Last night we visited Frame Park and took in the 2007
Badgerland Water Ski Show. While enjoying the show, a wave of memories surfaced…
Our entire family joined the Badgerland Team in the mid-90’s. As parents, we were simply hoping our young kids would learn to ski more proficiently. Well – things don’t always turn out as you planned. Our kids certainly became proficient skiers, but their club opportunities and experiences continue to play huge roles in their lives more than 12 years later.
Team HistoryBadgerland was formed 24 years ago and has skied on Nagawicka Lake, Silver Lake, Lake Keesus, Fowler Lake, and on the Fox River within Frame Park. In addition to numerous WI State Championships, they are past National Champions. They consistently place in the “TOP 10” Nationally to this day. Family-oriented, the shows feature skiers and performers aged 4 to 70! The Show Skiing; pyramids, barefooting, jumping, water ballet, swivel skis and more, is a colorful, fast-paced blend of precision skiing coupled with an ongoing stage show (you know…good guys vs. bad guys…good guys get the girls!).
The Family - Then!As a direct result of Badgerland, our kids gained poise, believe in teamwork, understand the need for practice and discipline, developed stage presence, and learned the values inherent from skiing with “The Best”. They performed at Summerfest, Harleyfest, Riverfest, and countless road shows criss-crossing the Country. Quite literally, they helped bring that
“Badgerland Magic” to hundreds of thousands of fans. Kelly and Caitlin have been on world-record pyramids; the Club has been on all the local television networks, ESPN, Outdoor Life, and the list goes on… Our oldest,
Kelly, traveled as a high school senior with several team members to China in 2002 where they competed against the Chinese National Team – once in front of +100,000 spectators! As an aside, volunteer clubs get everyone involved. Before I knew it, my summers were spent on hot stages as an announcer, initially in a full tux playing the role of a casino owner followed by turns as a tribal chieftain in a grass skirt; a camp counselor in knee socks; and
worse.
The Family – Fast Forward to today!Kelly, Jordan, and Caitlin are tremendous skiers with abilities to swivel, jump, barefoot, and even climb 20 feet in the air on water-skiing pyramids! Like most club members, past and present, they are natural performing hams who love making difficult skiing appear effortless. More importantly, our “kids” show little or no fear towards public speaking; they interface well in group activities; they have instructed and introduced dozens of younger kids to their first-time “up” on skis; and it’s now obvious to us the many positives show-skiing played in their development. One of Kelly’s recent job interviews ended with the interviewer asking her all about her show-skiing experiences - she got the job!
The banks of the Fox River came alive last night as boat after boat brought the grace, beauty, splendor, comedy, speed, and excitement of Badgerland Show Skiing to (almost) Downtown Waukesha. With the season winding down, there are still 2 remaining 6:30 Wednesday evening shows.
And the shows are free!!…Now wouldn’t it have been great if
I had learned to ski?
