University Of Florida Wakeboard Team Awarded $500 Scholarship From USA Wakeboard
Gators earn cash award during inaugural College Wake Watch Party
POLK CITY, Fla. – USA Wakeboard is pleased to announce that the University of Floridawakeboard team won the $500 cash scholarship during the inaugural College Wake Watch Party on Sept.26. The team can use the scholarship money during its upcoming season.
USA Wakeboard hosted the inaugural College Wake Watch Party at www.AllianceWake.com forthe premiere of the 2013 USA Wakeboard Collegiate Wakeboard Nationals, which was held May 24-26, in Shreveport, La. The 12 schools that competed this year – Central Washington University won the national team title – had a chance to win the $500 cash scholarship. In order to win, each school had to set up a party on their campus and #CollegeWakeParty and #[school name]WakeTeam on all of their social media outlets. USA Wakeboard tracked all parties and judged all of the content posted. The winner was chosen based on quantity of posts, quality of posts and creativity.
“I’d like to give a hefty shout out to USA Wakeboard and AllianceWake.com for the $500 scholarship,” said James Ort, president of the University of Florida Wake Club. It will be well spent on entry fees and reimbursements.” For a behind the scenes highlight video of the team, visit: http://vimeo.com/59430002.
The University of Florida will next play host to the 2013 USA Wakeboard Southeast Collegiate Regionals, Nov. 16, at Lake Wauburg in Gainesville, Fla. The Southeast Regionals is a qualifying event for the 2014 Collegiate Wakeboard National Championships. For more information on the event, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/143043242569141/.
USA Wakeboard is one of nine sport discipline organizations of USA Water Ski, which was formed in 1939 as a non-profit organization promoting water skiing in the United States. USA Water Ski is affiliated with the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (world governing body) and is recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and Pan-American Sports Organization as the national governing body of organized water skiing and wakeboarding in the United States.
October 11, 2013
Heel yeah Marcus!
October 14, 2013
Here is the original article:
“Some people go Greek, some people go geek, but I joined The University of Florida Wakeboard Club.
Wakeboarding has taught me that one of the most crucial factors in the pursuit of happiness lies in the people you spend your time with. It’s impossible not to be stoked on life when you're around the University of Florida wakeboard club members. Look at our pictures and videos from the USA wakeboard collegiate nationals premier, and you can see why I'm pumped to call these jammers my extended family.
Not only are these guys killing it at life, but we have more shredders than a hot dang cheese grading factory! Freddie Wayne, voted the best collegiate wakeboarder, Marcus Knox, voted Rookie of the year by the Wakeskate Mag, Dixie Smith, stomped a backroll after a month of learning how to wakeboard, Jon Kistemaker, learns a new trick every time he rides, Chris Pate, a new freshman slaysher on the waterskate, not to mention an entire class of raging freshman that are stoked about UF’s free wakeboarding program. And then there’s our team mascot, Chillber, my “mini” pig. It may or may not even be legal to have as much fun as we do. It’s absurd.
Come party with us anytime; just bring some jorts, yer shredsled, and yer feeshin pole.
But seriously, come chill with us on November 16th while we host The Southeast Regional Qualifier for USA Wakeboard’s nationals. If you're a club president anywhere in the country, contact me and we can get you setup to bring your A Team and your A Game. If you went to Wakefest last year, or checked out the video, you know you don't want to miss out on this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embe…
I’d like to give a hefty shoutout to alliancewake.com for the $500 scholarship; it will be well spent on entry fees and reimbursements for our competition on Lake Lanier this weekend! Also, Lake Wauburg and University of Florida for providing such an awesome wakeboarding program, Rockstar Energy, Axis boats, The Dojo, And of course, thank you to the University of Florida Wakeboard Team for being the rowdiest bunch of gnardogs on this side of the Mason Dixon line.”
-James Ort, UF Wake Club President
“The UF Wake Club stole my attention at a UF club sports fair just last year. They were so well represented, rowdy, and obnoxious while promoting at their table that it was hard for me to not be interested. I was a typical, clueless freshman with no idea that such life-loving, awesome people even went to UF. Their enthusiasm is the reason I learned how to wakeboard, and it honestly changed my life. Now, it’s my favorite thing to do (although listening to our President make up ridiculous words is a close second).
Traveling with the team to nationals was an experience I will always remember… I mean, when all of us are in a vehicle together for that long of a time, then stuffed into a fancy hotel room, which just happens to be located near a Goodwill and casinos… its gunna get weird.
The USA Wakeboard Collegiate Nationals had some incredible wakeboarding and I hope that next year, our full team will come out and be closer to the national title. We made the most of our competitors, although our main weapons were abroad, disabled, or blew out their back swing dancing at the crawfish festival the first night at Shreveport… (I went on a diet after that).
Anyway, the competition was too much fun to even explain in words. So, I hope everyone makes it out next year and gets to share the experience together!”
-Dixie Smith
http://vimeo.com/59430002