• Do not stand skis on their ski tips; this could cause the skis to deform.• When storing skis, place them in a flat area away from excessive heat and moisture.• Keep skis away from excessive sun exposure. This will break down the componentsand damage the skis.

Bindings Bindings are typically made of gum rubber or one of many synthetic compounds that are outon the market today. Check the binding regularly for tears and rips in the material. If found, thebinding will need to be repaired or replaced. On a regular basis, check the screws that fastenthe binding to the ski. These can become loose and may need to be tightened. It is also impor-tant to keep the binding out of extreme weather conditions. Exposure to ultraviolet rays in thesunlight will damage bindings. Extreme cold could crack bindings. It is best to store skis andbindings in a dry area out of extreme exposure to the weather.

Ropes And Handles Ropes are made of a polypropylene material. The standard towrope is 75 feet (23 meters)long. It is best if the rope is made of a non-stretch material. The rope needs to be carefullyinspected for frays and possible places where it could break. If a rope is frayed or has a dam-aged area, it should be repaired or replaced. It is of the utmost importance to keep knots out ofa rope. If a rope has a knot in it, undo it immediately. Knots will cause a rope to lose strength.

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To remove a knot, loosen it by banging the knot area with a hammer. When repairing a rope,do not tie a knot in it. This is unsafe and will decrease the strength of the rope. A tool called afid is used to splice the rope back together for repairs. Contact your local marina or ski shop foradvice on rope repair. Inspect a handle in the same way you do a rope and make sure that theends of the handle are smooth with proper end caps fully attached. If the handle grip area istorn or in bad shape, it is best to replace it. Handles with a loose grip area could cause adangerous fall if it were to rip while skiing.

Personal Flotation Devices Water ski flotation devices should be of a vest type or open front type with proper bodystraps to ensure a firm fit. A vest is typically made of a fabric with a unicellular or ensolyte T Mmaterial that is molded or shaped into panels and then enclosed in the fabric. A personalflotation device should be rinsed out after use, especially in salt water, and protected fromdirect sunlight. The sun's ultraviolet rays will break down the materials. If a flotation device istorn or is taking on water, which will cause the device to lose buoyancy, the device should bereplaced. Check the straps of the device and make sure that they are working properly with norips or broken clasps. If straps are in need of replacement, contact your local dealership.

Wakeboards and Kneeboards Wakeboards and kneeboards are made out of fiberglass with a carbon graphite or dual foamcore. As with skis, wakeboard and kneeboard edges should be checked for sharp abrasionsand repaired if needed. Check the kneeboard strap for rips or wear in the velcro and at thearea of attachment to the board. If the strap is in need of repair, it is important to repair orreplace it. Wakeboard bindings need care just like a ski binding. It isextremely important that the wing nuts that hold the bindings to the wakeboard are checkedprior to use and after a hard fall. Wing nuts have a tendency to loosen. Wakeboard fins alsoshould be checked for wear and the possibility of becoming loose.

Optional EquipmentWetsuits A wetsuit is used during cold weather skiing to provide warmth. A wetsuit also is used forprotection in barefooting and jumping. A wetsuit will protect the body moderately from bruisingand possible rope burns. The thickness of the wetsuit and the severity of the weather willdepend on the warmth provided by a wetsuit. A thicker wet suit tends to be bulky and willhinder the mobility of a skier. The wetsuit should always be rinsed out in fresh clean water aftereach use and then hung to dry. Make sure that a wetsuit is not exposed to direct sunlight whichwill break down the construction components of the wetsuit. A tear can be repaired by usingrubber cement and stitching. If the tear is in a seam area, repair this the same way.

Gloves More advanced skiers like to use gloves to help grip the handle better. At this level, glovesare not really necessary. The glove is made of a rubbery fabric or of a light, soft and stretchyfabric. Gloves should be cared for just like a wetsuit and protected from extreme sunlight.

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Chapter 5The Grip

There are two ways to hold on to the ski handle. Both are correct, depending on the type ofskiing the student will be doing. It is best to explain these different grips to your student and toensure that they are using the proper grip to enhance their skiing skills.

Palms Down/Overhand Grip The palms down or overhand grip iswhen the student holds the handle in thepalms down position. This is the mostcommon handle position for beginners. Theoverhand or palms down grip on the handlewill provide control and ease when there isa need to pass the handle from hand tohand in tricks skiing, wakeboarding andkneeboarding. A beginner skier will find iteasier to hold the handle with this gripwhen learning the cannon ball position andtrying to learn starts on two skis. Whenholding the handle in the overhand grip itcauses the upper body to be square and the shoulders to be even.

Baseball Grip This grip is used when there is a specialneed for a stronger pull. The handle is heldas if the student is holding a baseball bat.This causes the shoulders and upper body towork as a unit. The upper body and shoul-ders are more in a triangle shape and thisgrip enables the arms to pull more stronglythan in the overhand grip. This grip also willprovide better control while performing deepwater starts on a slalom ski, and for a betterpull when cutting across the wake. This gripis suggested for the slalom skier and whenan extremely strong pull across the wake isneeded.

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Chapter 6Two-Ski Techniques

A skier’s very first experience on water skis will stay with him for a long time. The memory of thatfirst experience also will affect future water skiing experiences of the student. As an instructor, this may well be one of the most important lessons you will ever teach. Youshould be dedicated to making this first attempt a successful and enjoyable experience for yourstudent.

Equipment As in any sport, the proper selection of equipment and care to keep it in good working conditionare essential to the enjoyment of the sport. Water skiing, like most sports, requires specific equip-ment and you, as the instructor, must be prepared to offer suggestions and advice to the student,specifically in the areas of proper style and type of skis for the lesson you will be teaching.

Basic Skis Standard double skis or a combination pair are ideal because they can be used as a pair by abeginner or as a single ski for beginning slalom. Adult skis are usually 60 to 70 inches in length,while a junior pair for children is generally 40 to 50 inches in length. The skis should be mountedwith appropriately sized adjustable bindings.

The size of the skis you choose for your lesson will depend on several factors:1. Weight of the skier2. Desired boat speed of the skier3. Ability level of the skier4. Age of the skier

A small young child may find it easier to learn on a pair of training skis while a larger youth mightfind learning on regular adult-size skis better for support. Training skis are tied together at the tipand tail to allow the skis to stay together and track in the water. These skis are used at extremelyslow speeds. A larger youth should use a pair of junior skis or an adult combination pair, depend-ing on the size of the student. The longer and wider the skis, the better support on the water atslower speeds. However, larger skis are more awkward to control when positioning the skis in thewater for the start. All skis must be solidly constructed and free of sharp edges and/or protrusionsthat could cause injury.

Bindings Bindings are extremely important and a good fit is critical. Bindings must fit snugly and provideadequate support. Heel pieces should extend well above the ankles. It is best to avoid bindingsthat are so tight that they restrict circulation in the foot. Adjustable bindings are available in two sizes, standard adult and junior. It is very important thatchildren start with proper equipment for their size and weight.

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Personal Flotation Devices The personal flotation device (PFD) should be aski vest or open front style vest. The PFD should fitfirmly and be secured by at least two or three bodystraps. The straps should be secured to the deviceand encircle the body for a secure snug fit. Vestsspecifically designed for water skiing are recom-mended and usually constructed of closed-cell foamcovered in either vinyl or nylon (Coast Guard Type 3device).

Ropes And Handles All towropes should be 75 feet in length (exceptfor special purposes such as tricks skiing,wakeboarding and working with training skis). The most suitable material is 1/4-inch polypropy-lene rope, with all loop, bridle and handle knotssecurely tied and spliced into the rope.

Getting started

Dry Land Instruction All skiing skills should be precededby dry land instruction on the basicfundamentals. When teaching thebeginner on dry land, explain thelesson and make sure that the stu-dent understands the procedures. First, teach the student the basicskiing body position and emphasizethe three basic points:

1. Knees bent2. Arms straight3. Head up

Demonstrate the basic body posi-tion to the skier and have the skierlook at you from the side while dem-onstrating the position.Then have the student demonstratethe position to you. Correct anyproblems you detect with the skier’s position.

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Sit down on the ground and demonstrate the start position. Assume the sitting (cannonballposition) and ask the skier to demon-strate the starting position to you.

•knees pulled in to the chest,heels in close to the buttocks

•arms straight, extendedforward on either side of theknees

•feet about shoulder-widthapart

•head up

Give the skier the towrope handle and use the towrope to pull the skier up gradually to thecorrect skiing position. Explain what you are doing to the student as you pull him to a skiing posi-tion, simulating what the boat will do in the water. Emphasize that the boat will do all the work. Theskier should rise slowly as he feels the pull while only using his legs. Watch carefully for the skierwho pulls with his arms andexplain that the arms must remainstraight. Repeat this exercise until theskier has mastered it to yoursatisfaction. The success on thewater is indicated in the amountof pull that is required to pull theskier to a skiing position. If a lot offorce is needed, encourage theskier to allow the “boat” (you theinstructor) to pull him to a skiingposition rather than resisting thepull and leaning back against it. Iftoo little force is needed, the skiershould “stand up” more slowlyand allow the boat to do the work. When you are satisfied that theskier has mastered the dryland lesson, it is time to move tothe water’s edge or dock.

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The Waters Edge Now that the skier has an understanding of what to do once on the water, it is time to prepare toenter the water. This involves fitting a proper flotation device on the skier and then helping himadjust the bindings as he puts on the skis. This step also can be done prior to dry land instructionto let the skier become accustomed to the feel of the equipment. When fitting the equipment,explain the fit and function. Demonstrate how to put on the bindings and flotation. The PFD shouldfit snug and the proper size of flotation is important. If a PFD is too large, it will hamper the stu-dents mobility and could cause injury in the event of a fall.

When putting on the skis, explain that wetting the bindingsand feet will allow each foot to slide into the bindingseasier. The student needs to bend down, turn the heel ofthe binding to one side, insert the foot as far as possibleinto the binding(wiggling thetoes will help)and then graspthe heel piecewith both handsand pull up.

Explain to thestudent that if

he should fall, the same method isused to put the skis back on in the water. By bendingone knee to the chest and holding the ski on eitherside near the bindings, the student is able to put theskis on in deep water. It is a good idea to have thestudent try this in the water prior to a fall to makesure that the student understands. One final point before you take the student to the water is to explain the skier hand signals. It is

important that the student understand all the handsignals. Most important at this time is for the skier toremember the OK signal. When working with youngerstudents, you may want to teach them the OK signalonly for the first lesson so as not to confuse them withtoo much information.

The Deep Water Start Assist the student into the water. If a shallow beach isused, have the skier walk out to approximately chest-deep water. If using a dock, help the skier sit on theedge of the dock. Have the student sit to the side of theskis, lean back a little and swing or slide the skis off thedock into the water, with the student remaining seatedon the dock.

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The instructor should precede thestudent into the water, to assist thestudent as he enters the water. Theinstructor must always wear a flotationdevice when working in the water witha student. Assist the student into thewater by helping him slide off the dockwhile holding him from behind in thewater. The instructor must instruct thestudent to assume the correct

cannonball starting position with the rope between his skis. When the rope is taut and the skier is ready, the instructorshould signal the driver to proceed. Make sure that everyone isclear of the rope.

During the first lesson besatisfied with the student gettingup before moving on to learningthe next skill.

Work on the correct bodyposition and let the studentexperience the satisfaction ofwater skiing for the first time.Keeping his arms straight, the student will gradually come upout of the water to the proper water skiing position.

Detection And Correction Of Deep Water Starting Errors

Symptom Error Correction1 Falling backwards /slack in rope Pulling in with the arms Keep arms straight and down

2 Falling to the side Uneven weight distribution Both knees equally bent,balanced position in water

3 Falling forward Standing up too quickly- Rise gradually, keepingstraight legs knees bent

4 Plowing Weight too far back, Weight forward, keepingchest away from knees. knees close to chest

5 Riding on back of skis Did not use legs to stand Stand up sooner whenup as boat accelerated boat accelerates at start

6 Loss of balance Body too stiff Bend knees, bend slightlyforward at waist

7 Legs separate at start Loss of basic start position Place arms outside of knees,tuck knees up at chest

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Instructor- Assisted Starts If the student is having difficulty achieving the deep water start and is showing no sign ofprogress after several attempts, the instructor may want to consider using an instructor-assistedstart technique. In the case of a small or young student, the instructor may want to offer assis-tance on the first try to make the learning experience of getting up a positive one. To insure thesuccess of the lesson, the instructor should be a strong skier to perform any of the assisted starts.

Arm Lock Method The instructor skis beside the student usingthe same rope length. With the student in thestarting position, the instructor holds thestudent’s arm just above the elbow, providingstability and helping the student keep his armsstraight. If the student is quite unbalanced, theinstructor may reach under the student’snearest arm and hold the other arm above theelbow. Once up and skiing, the instructor skisbeside the student offering gentle supportuntil the skier has assumed the proper skiingposition.

Should the student fall, the instructor should immediately release the handle and sink into thewater with the student. This is true of all assisted teaching techniques. It is far more reassuring tothe student to have someone at hand after a fall to remind him to raise his hand in the OK signaland help him put on any skis that might have come off. This is also a good time to communicate tothe student what he did wrong and how to correct the problem on the next try.

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Straddle Method Skiers who have difficulties with the deep water start or with very small skiers who have littlesuccess with other starting methods, the instructor may use the straddle method. Once again, onlyinstructors who are strong skiers should attempt this method, remembering that the size ratio ofthe instructor to the student is an important factor.

The instructor skis immediately behind the student using a slightly longer rope. During the start,the instructor places his skis on the outside of the student’s skis and reaches around the student'sbody to hold the handle. As the boat acceler-ates, the instructor raises the student and him-self out of the water with the student resting hisweight on the instructor's thighs and chest. The instructor encourages the student toassume the proper skiing position and to beginskiing without relying on the instructor. Thismethod allows the instructor to actually lift thestudent to his feet and into a correct skiing posi-tion.

Instructor In The Water Method If for some reason it is not possible to ski simultaneously with the student, it is useful to at leastbe in the water with the student when he starts. It is very important that you wear a flotation deviceto avoid fatigue and be able to offer full assistance to your student. By being in the water with thestudent, you can offer assistance with putting on the skis and helping the student get into thecannonball starting position.

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When the student is ready, position yourself behindhim and reach around and grasp his ankles to holdhim in the cannonball tuck. Hold on to the studentwhile the boat idles forward to prevent the studentfrom floating to either side or from losing the cannon-ball starting position. Let the student give the com-mand to start and guide the take off as you slowlyrelease your hold on the student.

This method provides assistance in the awkwardpreparation of starting. The only disadvantage tothis method over an assisted method is if the skiershould fall after skiing a few yards, the instructor isleft behind on the shore.

Ski Boom Method Perhaps the most advanced technique of teachingbeginners how to water ski is using a ski boom. A ski boom is a bar rigidly mounted on the gun-wale of the boat, approximately amidships and extending eight to ten feet out from the side of theboat.

With the boom, the student has somethingsolid to hold on to and balance himself onduring his initial efforts. As with trainingwheels on a bicycle, the boom provides astudent so much support that he should beable to ski on the very first try. After a fewsessions on the boom, the student can beintroduced to skiing behind the boat with astandard towrope. As an intermediate step, ashort rope and handle can be attached to theboom to gradually reduce the amount ofsupport the boom offers. In terms of efficiency, the boom offersadditional advantages by allowing the in-structor to observe the students progressand make vocal instructions for correctionwhile the student is skiing. The student alsois close enough to the boat to receive assis-tance with putting on the skis and gettingproperly positioned in the water.

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The student will execute the same cannonballstarting position, holding onto the boom insteadof the towrope handle. As the boat begins toaccelerate, the student holds onto the boom andrises to a skiing position. The boom provides thestudent with extra support in the start to achievethe skiing position with little effort. Once a skierhas mastered the start and the skiing position,he should be encouraged to start on a regularrope length behind the boat. Special care must be exercised when drivingwith the boom. Drive in a straight line and do notattempt to compensate for the weight of theskier by angling away. Do not turn away from thestudent since this exposes the student to thestern and, in the case of any outboard, to theprop. Always turn slowly towards the student. Ifthe student should fall and lose the boom, stopthe boat and return by turning slowly to the side

of the boom. Always be especially conscious of the boom when docking and when near otherboats and skiers. Always remove the boom when it is not in use. Be sure to personally test theboom before it is used by a student.

Connected Youth Skis/Human Tow Technique Connected skis are a learning aid that may beuseful when working with young children orothers having particular difficulty in keeping theskis together on the starts. Connected skis are aregular pair of skis fastened at the tails and nearthe tips by a rope, wood or metal. Some manu-facturers produce a pair of trainers that arefastened together by rope, with the towropeattached directly to the boat and the bridle andhandle attached to the skis for the young studentto grasp. In effect, the skis are towed by theboat. Caution should be exercised when usingconnected skis and the towboat. The only way torelease the rope is from the boat in the event ofa fall. When using connected training skis, al-ways connect the rope to a release device andrelease the rope from the boat with every fall.Exercise extra caution when using connectedskis and a towboat. These trainers, however, areexcellent for very young children with the humantow technique.

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Human Tow Method This method is sometimes usedwith good success with very youngor exceptionally lightweight children.Using trainer skis, the instructor willactually tow the student in shallowwater simulating the boat’s pull andproviding controlled training. This method is extremely valuablewith very young children who haveconcerns about big lakes, deepwater and big boats with loud en-gines. The speed is so slow and theinstructor is right with the student atall times. Caution should be used toensure that the bottom is free ofrocks, glass or other potential dan-gers to thestudent or the instructor.

Learning More Two Ski Maneuvers Now that the student is successfully getting up on two skis and is skiing in a good skiing posi-tion, it is time to start teaching the student how to maneuver the skis, the landings and a dockstart.

Turning To turn, the student simply applies a little moreweight to the foot on the side he wishes to travel.To increase the degree of the turn, the studentincreases the pressure applied to the outside skiof the turn. At first, have the student practiceturning inside the boat wakes. Then when steer-ing effectively behind the boat, the student canattempt to cross the wake.

Crossing The Wake Instruct the student to cross the wake at assharp an angle as possible, cutting through thewake and not edging or sliding over the wake.Crossing with one ski and then the other at ashallow angle will usually result in a fall. Whencrossing the wake, the student needs to keep hisknees bent and absorb the wake with his knees.

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Landing A beginner should be instructed to stay behind the boat when finishing the ski ride and never skitowards a dock or a beach. The student should glide parallel to the dock or the beach and as thespeed diminishes, sink slowly into the water. The student should simply release the towrope andnever throw it. It is important to teach the student how to put on the brakes to stop skiing. If for any reason astudent must stop quickly, the student should sit down on the tails of the skis or even lie down inthe water backwards while dragging the hands in the water.

Dock Start The dock start is very similar to the deep water start except it is a quicker start with a firm pro-gressive acceleration of the boat. The dock start should be attempted only after the student hasmastered deep water starts and knows the proper skiing position.

1. The student sits on the edge of the dock with skitips out of the water and leans slightly away from theboat with knees bent and arms slightly bent to absorbthe pull.

2. As the boat slowly idles away from thedock and the towrope slack is taken up,the student must be prepared to resistthe boat’s pull and maintain the startposition.3. As the boat pulls the student from the dock, the student must transfer his weight from the dockto the skis keeping his knees bent and the towrope at waist level.

Detection And Correction In The Sitting Dock Start

Symptom Error Correction1. Falling forward Transfer weight too soon or Transfer weight as the boat

too quickly, legs too straight, pulls the student off dock,did not resist pull bend knees, resist pull

2.Falling backward Legs too straight, rope too Bend knees, rope waisthigh, pulled in with arms, high, keep arms locked andweight on tails of skis weight over feet.

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Chapter 7Skiing On One Ski

Perhaps the most popular skill among recreational skiers is slalom or single skiing. It is a skillthat most beginner and novice skiers strive to accomplish. For the well-coordinated athlete whopicks up skills quickly, slalom skiing may easily be attained in a short period of time. As theinstructor, you must decide if your student is ready to slalom ski. A good rule to determine thisis if the student is stable on two skis, demonstrates a good skiing position, is able to cross thewakes under control and wants to attempt to slalom.

Getting Started On One SkiEquipment A slalom ski differs considerably from basic combo skis. A slalom ski is set up with two bind-ings mounted one behind the other. The keel or fin is much bigger and deeper than on basiccombo skis. At this level of instruction, a well-designed pair of combination skis is satisfactoryand practical for learning how to slalom. The bind-ings, rope and flotation all remain the same as inthe two ski lesson.

Dry Land Instruction As with all lessons, dry land instruction is the firststep in learning how to ski on one ski. Demonstrateto the student the skier’s salute, explaining that thisis the first step in skiing on one ski and explain thepurpose of this exercise. Next, demonstrate theproper way to drop a ski. This way the student isprepared for the water with a full understanding ofwhat he is about to try.

The Skier’s SaluteThe major points of the skier’s salute are:

•correct body position•shift all weight to one foot•lift the opposite ski out of the water by liftingthe knee and pointing the toes up to keep theski tip from dragging•place the lifted ski back on the water andrepeat with the opposite ski•skill is performed behind the boat•keep head up

Once the skier can comfortably perform this skill ondry land, it is time to head to the water. The purposeof the exercise is to allow the student to determinewhich leg feels best as the front leg. It also gives thestudent an opportunity to experience the feeling ofstanding or skiing on one ski. 30

The instructor should watch the skier perform the skier’s salute on each foot and help thestudent decide which leg felt most comfortable. The most comfortable skiing leg will becomethe student’s front foot on the slalom ski.

Dropping A Ski On land, demonstrate how to drop a ski with the student watching you. Start from the basicskiing position - head up, arms slightly bent and knees bent. Explain to the student how togently shift his weight to his best skiing leg, as in the skier’s salute. Have the student smoothlylift the heel of the opposite foot out of the binding and slowly push the ski backwards. As thestudent is doing this, he will want to point his toes down and back, so that the water’s force will

pull the ski away. Keep the free foot dragging in the water to act as a stabi-lizer or rudder for balance. Once the student is well bal-anced, he should move his free foot over and rest it on theback of the ski. Then slowly, as balance permits, the studentcan slide his back foot forward and into the back toe binding.He should gradually shift his weight until it is evenly distrib-uted on both feet.

It is important that the student understandthat this whole process may take some time toaccomplish on the water. Explain to the stu-dent that rushing through these steps andmoving too fast could result in loss of balanceand possibly a fall. Everything should be doneslowly and smoothly.

Detection and Correction of Dropping a Ski

Symptom Error Correction1. Loss of balance, wobbly skis Kicking off the skis Move slowly and smoothly-

too fast, uneven weight shift weight to heels to make skitrack better.

2. Fall to side of dropped ski Too little weight on the Shift all weight to skiing legski leg before dropping the ski.

Use these helpful hints when teaching astudent to drop a ski:

1. Keep a spare ski in the boat incase of a fall

2. Attempt to have the student drop theski near a dock or shore, make note ofwhere the student has dropped the ski

3. If the skier continues to wobble excessively, you may want to try a wider,heavier ski, such as a jumper, untilthe student can master the single skiand then make another attempt on theslalom ski.

4. Always stress to the student theproper body position and to move 31

One Ski Position As the student is learning to drop a ski, itis important to teach the student the properslalom body position. The student will wantto keep his weight distributed between bothfeet, with his knees slightly bent. His hipsand buttocks should be forward with hisback straight and arms slightly bent holdingthe handle in the baseball grip.

Baseball Grip Up to this point, we have used an overhand grip on the handle, which is both hands grippingthe handle with knuckles up. In slalom skiing it is important to change to a grip similar to that ofholding a baseball bat. The reason for this change is to create a better angle in the shouldersand body for slalom skiing.

Learning More One Ski Maneuvers

Turns And Crossing The Wake Once the student is steady on one ski withhis back foot inserted in the rear toe binding,begin teaching turns and crossing the wake. Have the student gently angle (lean) in thedirection of the turn maintaining the correctslalom body position. The student shouldpractice moving back and forth inside thewakes before crossing the wake. To cross the wake, the student should ap-proach the wake at as sharp an angle aspossible, keeping the knees bent as shockabsorbers and making the wake crossing assmooth as possible. The student will want towork on smooth and even turns while crossingthe wake.

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One Ski Starts

During dry land instruction, emphasize the importance of the correct starting position in theslalom starts. Make sure that the student understands the positioning in the water and theprocedures of the start.

Deep-Water Start The deep-water start is one of the most difficult fundamental skills in water skiing. However,with the right instruction, the start can be easily mastered. Almost all failures are caused byrushing the start and trying to get up too fast. This forces the tip of the ski down under thewater and causes the skier to fall.

The starting body position is:• skiing leg (the one wearing the ski) completelybent with knee touching the chest• rope is placed on the inside of the ski betweenthe legs• free leg is extended out and behind acting asa stabilizer and actually assisting in planing similarto another ski providing steering andbalance• arms are slightly bent and body weight is evenlydistributed over the ski with head up

The actual start varies from the two ski start in thatthe student must delay somewhat longer until the ski

is moving fast enough to support the skier’s weight. As the ski begins to plane, it is time for thestudent to rise out of the water with his shoulders moving farther back and maintaining a verti-cal line through his skiing leg. Instruct the student to continue to drag his free foot for balance,keeping the ski tip up and in line with the boat.

The final and often most critical key is that as he starts torise, the student must not push the ski out in front of his body. Let the water push the ski tohim. In other words, the student must maintain the basic start position as the ski lifts him out ofthe water as he stays low with his weight back over the ski.

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Detection And Correction One Ski Deep Water Start

Symptom Error Correction1. Plowing Ski too vertical, knee too far Adjust ski to a more horizontal

from chest position and bring the kneecloser to chest

2. Forward fall Stood up too quickly, Stand up slowly and move theweight too far forward shoulders back as the ski planes

3. Falling to side Free leg not in proper Keep free leg back and slightlyposition to the side

4. Falling backwards Rope on wrong side, Keep arms rigid and the rope onpulled in with arms free leg side

Sitting Dock Start The basics of the sitting dock start are thesame as the one-ski deep water start. With thestudent sitting on the edge of the dock andleaning slightly away, the boat idles straight outas the rope tightens. When the student signals,the boat accelerates. The student resists thepull of the boat with his shoulders and back,and keeps his arms and knees bent with hishead up.

As the student is pulled off the dock, hedrags his free leg for stability until he gainshis balance, as he did in the deep water start.Detection and correction is the same as in adeep water start. It is helpful if the student sitson the dock with the ski side of his bodypositioned towards the boat. This way, the pullis over the ski.

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Shallow-Water Start Or Beach Start The student stands in knee-deep water on his freefoot with his ski leg bent and the ski tip out of thewater. The skier’s ski side should be turned slightlytowards the boat, with his arms bent to resist the pulland head up. As the rope becomes tight, the studentsteps forward onto the ski.

Make sure the skier does not step early oranticipate the step. This will force the ski tip underthe water and cause a fall. As the boat pulls, theskier uses his free foot in the same way to stabilizethe start and gain his balance.

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Chapter 8Tricks Skiing

Tricks skiing is an enjoyable, economical and safe activity to introduce to a beginner. Tricksskiing can provide hours of fun and challenges to the student. The speeds are relatively slow,about 12 to 18 m.p.h.. In many cases, tricks skiing can be performed behind a smaller, lowhorsepower boat, making it ideal for camp activities. To learn how to tricks ski, a student doesnot need a lot of experience. This new skill can easily be introduced shortly after a student hasmastered the basic two ski techniques. Tricks skiing involves turns on the water or in the air, on one or two tricks skis.

Equipment In addition to the towboat and crew, all that is needed to learn how to tricks ski is a pair oftricks skis, towrope and a personal flotation device.

Tricks Skis Tricks skis are shorter and wider than traditional combination skis. Like other skis, tricks skisare sized relative to a student’s individual height and weight. Smaller children will use thesmallest tricks skis which are usually 36 inches, while adults will use 40- to 44-inch tricks skis.

Towrope The towrope length is personal preference and suited to the student’s speed and weight. Asa rule, the rope length should place the skier at a distance inside the boat’s wake with approxi-mately 40 inches or a ski length, on either side between the wakes. When working with abeginner, the rope length is of little importance and a regulation 75-foot rope will do fine. As thestudent advances, shortening the length of the rope becomes more important.

Personal Flotation As in all your lessons, personal flotation is strongly encouraged. It should fit snugly to thestudent’s body and be form fitting. It is important in tricks skiing, as in all skiing, that a flotationdevice fit properly to allow the student the mobility to properly learn tricks.

Getting Started

Dry Land Training As you start to teach tricks skiing, it is impor-tant to know that dry land training is an essen-tial part of learning various tricks. Remember to explain and demonstrate thetricks to your student then have your student trythe new skill. Due to the importance of dry landtraining in tricks skiing, you might want to installa rope and pulley system. Use a simple clothes-line pulley that can be tied to a tree about threefeet above the ground,

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with a towrope threaded through it. A 20-pound weight will be on one end of the rope just offthe ground and a ski handle will be on the other end. This simple device will simulate the giveand take of the boat’s pull and allow a student to simulate on-water practice. If this device isnot available, simply fasten the ski rope and handle to a tree, building or some other solid fixedobject.

The Body Position The key to success in tricks skiing is correct body position. The instructor must demonstratethe correct body position and then have the student practice that position on dry land. Theinstructor must detect and correct any errors in the position at this time.The essentials for the correct body position are:

• ankles and knees bent• weight centered over the skis• back straight• handle held at waist level with the over hand grip• HEAD UP

It is important to explain these positions in this order, work-ing from the ankles to the head.

Moving To The Water Because tricks skies have no fins or rudders, they aremore difficult to track at first. The start on two tricks skisdoes not vary from that on a pair or combination skis.However, the student may find them more difficult to controlon the water and this may take some practice. The first on-water activity should be restricted to a deep water start,and work up to smooth, controlled turns back and forthacross the wakes. Make sure that the student maintainsproper body position throughout the entire activity, with hisknees and ankles bent, back straight, handle held intowaist and head up. Once the student can comfortablyhandle the tricks skis in the proper body position, he isready to attempt his first trick.

Learning A Trick

Remember that all tricks need to be practiced on dry land prior to attempting them on thewater. Once the trick is performed correctly onland and with the proper understanding of how itis performed, the student can attempt the trick on the water. All tricks may be initiated in either direction by turning to the left or right. It is suggested thata student first learn the trick by turning in the direction that they find most natural. Once astudent has learned a trick in one direction, the opposite direction, should be learned. A trickperformed in the opposite direction is called a “reverse.” When learning basic tricks, the boat speed should be approximately 15 to 18 m.p.h. for anadult, and as slow as 10 to 12 m.p.h. for a small child. The best way to determine the properspeed is when the skis are planing properly on the water surface with the water slightly mushyfor good control.

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The Side Slide (SS) The two ski side slide is a fundamental trick in learning ski and rope control, body balanceand body position. This trick involves turning the skis sideways to the boat position (90 de-grees). The skis will slide sideways and then return to the front position. To perform the side slide, you must first have the student practice the movements on dry landand then move to the water. The student will want to assume the proper tricks skiing bodyposition, then pull the rope into the waist in a firm, even manner. This motion of pulling the ropeis important in the fundamentals of tricking and must be mastered. The student will then re-lease the handle with one hand and turn the skis in the direction of the released hand, keepingthe rope in close to the waist. Throughout the maneuver, the student wants to maintain a

vertical axis during the turn, sliding sidewaysand then returning to the front position. As the student begins to turn, the kneesshould be slightly bent and flexible. If the studentstarts the turn to the left, the right ski will start tocome around ahead of the left ski. The bodymust continue in the direction of the turn with theright ski moving around to the leading position.The rope arm must be bent to compensate forslack or jerk on the rope, with the free arm wellextended for balance. The skis will be slightlyspread apart for stability and the leading edgesslightly raised. The knees will be slightly angledaway from the boat. When learning the sideslide, the student can start by turning the skisjust a few degrees and then returning to the frontworking up to the 90-degree angle. The turn to the front from the side slide is verysimple. The student will simply move the handleout towards the tip of his skis and maintain theproper body position, resisting against the pull ofthe boat as he turns forward.

Common Errors And Correction For The Side SlideError Correction

The student’s skis are not turned a full Lead the turn with the head, shoulders and90 degrees and will not slide, the skis hips to a full 90-degree position.are traveling in the direction they arepointed.

The student’s skis are slipping out and Maintaining vertical axis is crucial inthe student is falling away from the boat. correcting this problem with proper body

position.

The student is catching an edge and falling Use the knees and ankles to raise thetowards the boat. leading edge of the skis slightly away from

the boat.

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The 180-Degree Turn - Front To Back The front to back 180 degree turn is simply a continuation of the side slide into a backwardsskiing position. Some students may actually find it easier to rotate the 180 turn than the sideslide. Both of these skills can be combined into one lesson to give the aggressive student more

maneuvers to attempt once on the water. In the proper tricks skiing body position, pull the ropefirmly and smoothly into one side of the waist, releasingwith one hand to lead the turn. The hips will lead in thedirection traveled by keeping the handle in close to thebody. Turn the skis all the way to the back position andgrasp the handle with the free leading hand with thepalm facing up. It is importantthat this trickbe practiced ondryland forhandle controland bodypositioning.The key ele-ment of thismaneuver ispulling the

handle to the hip to initiate the turn. Keep the handlein close to the body at waist level throughout the turn,particularly in the back position.

The backwards skiing position is for the mostpart similar to the forward skiing position.

-knees and ankles bent-back straight-handle in close to the body in the small of the back-slight body lean away from the boat-head up

When backwards, it is most important to keepthe handle in close to the body so that the freehand may grasp it without reaching for it.

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The Back To Front 180-Degree Turn To return to the forward position, simply release one hand, and keep the handle in close tothe body. Without extending the rope arm towards the boat, move it slowly to the side of thebody. The natural pull of the boat will pull the student's body to the forward position. Onceagain, the skis should be slightly angled to avoid catching an edge. As in the side slide andfront to back, the important keys are to keep the handle in close to the body and pull thehandle in towards the body with the rope to initiate and continue the body rotation.

Common Errors And Correction For The 180 Degree TurnError Correction

The student is falling away from the boat. Usually the cause of this is the skier islooking down, dropping his head orhunching over in the upper body.Stress the correct body position andkeep the head up.

The student is falling towards the boat The ankles and the knees are tooin the backwards position. straight. Student needs to bend more

through the ankles and knees.

Body is leaning away from the boat. Stress the importance of proper bodyposition with bent ankles and knees.

The student is falling towards the boat This is caused by the rope arm beingduring the turn. extended and the skier not keeping

the rope in close to the body whenstarting and also during the turn.Correct with a smooth even pull,keeping the rope into the body.

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360-Degree Turn The 360-degree turn is a continuation of the 180-degree turn without a hesitation in the back position.If the student can do the 180-degree turn in bothdirections, the 360-degree turn should be simple tolearn. Once again as in all tricks, the student willstart with the proper tricks skiing position. The stu-dent should initiate the turn as he did in the 180 byfirmly and evenly pulling the rope into his body to theopposite hip and keeping his head up. As the student reaches the 180-degree position,he will exchange hands on the handle. This ex-change is done smoothly and evenly. As the freehand grasps the handle, the original hand will re-lease. The handle must be kept in close to the bodyand pulled to the waist level throughout the turn,while maintaining the body position to facilitate asmooth rotation.

Once the student has successfully transferred thehandle from hand to hand, the continuation of theturn to the front will be easier if the rope is held nearthe leading hip throughout the turn. As the boat pulls,the student will turn to the front as in the 180-degreeturn.

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When teaching basic tricks, always stress the following points:-pull in smoothly on the rope as the turn begins and keep pulling during the entire rotation-bent knees and ankles act as shock absorbers and help maintain balance-keep the rope close to the body at waist level-keep the head up and always think about what you are to doing

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Front Tricks Skiing Position Back Tricks Skiing Position

Chapter 9Wakeboarding

Wakeboarding is a fun and exciting sport that is similar to snowboarding and skateboarding.It can be done by persons of all ages and ability levels. In most cases, you can wakeboardbehind a smaller boat with lower horsepower or even behind personal water craft. Towakeboard, you do not need to know how to water ski. Learning numerous wakeboard trickscan provide the rider with hours of enjoyment and challenges on the water.

EquipmentThe Wakeboard Wakeboards come in a variety of sizes and weights. It is best for a small child to ride asmaller, light-weight junior board because it will be easier to maneuver. Most boards on themarket today are twin tip boards, meaning that the front and back of the board are basically thesame. Twin tip boards are easier to maneuver and enable the rider to learn tricks efficiently.Wakeboards can range in size from 52 to 56 inches and weigh on the average anywhere from10 to 15 pounds with the bindings. The width of the board can also vary. A wider board willgive the student a better pop off the wake and will help the rider go higher without as mucheffort. If the student is an aggressive rider, the narrower board will give him a harder cut andapproach towards the wake.

The Binding There are several different types of bindings to consider for the wakeboard. The three mostcommonly used bindings are the strap, mid-wrap or a high-wrap binding. Strap bindings areeasier for a beginner to put on and off in the water. If the board is being used by differentpeople with different shoe sizes, strap bindings allow a wider range of adjustment. Strap bind-ings are also lightweight. Mid-wrap bindings allow minimal support and flexibility, creating easyentry and exit. This is a good binding for someone that is seriously interested inwakeboarding and willing to learn. This binding allows minimal size adjustment. The high-wrapbinding is usually one size– small, medium, large or extra large. The high-wrap binding is formore advanced wakeboarders and allows maximum support.

Placement Of The Bindings On The Wakeboard The wakeboard has many holes located in the binding area that allow the rider to adjust thepositioning according to his stance and size. The bindings are positioned in a sideways stancewith the front foot turned slightly towards the boat and the rear foot turned away in a “DuckStance.” With the adjustment holes, the rider can fine-tune the wakeboard to determine hismost comfortable stance on the board with the degree of angle desired.

Shortened TowRope Towrope length is personal preference, and should be selected based upon the boat speedand the rider’s weight. In general, the towrope length should be between 40 and 60 feet. Therope should be made of a non-stretch material. A good general rule on the rope length is ifyou are not clearing the wake on a wake jump from both directions, then shorten the rope. Ifyou are riding in the rooster tail (boat wash), then lengthen the rope.

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Flotation Device Personal flotation devices (PFD’s) should be worn at all times when wakeboarding. The PFDcan be a vest or jacket that is U.S. Coast Guard-approved and designed for water skiing. ThePFD should fit firmly and secure to the rider’s body. If the flotation device is too large, this maycause injury to the rider.

Wakeboard Terms Before we get started with the wakeboard lesson, there are a few wakeboard terms that areimportant to learn. When referring to frontside and backside, this is the side of the board therider has his weight on. Backside is when the rider’s weight is on his heels. Front side is whenthe rider’s weight is on his toes. Switchstance and fakie are the same thing, this is when a rider is riding the board in a backposition, opposite from the forward stance. Throughout this section you will learn many otherwakeboard terms. When working with a new wakeboarder, it is important to teach them theterminology as well, making it is easier for the rider to learn and understand the tricks.

Driving For Wakeboarding Driving for a beginner is a very important part of the wakeboarder’s experience. Differentwakeboarders will like different starts. Some like a fast pull out of the water and some like agentle pull. When pulling a beginning wakeboarder, it is important to find the starting style thatbest meets your rider’s needs. Start with a slow gentle pull and ease the rider out of the water.If the rider is having problems reaching the planing position, gradually accelerate the speed onthe start. Once the rider is planing on the water surface, it is important to gradually back off onthe throttle so that the boat does not obtain too much speed. Ease up to the desired speedonce the rider is under control. Most riders will ride between 16 and 20 m.p.h, depending onhis size and weight. The most common mistake in pulling a wakeboarder is accelerating toofast, which can result in the board sliding out from under the rider. When driving a beginner, slow the boat speed down slightly when the rider is learning to dosurface turns. The slower boat speed will enable the wakeboard to slide easier on the surfaceof the water. Once the rider has mastered the surface turn, there is no need to adjust the boatspeed.

Getting Started

Before getting on the water, remember that it is important to adjust the positioning of thebinding, depending on the foot the rider likes forward and the size of the rider. To determinethe forward foot on the wakeboard you can suggest the strongest leg or the foot the rider wouldkick a ball with. If the rider is a slalom skier, snowboarder or skateboarder, the same stancewould be used on the wakeboard. If the rider uses his right foot forward, the term for this isgoofy-foot. If the rider is left foot forward, this is called regular stance. The location of the bindings should be shoulder width apart. The angle of the binding is alsoimportant. To start the rear foot should be straight across the board from 0 to 9 degrees, andthe front foot should be between 9 and 27 degrees. As the rider advances and becomes com-fortable riding the wakeboard, he can adjust the position to his personal liking. It is also a goodidea to have the rider double check the screws on the bindings and fins every time he rides.Screws can loosen with use, or in the event of a hard fall.

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Body Position The key to wakeboarding is mastering the properwakeboarding body position. It is a good idea todemonstrate this body position on dry land with yourrider before entering the water. The properwakeboard body position is:

-feet in a sideways stance to the boat-upper body slightly twisted towardsthe boat through the hips and shoulders-weight centered over the feet with slightly more weight on the rear foot-handle down and arms straight-knees slightly bent-head up

The basic body position is essential for cutting andturning the wakeboard. A good strong body positionfrom the start will make future wakeboarding easierto learn. Make sure that your rider demonstrates thisposition to you and corrects any problems you detectin his position immediately. Having the rider get comfortable in the sidewaysstance riding position is important. Being relaxed onthe board is the key to riding the wakeboard.

Getting Up On A Wakeboard The first start that a boarder learns is the deepwater start. The basic position of the deep waterstart is:

•board out in front of the rider parallel tothe boat in the water•knees bent into the chest and arms(elbows) around the knees•rope between the feet and over theboard

Dem-onstrate to the rider the deep water position on dryland, making sure that the rider understands thepositioning of the wakeboard in the water. The ridermust relax in the water by laying on his back withthe board floating out in front of him until the ropegets tight. At this time, the rider will get into thedeep water position and signal for the boat driver tostart to accelerate.

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As the boat slowly accelerates, the ridermust keep the board out in front with hisknees bent, letting the boat pull the upperbody up and forward slightly into a baseballcatcher position. Once the board comes out of the water,the rider lets the board rotate to a straightposition by pushing the handle in front of thefront hip. The riders feet rotate from facingthe boat to a side stance position, like on askateboard or snowboard. Making sure that the rider stays low andstands up slowly to the proper wakeboardingbody position is the key to getting up on awakeboard. If the rider is a former slalomskier, he might find it easier to push the rearfoot towards the bottom of the lake duringthe take off, which makes it possible for therider to come out of the water more like on aslalom ski. This technique also works wellwith older or larger students. After completing the start on thewakeboard, have the rider work on theproper body position and master rope controland edge control of the board. Masteringthese simple techniques will create a goodstrong rider.

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Rope Control To carve and maneuver the board, good rope controlis needed. The rider maintains good rope control bykeeping the rope in tight to his body with the handle heldlow. The rider should concentrate on pushing the handledown while keeping it low. The hands should be in theoverhand grip with the palms facing the water. It isimportant to keep the rope tight in every maneuver.Slack in the rope will cause the rider’s body position tobe wrong and may cause the rider to fall.

Edge Control Proper edge control is essential to goodwakeboarding. With proper edge control, the rider willhave good rope control. You obtain edge control of thewakeboard by rolling or applying pressure from edge toedge, placing weight on the heel or toes. To edge theboard, have the rider first slowly roll (pressure) theweight onto his heels. This will cause the board to angle

in the water and slowly turn. By releasing the weight on the heels, the board will flatten out andride straight. This motion is done slowly and slightly. Do not have the rider push hard or throwhis weight from heel to toes. A slow, constant pressure which causes the board to arc or carvein the water is edge control. Cutting frontside is generally harder, but by pushing with the toesand turning through the shoulders in the direction of the cut while keeping the knees bent willmake it easier on the rider. Have the rider practice applying weight (pressure) to his heels andtoes and releasing the weight inside the wakes. Steering the wakeboard back and forth insidethe wakes is a good way to practice applying edge control.

Riding The Wakeboard And Crossing The Wakes Now that the rider can get up on thewakeboard, ride in the proper body position anduse edge control and rope control to steer thewakeboard, it is time to start crossing the wakes. Crossing the wakes is done by shifting theweight from heels to toes (edge control), turninghips and shoulders and looking in the directionthe rider wants to travel. The rider should keephis knees bent and rope tight and low and stayin control of the board. It is also important tokeep the handle into his hip to create a betterangle on the board. First, have the rider roll hisweight to his heels, turn his hips and shouldersand cross to the outside of the wake. Keepinghis knees bent and rope tight, have the ridercarve a smooth slow easy turn through the wakewith the edge of the wakeboard.

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Once outside the wake, have the rider slowly roll his weight to his toes, turn his hips and shoul-ders and look across the wake to slowly move back across the wake. The rider should continue his direction of travel through the wakes. He does not want to cuthard and then let up. This will cause slack in the rope and make the board ride flat and loseedge control. By making a nice even pull and a smooth carve through the wake, thewakeboarder will be able to cross through the wakes. Once the rider has mastered the heelside carve, have the rider work on the toeside wakecrossing. The rider applies weight to his toes and crosses outside of the opposite wake, trans-ferring weight to his heels and carving back inside the opposite wake. When the rider can cross both wakes, it is a good idea to have the rider work on connectingturns together. A great exercise to work on this technique is having the rider go to the outsideof one of the boat wakes and carve smooth “S-like" turns. The rider will rotate the board fromedge to edge, carving up and down the outside of the wake. The rider wants to tighten up the“S” turns as he rides. Make sure the rider stays in the proper wakeboard position and keeps atight rope at all times. This exercise develops good edging control of the wakeboard and ropecontrol.

Once the rider is completely crossing the wake in each direction and carving smooth “S”turns, have the rider cross over both of the boat wakes without stopping in the middle. It isimportant to have the rider use smooth edge control and continue his direction across both ofthe wakes, keeping his knees bent and looking in the direction he is traveling. It is best to startwith the backside crossing. Backside is when the weight is on the heels and the chest and toesare facing the boat. This position is more natural and easier then the frontside crossing. Therider now uses the carving of the “S” turns and the crossing of the wakes together to carvethrough the boat wakes without stopping in the center.

Getting Air As the rider masters the wake crossings, it is time to add some air to the wake crossing. Inwakeboarding, most of the tricks are done in the air off the wakes. The bigger the air, thehigher the trick point value. The basic skill of wake jumping is an important step inwakeboarding. To jump the wakes, the rider must first start with the proper set-up into the wake. Have the

rider carve to the outside of the wake, keepingthe towrope tight and apply constant pressureon the edge or rail of the wakeboard. This isdone by leaning against the towrope and boatwith the whole body. At this time, the riderwants to wait for the boat to start pulling himback towards the center of the wakes. Therider will start to angle the wakeboard towardsthe wakes and cut progressively, picking upspeed as he approaches the wake. This set upis called loading the line. Using proper ropeand edge control in the approach to the wakeallows the rider to have good air control. Startwith a smooth approach from only a few feetaway from the wake. Keep the board pointedin the direction of travel. With arms in andknees used as shock absorbers, thewakeboard will spring the rider up in the air.

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If the rider is getting slack in the rope on the approach, the rider is turning too quickly. If the wakeboard is flattening out before the wake, the rider is cutting too hard with too muchspeed and coasting into the wake. The right approach with a progressive cut and loading up on the line will provide a good startto the rider’s air time. Now that the rider knows the approach, it is time to get some air. First, have the rider cross tothe outside of the wake and roll onto the heelside edge of the wakeboard. Next the rider willstart the approach to the wake keeping a tight rope. When the rider hits the top of the wake, hewill want to spring off the wake by pushing up on both legs and rising through the lower body.By making the proper approach, loading the towrope and springing off the wake, the rider willlaunched into the air. Explain to the rider that cutting all the way to the top of the wake is thekey to getting air. While in the air, it is very important for the rider to keep the tip of the boardpointed up in the direction of travel. When landing the wake jump, the rider should keep his knees bent slightly and the rope tightat all times. As the rider first tries to get air off the wake, he may not clear the second wake andland between the two wakes. Have the rider work on this maneuver until he can land on theoutside of the second wake. This will come as the rider becomes more comfortable with load-ing the towrope and springing off the wake. Most wakeboard tricks are done as wake-to-waketricks, clearing both wakes. After successfully completing a backside wake crossing with air it is time to try frontside. Thefrontside will feel awkward at first andjumping this way is more difficult. It isnot as natural as backside. The ridermust put weight on the toeside of theboard and use the same approachand landing as he did in the backsidewake jump. Snapping the handle tothe rider’s front hip will help keepthem from twisting during thefrontside jump. The rider will want towork on jumping the wake bothfrontside and backside. If the rider ishaving difficulty in clearing bothwakes, you may want to shorten therope slightly. Once the rider is com-fortable in jumping and clearing bothwakes, the rope can be lengthened toa good riding length.

Learning Wakeboard Tricks

Learning Turns After the rider is comfortable riding the wakeboard, carving and jumping the wakes, the nextstep is teaching the rider to turn the wakeboard. When riding on a wakeboard, there are twopositions: the front position (which is how the rider has been riding so far) and the fakie orswichstance position (fakie or swichstance position is riding with the board backward to thenormal position).

Frontside Wake Crossing

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Turning Fakie To turn the wakeboard for the first time, havethe driver slow the boat speed down a little. Thiswill allow the board to slide easier on the water.Have the rider start in the forward properwakeboarding body position– elbows into thewaist, knees bent and head up. The rider willwant to begin his rotation by initiating the turnwith his hips and sliding his back foot around tothe boat with a shifting of the weight to the legthat is farthest away form the boat. Remind therider to keep equal weight on both feet, keep bothhands on the handle at all times and rotatethrough the hips and lower body. The rider’supper body should not change at all, just theplacement of the handle on his hip. The turning of the wakeboard is a smooth andcontinuous motion. Remind the rider to keep hishead up. The body position in the fakie is the same as in the forward position with the hips up,knees bent and the handle in tight to the waist with the head up. The rider is standing on theboard in a sideways stance position with the rotation of the leading hip through the turn at thecompletion of the rotation, the leading hip should be pointed in the opposite direction (awayfrom the boat). It is important for the rider to rotate to the fakie position. Stopping during therotation will result in a fall. Arms straight, knees bent and head up are the keys. Once the rider has mastered the turning and riding in the fakie position, have the rider steerback and forth inside the wake in the fakie position. It is important that the rider uses properbody position and keep the handle in low to the hip. This is very important in the fakie positionbecause if the rider lets the handle out from the body, the rider will be pulled over through theshoulders and result in a fall. The rider should be able to ride in the fakie position and cross both wakes with air just a easyas he can in his regular stance. This creates a good solid base for the rider to continue learn-ing many new and exciting tricks.

Crossing the wake in the fakie position 50Setting up to cross the wake in the fakie position

Wake 180 The wake 180 is the first trick that the rider willuse a combination of elements: jumping andspinning. It is important that the rider have agood crisp wake before attempting this trick. Thewake can be adjusted to height and crispness byslightly increasing or decreasing the boat speed.Once the desired wake size is reached and hehas no problem getting air, it’s time to learn thewake 180. Have the rider start 5 to 10 feet outside thewake and set a nice easy edge towards thewake, loading up the towrope and carving asmooth turn into the wake. The rider will ap-proach the crest of the wake and spring off thewake by extending his legs. When the

board clears the wake, the rider will start torotate the board 180 degrees, as he did in thesurface 180, keeping the handle into his bodyand towrope tight. When landing in the fakie position, the riderwants to keep his knees bent to act as shockabsorbers and the handle at his hip. It is best toinstruct the student to start with the frontside orhalf cab (backside) wake 180 because they arethe easiest to learn. You can also instruct the driver to slow the boatdown a little so that the rider can approach thewake and do a surface 180 at the top of thewake, sliding down the side of the wake. Thisallows the rider to get the feeling of the trick.Then they can slowly start to cut harder andharder, increasing the boat speed to obtain airwith the rotation. One of the most common errors is starting theturn too soon. Remind the rider to wait until heclears the wake to pivot with his lower body andlet the board rotate around. Some riders find iteasier to learn this trick by starting in the fakieposition and turning 180 degrees to the forwardposition off the wake. This makes for a forwardlanding and is easier for the rider to spot thefront. This can be done by having the rider turn asurface 180 to the fakie position and then ap-proach the wake in the fakie position. Once therider has mastered the wake 180 and is landinginside the wake, have the rider load up on thetowrope a little more on the approach to obtainmore air and cross over both wakes while rotat-ing 180 degrees.

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Starting the turn

Preparing to land

The landing

This trick is called a two wake 180. It is done the same as a one wake except the rider in-creases his carve and towrope load on the approach and pops off the wake a little harder toclear both wakes. When spinning the wake 180, make sure that the rider rotates straight off the wake and doesnot throw the trick through his shoulders. Keeping a straight axis in the trick will allow for abetter rotation and landing. A key to this is to instruct the rider to move the handle to the oppo-site hip so he will rotate straight. After mastering the basic wake 180, the rider should learn both frontside and backside 180in fakie and forward positions, one wake and two wake. This way the rider will become moreversatile in take off and landing in all directions. The rider also will be able to use this skill whilelearning more advanced tricks.

Grabs Once the wakeboarder has masteredgetting air off the wakes and clearing bothwakes, it is fun to have the rider try learn-ing some grabs. Grabs are a big part ofwakeboarding and there are many typesof grabs to learn. Grabs are done with avariety of tricks. When teaching grabs themost important thing to tell your rider is tomake sure he brings the board up to hishand. The rider does not want to leanover in the upper body to grab the board.The rider wants to bend through theknees and reach down with his arms tograb the wakeboard. It is very importantthat the rider keep his head and shoul-ders up in the direction of travel whenattempting a grab. The rider will approach the wake with agood angle and load up on the towrope.

Once the rider has extended off the wake and is in the air, the rider will pull his lower body upusing his legs, and grab the board with his hand. When referring to the forward hand in the direction of travel when grabbing the wakeboard,the term for this is the front hand The following hand in the direction of travel is the referred toas the rear hand. Grabs are done on a variety of places on the board and each grab has adifferent name.

The following is a list of several grabs:Tail Grab: The rider grabs the tail side of the board with the rear hand.Melancholy: The rider grabs the heelside of the board between his feet using the fronthand.Roast Beef: The rider grabs between his legs the heelside of the board with his rearhand.Indy Grab: The rider grabs the board on the toeside of the board between his feet withhis rear hand.

Indy Grab

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Roast Beef Grab

Once the grabs with big air are mastered.The rider can join tricks together while crossingthe wake to create new tricks. If the rider doesa front hand toeside grab and bones out(straightens out) the back leg with the board infront of him, this trick is called a slob. Anothervariation is if the rider does a backscratcherwith a front hand heelside grab, this is called aMethod. The tricks that a novice through eliterider can learn are endless. That is what makesriding and teaching wakeboarding so much funfor the instructor and the student.

Novice Wakeboard Tricks Through the basics of learning to ride a wakeboard the rider has learned some of the basicwakeboard tricks. The following is a list of the wakeboard tricks that the rider has alreadylearned that are worth points in a novice wakeboard tournament. It is important to encourageyour rider to keep learning new tricks and to have fun riding the wakeboard. When teachingwakeboarding, encourage the rider to relax and have fun by going for big air and just enjoyingthe ride.

Standing on the wakeboard - riding the wakeboardin proper wakeboarding positionFS(Frontside) / BS(Backside) Carve - rider carves aturn outside the wakeFS/BS off the wake- rider crosses the wake withoutgetting airSurf the Wake - rider links 3 or more “S” turns to-gether carving up and down the side of the wake.BS Air - crossing one wake backside and getting airFS Air - crossing one wake frontside and getting airFS/BS Surface 180- turning the board into the fakieposition and backBS Air (2 Wakes)-getting air off one wake backsideand landing on the opposite side of the second wakeFS Air(2 Wakes)-getting air off one wake frontsideand landing on the opposite side of the second wake

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Stiffy

Bunny Hop

The following is list of other novice tricks for your student to start working on and some coach-ing tips to assist you.

Bunny Hop - Starting outside the wake, the rider hops offthe water without using the wake. The board must comeclear out of the water. The rider uses his lower body tospring up off the water surface. The rider does not want totry to lift the wakeboard. Instead, bend through the kneesand extend off both feet evenly and upward, and the boardwill release off the water. You can also suggest doing aslight cut before the hop to help the rider leave the water.Lip Slide - Have the rider approach the crest of the wake.Once on the crest, the rider should slide the wakeboard sothat he is riding in a sideways position on the lip of thewake. The rider may want to first try turning the board tothe sideways position behind the boat and then move tothe lip or crest of the wake. It is important to have the riderkeep his head and shoulders up and bring the rope intothe opposite hip. When first learning this trick, you maywant to have the boat driver slow down slightly to make iteasier to turn the board to the sliding position.

Bunny Hop 180 - This trick is the same as a bunny hop with added rotation. Once the riderhas mastered the 180-degree surface turn and the bunny hop, he will be ready to attempt thistrick. With the extension through the legs and releasing the board off the water, have the rideradd a 180-degree rotation. Make sure that the rotation is done at the peak of the release of theboard. The rider rotates through the hips asin the surface 180 and lands in the fakieposition.Backscratcher- Using the wake for air, therider raises the board to a 90-degree angleto the water. If the rider is clearing bothwakes and getting big air, it is time for him tostart to move the board around in the air. Therider wants to bend his knees and pull hisfeet up towards his backside, raising theboard to the 90-degree angle to the water.Returning to proper wakeboarding positionfor the landing, use the knees to absorb thelanding.Stiffy- In this trick, the rider brings the boardout in front of his body as he straightens outboth legs. From the boat, the instructorshould see the bottom of the board. Usingthe wake for a good launch into the air, therider lifts up on his feet and legs whilestraightening his legs, raising the board out in front of his body.

A full list of wakeboard tricks is listed in the USA Water Ski Wakeboard Rule Book. 54

Chapter 10Learning To Kneeboard

Kneeboarding is fun and enjoyable for the entire family to participate in at any skill level.Kneeboarding is a great step for the novice student to learn rope control and just experiencebeing behind a boat in the middle of a lake. However, as in all other water ski disciplines, it isimportant to master the fundamentals of kneeboarding to make it an enjoyable experience andfor the opportunity to advance. As in tricks skiing, kneeboarding is done at a slower boat speedand can be performed behind a lower horsepower boat, making it great for a camp and familyactivity.

Equipment

All that is required to kneeboard is a towrope, flotation device, kneeboard and the towboatand crew.

Kneeboard Kneeboards come in a standard size, but vary in weight and board design. All kneeboardsare padded on the upper surface to protect a rider’s knees, and are equipped with a strap tosecure the rider on the board. For the beginning kneeboarder, almost any kneeboard will work.As the rider becomes more advanced in the sport of kneeboarding, the weight and the paddingstyle of the board will become more important.

Rope As in tricks skiing, the rope length is personal preference and suited to the kneeboarder’sweight and ability. When working with a beginner on the kneeboard the rope length is of littleimportance and a regular 75-foot towrope will be adequate to start. As the kneeboarder ad-vances, the rope length will become more important.

Personal Flotation As in all aspects of waterskiing, a flotation device is re-quired. The device should fit thebody snug and be the propersize for the student.

Getting Started

Dry land Instruction As in all lessons, it is best tostart with dry land instruction,teaching the student the properbody position, handle positionand explaining how to start on akneeboard.

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Handle Position There are actually two ways to hold the handle, inthe palms down/overhand grip or in the baseballgrip (See general information section for a moredetailed description of these grips). Both arecorrect and the student can easily change fromone to the other. It is all a matter of preference.Once the student becomes familiar with bothpositions they can decide which one feels morecomfortable and will provide the best control inwhat they are attempting.

Body Position The basic body position for kneeboarding is akneeling position, with the knees on the kneeboardand heels touching the buttocks. The student’sback is straight and his weight is on his ankles. Hisarms should be slightly bent and positioned into the body. (See rope and handle positioning.)

Arm And Handle Position The arm and handle position is one of the most important aspects of kneeboarding, regard-less of which of the two grips the student uses. When riding in the forward position, the studentshould keep both hands on the handle with his arms bent at approximately the 90-degreeangle, and his upper arms close to his rib cage. Holding the handle in this manner will allowthe student to keep his back straight, while letting his arms move in and out to stabilize hisbalance on the kneeboard. It is important to keep the arms bent. If the student should extendhis arms, the only move he can make is inward. If his arms are too close to his body, the onlymove he can make is outward. With the arms at a 90-degree angle, the student will be able tomove his arms in both directions in and out and have good control. If the student is holding his arms in the correct position, the handle will be held low andnever more than six inches from his body. The reason for the correct handle position has to dowith the weight of the student’s body in relation to the kneeboard. If the handle is held too farfrom the body, the motion of the body will be forward and cause too much weight on the noseof the kneeboard. If the student is holding the handle to close too his body, the student willtend to lean back and cause his weight to shift to the tail of the kneeboard and the board willbounce.

Starting On A Kneeboard

There are two basic methods for learning a start on a kneeboard. The beach start and thedeep-water start. One important factor when teaching a student to kneeboard, especially ayounger student, is to make sure prior to starting on the water that the student understands theoperation of the knee strap and how to get out of the strap in a fall. If the student should fall,the board could roll on top of him in the water. The student must know how to get out of thestrap in the water. It is a good idea to assist the student in the water and practice getting out ofthe strap in the event of a fall. When learning to ride a kneeboard, in some cases the strap isnot needed for a while until the student progresses.

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Beach Start The beach start is the easiest kneeboard start to learnbecause the student is already on the kneeboard in ariding position. You will want to place the kneeboard onthe beach a few feet from the edge of the water and pointit in the direction you want to travel. Make sure that theshoreline gradually slopes to the water and the pathwayis clear of rocks or other debris that might damage thekneeboard. Have the student kneel on the board so thathis knees are a couple of inches from the top of thepadded area. Fasten the strap, if one is being used. While holding on to the handle and as the slack istaken out of the towrope, the student will shout “Hit It.” Asthe driver accelerates, the student should lean back asthe board slides onto the water. By leaning back, thestudent’s weight will be on the back of the board andstops the nose of the board from going underwater. Thedriver will want to accelerate to about 14 m.p.h., depend-ing on the weight and size of the student. If a smalleryouth is learning, the towboat speed should be between10 to 12 mph. Once on the water, if the board starts tobounce the student should lean forward to eliminate thebouncing. As the student hits the water with thekneeboard, he will want to concentrate on staying on topof the kneeboard and keeping the handle in close to hisstomach for balance. The student does not want to leanfrom side to side to balance, but rather use the handlepositioning for control.

Deep Water Start

To learn a deep water start, the student willbegin in the water by lying on his stomach ontop of the kneeboard. The key to this start is tohave his weight on his elbows with only the topof the board out of the water during the start, theelbows are positioned on the kneeboard wherethe knees will end up when in the riding position.It is a good idea to tell the student to put thestrap under one elbow or hold onto it with histhumbs while holding the handle, so that whenhe slides up to the riding position the strap willnot be stuck underneath him. The student will use his elbows to balance theboard, not his hands. After the student instructsthe boat driver to “hit it,” the boat should acceler-

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ate moderately to the predetermined boat speed.The student should grip the handle with both handsand lay on his stomach. Once the board is sliding over the water, it is timefor the student to gently move into the kneeboardingposition, by slowly sliding both knees up and evenly.Any jerky movements will throw the rider off bal-ance. It is also crucial to instruct the student tomake sure that his knees come up and touch hiselbows before they come off the pad. The momentthat hiselbowsarere-leased

off the pad, the rider should rock his weight backonto his heels. Once in position on the kneeboard, the studentshould straighten his back to the properkneeboarding positioning. Then releasing one handfrom the handle, the student can reach down andslide the strap over his thighs and fasten it. It maytake the student several tries to get the feeling forthe deep water start. Just encourage the studentthat falling is a part of learning.

Teaching Young Children When working with younger students, it is suggested that the strap be removed or tighteneddown onto the board, disabling the use of the strap. Many children find it hard to release them-selves from the strap and may become frightened under the water while still attached to thekneeboard in the event of a fall. When children are learning basic kneeboarding techniques,the strap does not need to be used. When working with smaller, lightweight students who are kneeboarding for the first time,another suggestion is for the instructor to assist the student on the start.

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The instructor can hold the kneeboard in waist deepwater and balance the board for the student, whoneeds to assume the kneeboarding position (kneeling)on the board. As the driver accelerates, the instructorreleases the board and the student kneeboards away.This is a great way to assist younger students andallow their first experience behind the boat to be aneasy and pleasurable one. The instructor, dependingon his ability level, can also kneeboard beside thechild and offer assistance on the start and throughoutthe experience.

Learning MoreTurning The Kneeboard The key to teaching the student to turn the kneeboard across the water is to teach the stu-dent how to edge. Edging on a kneeboard is similar to edging a wakeboard or slalom ski. Toedge on a kneeboard, the student must rotate through his head and upper body. For example,if the student wants to turn to the left, he will rotate his head and upper body to the left, whilepulling the handle towards his right hip and pointing the nose of the board in the direction in

which he is turning. As he does this, he will shifthis weight away from the boat which raises theleading edge of the kneeboard and sets thefarthest edge away into the water. This createsthe carving edge of the kneeboard. To turn tothe right, the opposite is done. The student willrotate his head and upper body to the right, pullthe handle into his left hip, shift his weight ontothe trailing edge and lean away from the boat,which creates an edging motion in the oppositedirection. The student should control the press-ing on the trailing edge by applying a little morepressure to the left or right leg. When working on edging, if the nose or rail of

the student’s kneeboard is digging into the water, the student needs to keep more weight onthe trailing edge of the kneeboard to raise the edge out of the water by leaning away from theboat as he turns. If the student is falling overbackward while edging, he needs to keep hisarms slightly bent as he leans. If the studentslides sideways instead of edging and cutting,he should pull the handle into his hip moreagainst the boat and lean back to put moreweight onto his leg farthest from the boat. If thestudent does not apply pressure to a single leg,the kneeboard will not edge and only slide.Once the student is carving inside the wakeswith ease, have him practice crossing thewakes, carving turns and continuing throughboth wakes.

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Learning Kneeboard Tricks Once the student is comfortable with starting and riding the kneeboard, he will be ready tolearn some of the basic kneeboard tricks. As in tricks skiing and wakeboarding, the rider canlearn surface tricks, wake tricks and air tricks on the kneeboard. When the student is startingto learn tricks, it is best to use a 75-foot towrope to stay clear of the wakes. The boat speedshould be between 14 and 18 m.p.h. for an adult kneeboarder and slightly slower for alighter, younger student. Learning surface tricks on a kneeboard is easier than on a pair ofskis, since a kneeboard is much bigger, the student is closer to the water, the board movesslower and his body is in a more compact position. Although it is easier to teach a new trickon the water, it is best to demonstrate to the student the motions of the trick on dry land firstand then have the student practice the motion on land for you. Once the student has movedto the water and is comfortable doing tricks behind the towboat, have the student try thesame surface trick on the outside of the wake to prepare the student for more advancedtricks to come. The student’s handle positioning when doing tricks should be in the over-hand/palms down grip. This grip provides better control and helps the student keep thehandle in closer to his hip when turning.

Side Slide

The side slide involves turning thekneeboard sideways 90 degrees tothe boat and then returning to theforward position. The side slide canbe performed to the right or to theleft. To perform a side slide, thestudent wants to make it onesmooth fluid motion, turning hisbody and the board at the sametime, while pulling the handle intohis hip and shifting his weight to theleg away from the boat.

Example: If the student is turning to his right, he will want to pull the handle to his left hipwhile turning in a fluid motion, shifting his weight to his right leg and raising the left edge ofthe kneeboard out of the water, which creates a smoother slide for the board. It is important to make sure that the student keeps the handle near his left hip and hisarms bent with his upper arms near his rib cage. If the board is positioned at a 90-degreeangle to the boat, the student should have no problem maintaining the side slide. Make sure the student keeps his head up and is looking at the horizon. Once in the sideslide position, all the student needs to do to return to the forward position is turn his bodyand the board towards the boat, moving the handle away from his hip and back to the frontkneeboarding position. The movement of the handle and the pull of the boat will turn thestudent forward. As the student is turning forward, he should shift his weight evenly to bothlegs for a smoother ride. To turn the side slide in the opposite direction, the student reversesthese movements.

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Surface 180-Degree Turn The surface 180-degree turn canbe performed to the left or right. Itinvolves turning the kneeboard tothe 180-degree position, a full back-wards position from the boat. Whentrying a 180-degree turn, instruct thestudent to turn in one fluid motion,turning his body and the board allthe way backwards until the nose ofthe board is facing back. The studentwill want to pull in on the handle tohis left or right hip depending on thedirection he is going to turn. It is bestfor the student to first turn to the sidethat feels more natural. As the student progresses, he will learn to turn to both sides. Pulling inon the handle, the student should release the handle with the hand that is leading in the direc-tion of travel, keeping the handle arm bent and near his rib cage. When turning, the studentshould rotate the wrist of the hand on the handle and shift his weight to the nose of the boardto raise the tail of the kneeboard slightly out of the water. Once in the backward position, the student will regrip the handle with two hands, both palmsup keeping it close to his lowerback. Performing 180-degree turnsrequires the student to twist more atthe waist to position the board 180-degrees to the boat. As in all waterski disciplines, it is important thatthe kneeboarder keeps his head upand look at the horizon. If the stu-dent is looking down, it will shift hisweight to the nose of the board andcause the board to bounce. Onceriding in the backwards position, thekneeboarder will be leaning slightlyaway from the boat, keeping thehandle in close to his lower back,with equal weight on both legs. To return to the forward position, itis the same as in the side slide. The student will let go with one hand and slowly let the handleout. The pull of the boat will turn the student to the forward position. Once the student hasmastered the 180 in one direction, have him work on the opposite direction, setting a goodbase for more advanced maneuvers.

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The 360-Degree Turn

Learning the 360-degree turn is easy if thestudent has mastered the side slide and 180-degree turn. The start of the 360-degree turn isthe same as the 180-degree turn with the samepull of the rope to the hip and the same spinningmotion to the backwards position. As the studentreaches the back position, he will continue themotion instead of stopping the rotation.

The student should rotate his wrist of the handthat is holding the handle and regrab the handlewith his free hand in the back position. Then, letgo with the first hand. This creates a hand-to-hand pass and continues the rotation to the front,slowly letting the handle out. The student shouldkeep his head and shoulders turning in thedirection of travel, keeping his eyes on the hori-zon. Once the board and the student reach theforward position, the student will finish with bothhands on the handle just as he started. Have thestudent try the turn in the opposite direction aswell.

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Chapter 11Learning To Barefoot

Barefoot water skiing is fun and exciting. The feeling of skiing across the water on your barefeet is one of great achievement. Along with the great feeling of barefoot skiing also comeshard falls. When learning to barefoot, it is important to pay close attention to safety. Also, whenteaching barefoot skiing, limit your student to three or four tries and then instruct the student totake a rest. This will help limit the chances of a student falling and suffering an injury.

Safety It is important in barefooting, as in all your lessons, to be safe. The following are some impor-tant issues of safety when barefoot skiing.

1. Make sure the student is wearing the right equipment.2. Never barefoot in unfamiliar water or in water with floating debris.3. Make sure the student knows the skier hand signals.4. Do not put the rope around or over any part of the student’s body.5. Have the student sink into the water on a landing.6. Explain to the student to never to attempt to hold onto the handle in a fall.7. If using a boom, make sure it is properly attached and be sure the driver is experienced in driving with a boom.

EquipmentTowboat The towboat is an important part of learning to barefoot. If the towboat can pull an adultslalom skier up in a deep water start without hesitation, it will be adequate to teach a beginnerto barefoot. The right amount of power in the towboat is important. A quality barefoot boat isequipped to pull barefoot skiers at speeds of 44 m.p.h.. Speeds above 40 m.p.h are not neces-sary to pull beginning barefooters.

Towrope When choosing a towrope for the barefoot lesson, it is important to choose one that is of anon-stretch material. Make sure the handle is free of any sharp abrasions to protect againstand injury.

Barefoot Suit The student must wear a proper protective barefoot suit to protect his body. A snug fittingpadded barefoot wetsuit is recommended. This provides the proper protection in the event of afall. If a barefoot suit is not available, another option is a shorty or a thick wetsuit, along with aproper snug fitting flotation device.

The Boom When teaching beginners, a boom is a fabulous training tool. Most booms are made of light-weight aluminum and attach to the boat. Make sure the boom is attached according to themanufacturer’s directions in a safe and secure manner. It is also important that the driverunderstand the techniques of how to drive with a boom and pull a barefoot water skier.

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Getting Started

Driving For Beginner When driving for a beginner, it is important to remember that being on the slower side issafer. The driver should never push the throttle down in a hard and rough manner. The accel-eration of the boat should always be in a smooth constant manner until the desired speed isreach for the student. The speed for the student will depend on the weight, size and ability ofthe skier. When driving for a beginner on the boom, the driver should start off slowly and wait until thestudent has rotated through his lower body, with his feet in the forward position and riding onhis rearend. Then the driver will slowly accelerate, as the skier plants his feet in the properbarefoot position. When starting on the kneeboard, the driver will start as if he is pulling a kneeboarder. Whenthe student has his feet out in front of the board ready to barefoot, the driver slowly acceleratesas the student places his feet into the water. For the step-off start, the driver will pull the skier up out of the water for the deep waterstart. When the student is ready and places his free foot into the water, the driver will acceler-ate to the barefoot speed. It is important when driving for a barefooter to communicate with the observer and watchwhat the student is doing. If the student in out of position or having difficulty, it is best to gradu-ally slow the boat down to avoid a bad fall. A smooth constant accelerated pull is best when pulling a new barefooter.

Speed Although many people believe that barefoot skiing requires excessive speed, this is not thecase. The speed depends on the skier’s weight, height and the size of his foot. An easy rule toapply to determine the speed is to divide the student’s weight by 10 and add 20. For example,if the skier weights 100 pounds, the boat speed should be around 30 m.p.h. The exception tothis is people with small feet or high arches, they may require more speed than people with flatand wider feet.

Getting Started As in all the lessons, it is as important to work withthe student on dry land before entering the water.Explain to the student the proper body position andthe proper positioning of the feet on the water sur-face.

Body Position•knees bent•low for stability•feet shoulder-width apart•shoulders straight up in front of hips•feet under the knees•hold the handle in the overhand position with palms down•proper foot position•head up

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Foot Position One of the most important techniques is the proper foot position in the water. The studentwants just the right plane and angle on the soles of the feet, with the water breaking on the

balls of the feet and toes up. If a student is footing withankles that are too stiff and curled toes, no matter howmuch he practices, his progress will be limited due to theplacement of his weight on his heels. The student wantshis feet under his knees with his toes relaxed and anklesflexed. The water should be hitting the balls of his feet. Ifhis feet are too flat, the student will catch a toe and fall.If his feet are too angled with his heels dug in, it willcause unnecessary drag and spray. The right placementof the feet is important to the success of a student’sprogress in barefoot skiing.

Moving To The Water There are various ways to teach a beginner to barefoot. The most effective method is byusing a boom. If the use of a boom is not available, other methods such as starting off akneeboard or stepping off a water ski can be taught. Teaching with a boom is highly recommended because the solid structure of the boom willallow the student to support himself. This is followed by barefooting with a short rope off theboom and then long-line behind the boat. Other methods such as working with a kneeboardallows the student to transfer his weight from the kneeboard to his feet. The last method, step-ping off the ski, is the most difficult. This involves transferring weight from a ski to the water.This method should be used only if the others are unavailable.

Boom Method When teaching a student to barefoot off the boom without a ski, make sure to go over all thesteps prior to the lesson. After reviewing the lesson, practice it with the boom in the water.

1. Have the student hold the end of theboom with both hands in the overhandgrip. Then have the driver slowly startto pull the student in a sliding positionacross the water on his stomach.

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2. The student should rotate onto his back pulling his knees to his chest, rotating to a frontposition keeping his inside hip off the water. Instruct the boat driver to gradually increasing theboat speed to 25 m.p.h.. The boom should be high enough so that the students hips are justtouching the water.

3. The student should position his feet aboutshoulder width apart with his toes up and legsbent, keeping his knees closer together thanhis feet. He should slowly place his feet underhis buttocks, then slowly placing his feet intothe water and begin to stand up. He shouldmove his shoulders forward and keep his armsstraight, knees bent and buttocks low to thewater.

As the instructor, you need to pay closeattention to the student’s foot and body posi-tion. If you see that the student is in thewrong position, you can advise the driver toslow down. The student’s feet will sink behindhim. This will save the student from manyhard falls when learning. When teaching young children to barefoot,the boom should be adjusted to a high posi-tion so that the younger student hangs fromthe boom and places his feet into the water inthe correct barefooting position.

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Kneeboard Start Method The most difficult part of this start method is for the student to maintain his balance on thekneeboard. The key is to try to center his body weight over the center of the board and lean

back. His feet and legs can be usedto stabilize the kneeboard by keep-ing the handle pulled into the waist.Inform the driver that he can help thestudent by keeping the rope tight ashe positions himself on the board.The student may also find it helpful ifhe grips the sides off the kneeboardlightly with his legs. The driver will then want to accel-erate slowly to about 10 to 12 m.p.h.The student should lean back withthe handle held into the waist andresist the boat’s pull. This will raisethe nose of the board above thewater and help the board plane. It isimportant that the student rememberto keep his feet above the water asthe boat accelerates. When the board starts to plane,the student should lean forward withthe torso and steer the board outsideof the wake by shifting his weight onthe board in the desired direction of

travel. At this time, the student can place his feet on the nose of the board to enable him tomove the board easier. If the board begins to bounce under the student, the student has toomuch weight on the back on the board and should slide forward to balance the board. Once outside of the wake and in a stable position, the student can place his feet gently onthe water surface shoulder width apart. Make sure the student does not dig his heels into the

water. At this point when you see that thestudent has placed his feet into the water,instruct the driver to gradually acceleratethe boat to barefoot speed. As the boat accelerates to barefootspeed, the student will extend his armsand in the crouch position shift, theweight forward onto his feet. Make surethat the student keeps his toes up. Thestudent should shift his weight forward sothat it is now on his feet so he can startto rise off the kneeboard. Remind the student to stay in thecrouch position to prevent a fall out thefront. As the student transfers his weight,the kneeboard will slip out from underhim. Remind the student of the basicbarefooting body and foot positions.

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If the student is having problems balanc-ing the kneeboard, have the studentcenter his weight in the middle of theboard and remind the driver to keep therope tight. If the kneeboard is submergingon the student, he needs to lean awayfrom the boat and keep the handle into hiswaist at the start. When the student startsto stand up off the kneeboard and fallsforward, he needs to stand up slower andallow the boat to pull him up. He shouldstay in a low, crouched position and keephis knees bent. This method of startingalso may be used on a short rope on theboom as one of the steps in the progres-sion from the boom to long line.

Stepping Off A Ski This method, like the kneeboard method, can be taught on the boom or on long-line behindthe boat. Stepping off a ski while holding onto the boom when done correctly is a great way tolearn to barefoot. This step is recommended on a boom after the student can barefoot suc-cessfully while holding onto the boom. Stepping off the ski while holding onto the boom allowsthe student to support some of his weight on the boom and some on the ski. The boom willabsorb a lot of the skier’s weight. If the student is trying this long-line, it will take the exact bodyposition and techniques to step off the ski properly.

It is best to use a flat bottom ski andmake sure that the bindings are looseenough to let the ski slip off whenready. You can also use a ski withoutthe rear heal attached. The studentwill begin in the slalom position withhis knees bent, head up, shouldersback and the handle in at his waist.The student will want to gently trans-fer all his weight to his front foot andease his back foot out of the bindingor off the ski. The student then shouldlightly place his foot just on the edgeof the water surface, feeling the waterhit the middle of his foot. Place thefoot close to the ski and about a foot-length ahead of the foot on the ski,with toes up. Bending through theknees and sitting low, the student willpush his foot into the water. He shouldkeep his shoulders straight up and in

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front of his hips. When the student places his foot into the water, the driver should accelerate to barefootingspeed. As the boat reaches barefoot speed, instruct the student to gradually shift his weight offhis skiing leg and onto his foot placed in the water. As he transfers his weight, he should slowlylean his upper body and shoulders over his foot in the water. The foot on the ski should slowlyease behind the student and he should slide his heel out of the ski. Bring the foot up and placeit into the water a shoulder width apart from the other foot with both knees turned in slightly.Instruct the student to place his feet into proper foot position. If the student is wobbly while standing on the ski and when placing his foot in the water, havethe student sit lower and push his front foot out a little more. If the student is having problemsdropping the ski and lifting his foot out of the bindings, you may want to check and make surethe bindings are loose enough and have the student practice lifting his foot out on dry land.

Error Detection The following is a list of common errors and solutions to help you instruct your student for asuccessful and safe barefooting experience.

Error CorrectionThe barefooter is catching a toe Make sure that the boat speed is fast enough, knees

are bent and the water is breaking on the ball ofthe student’s foot

Too much spray in the skiers face Have the student bend his knees a little more andtransfer weight off his heels

Lower back tires quickly The student should keep his back straight and hipsforward

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Work with the student until he has mastered the correct body position and then it will be timefor the student to advance to long line off the boom.

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This incorrect body position, is a real common error for beginners. The student is bent for-ward with his knees too stiff and hips behind him. His feet are turned out causing excessivespray. Positioning like this will result in the student taking hard falls.

Chapter 12Water Toys

There are many additional activities that your students can enjoy on the water behind atowboat. These activities, to list a few, include tubes, sleds, discs and other unique tow items.As in all water ski disciplines the most important aspect to remember when working or letting astudent enjoy one of the many water toys is safety first. These toys can be a lot of fun for thestudent if the right driving techniques and proper safety precautions are followed.

Tubes, Sleds and Discs Tubes, sleds and discs are free sliding objects on the water surface that have no fins. Theseobjects slide across the water surface with the pull of the boat and the boat driver, rather thanthe rider, in control. It is extremely important when pulling any of these objects to make surethe student does not get caught on a whip outside the boat wake in a turn or any time duringthe ride. When pulling a sliding object with little or no control, the driver should always beaware of the student’s location. When pulling a water toy, the towboat speed should remainslow, for it is really easy for these toys to slide out of control and endanger a student at fasterspeeds. With the proper safety precautions, these toys can be a lot of fun for all to enjoy. When riding one of these toys, always wear a proper flotation device. Explain to the first timerthe operation of the toy. Although there are many different types of water toys on the market today, in most cases thestudent will either sit inside the toy or on top. On other toys, the student will lay on his stomach.Usually the rope is tied to the water toy itself and the student holds onto the sides of the toy(see manufacturer’s suggestions for operation of each toy). These toys can be allot of fun forthe student that just wants to get wet and experience being towed behind a boat.

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Acknowledgments

This manual has been produced by USA Water Ski with the assistance of professionalcoaches and athletes, and volunteers, such as Jim Grew, AWSA's National Coaching Advi-sory committee chair, and it members. Project director was Sue Barnes Smith, USA WaterSki's membership development and athlete program coordinator and the daughter of RegBarnes the original writer of the Level 1 manual for the Cananadian Water Ski Association andthe American Water Ski Association. Sue Barnes Smith compiled the materials and wrote andrevised the manual.

USA Water Ski especially acknowledges the Canadian Water Ski Association, whose Level 1manual served as a model for the original Level 1 manual.

Additional credits: Greg Nixon, manual editor; Sue Barnes Smith and Greg Nixon photogra-phers; Christopher Smith, Sue Barnes Smith, Steven Smith, Robbie Vandruten, JamesVandruten, Tyler McDermeit, Bill Peterson, Bret Nill, Mark Ritchhart, and Leah Ritchhart, photomodels. Special thank you to O'Brien International for use of equipment.

The publication of this manual was assisted by a grant from the United States Olympic Com-mittee, of which USA Water Ski is recognized as a Pan American sport member organization.