As the school year begins, Clemson’s waterski team will soon be back on the water and starting their season with a tournament at Auburn on August 24th.
The team typically competes in eight tournaments throughout the year, with five in the fall — their primary season — and three in the spring. The tournaments are typically held at southeastern universities such as Alabama, Auburn and occasionally Clemson.
Led by standout skiers Alexander Menzel, Jackson Beman, Laura Rucks and Natalie Pfister, the Tigers earned themselves a top-ten national ranking last season and hope to add to their recent success.
At tournaments, skiers can compete in up to three distinct events; slalom, trick and jump, all of which are scored separately. The team fields five men and women skiers per event on the “A” team, meaning there can be up to 15 competing, while the “B” team may have an unlimited number of participants.
The team’s facilities are conveniently located at the Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Complex and will continue to remain there, even with recent changes to the area.
Throughout the fall season, the team is ultimately preparing for nationals, which take place Oct. 10-12 in San Marcos, Texas.
While the tournaments themselves are filled with fun, it’s clear that the tight-knit community within the team is what sets the club apart. “After driving hours across the country for competitions, staying in hotels together, or spending long, hot days on the lake together, everyone becomes pretty close pretty fast,” Rucks, a team member and rising sophomore, told The Tiger.
Rucks continued, “Being in this club has not only allowed me to compete on a national level in a sport I love but also do it alongside some of my best friends while representing a school I love.” In addition to skiing, the club hosts social events such as cookouts, tailgates, intramurals, fundraising nights, a family ski weekend and a formal each year.
Even for those interested but not wishing to compete, the club offers a watersports version with other activities such as wakeboarding or wakesurfing. Members will also have access to certified drivers, a boat and multiple trips on Lake Hartwell everyday.
Students eager to make a splash can sign up through their Instagram, @clemsonski, and the team hosts an interest meeting at the beginning of every semester.
