Lake City Skiers Hope To Win A National Title In Its 25th Year
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
The theme for the show this year is “Griswold’s Ski Vacation,” based on The National Lampoon’s “Vacation” comedy film series, according to Show Director Steve Hawblitzel.
“As you go through this (show), hilarity ensues,” he said.
One of the high points of this season is that the team is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Hawblitzel said it makes him think back to 1989 when a bunch of high school kids and their parents had dreams of putting together a winning, competitive water ski team.
The first team had only about 12 members. This year, Hawblitzel said, it has about 50 members with the youngest being 7 years old.
A water ski show team produces a theatrical show on the water incorporating water skiing acts like barefooting, ballet line, jumping and swivel skiing. In competition, teams only have an hour to set up, perform the show and tear down. Judges then award points to each team based on several different categories.
Lake City Skiers will host the Division II Nationals Aug. 2-3 on its home turf, Hidden Lake, Ind. 15N, behind Smith Tire. The competition starts at about 8 a.m. Aug. 2. Hawblitzel said for its 25th anniversary, the team hopes to win some titles again as it did in 2006 and 2007.
Warsaw-based Lake City Skiers won the seventh annual Malibu Division II Show Ski National Championships in August 2007 with the theme “Pirateology – A Pirate’s Life from Ship to Shore.” They were the first team to win the Division II national championship two years in a row. The 2006 theme was “Dukes 2: Daisy Gets Hitched.”
The team has already hosted and competed in one tournament this summer. LCS took second place in the City of Lakes Tournament at Hidden Lake June 14.
Before nationals, the team will compete July 11 to 13 at the Central Region Tournament in Rockford, Ill. Since the river there has been flooding, Hawblitzel said it is possible the Lake City Skiers could end up hosting it next weekend instead. That could give the Warsaw team a competitive edge.
“We’re just trying to bring home a championship. It’s a way to celebrate 25 years,” he said.
Regardless of where the tournament ends up, he said, “I would be surprised if we’re not in the top three.”
He attributed that to the strong leadership, the athletic ability of the skiers and the new acts the team has never done before. Those acts include a multiple backward barefoot line, the one-act show featuring a little of everything and the return of the four-tier pyramid.
“A lot of former professional skiers are back like me, my brother (Gary) and Chuck McLaughlin is back,” Hawblitzel said. “There’s also a lot of second-generation skiers taking it to the next level who are stepping up and taking the reins.”
Over the years Steve Hawblitzel performed at Marine World, California; Sea World in Florida, Texas and California; Cypress gardens in Florida; and Kiteman Productions in Dubai and Kuwait. Gary Hawblitzel performed at Marine World in California and Sea World in California, Ohio and Florida.
Other past team members who went on to ski professionally include Debbie Craft, Jeff Estes, Matt Gudeman, Brian Laursen, Angela McDaniel, Ty Patrick, Ben Rankin, Melissa Patrick Seykora, Chris and Jake Wilson and Anne Youtsler.
“The biggest focus is just the team. It’s all come together this year. The difficulty level has increased. It’s probably the highest we’ve ever attempted,” Hawblitzel stated.
Home shows for the LCS start at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Sunday, except for the weekends of July 13 and Aug. 10. The last Tuesday home show will be Aug. 5, with the Sunday home shows continuing until Aug. 31. The team will have a road show at Prairie Creek Reservoir, Muncie, on Aug. 30, according to the schedule.
LCS has hosted two “Learn to Ski” events, with three more scheduled. Upcoming dates are July 20, 27 and Aug. 24. Hawblitzel said they are a way for the team to give back to the community.
For more information on Learn to Ski, the team or how to join, visit www.lakecityskiers.org[[In-content Ad]]
The theme for the show this year is “Griswold’s Ski Vacation,” based on The National Lampoon’s “Vacation” comedy film series, according to Show Director Steve Hawblitzel.
“As you go through this (show), hilarity ensues,” he said.
One of the high points of this season is that the team is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Hawblitzel said it makes him think back to 1989 when a bunch of high school kids and their parents had dreams of putting together a winning, competitive water ski team.
The first team had only about 12 members. This year, Hawblitzel said, it has about 50 members with the youngest being 7 years old.
A water ski show team produces a theatrical show on the water incorporating water skiing acts like barefooting, ballet line, jumping and swivel skiing. In competition, teams only have an hour to set up, perform the show and tear down. Judges then award points to each team based on several different categories.
Lake City Skiers will host the Division II Nationals Aug. 2-3 on its home turf, Hidden Lake, Ind. 15N, behind Smith Tire. The competition starts at about 8 a.m. Aug. 2. Hawblitzel said for its 25th anniversary, the team hopes to win some titles again as it did in 2006 and 2007.
Warsaw-based Lake City Skiers won the seventh annual Malibu Division II Show Ski National Championships in August 2007 with the theme “Pirateology – A Pirate’s Life from Ship to Shore.” They were the first team to win the Division II national championship two years in a row. The 2006 theme was “Dukes 2: Daisy Gets Hitched.”
The team has already hosted and competed in one tournament this summer. LCS took second place in the City of Lakes Tournament at Hidden Lake June 14.
Before nationals, the team will compete July 11 to 13 at the Central Region Tournament in Rockford, Ill. Since the river there has been flooding, Hawblitzel said it is possible the Lake City Skiers could end up hosting it next weekend instead. That could give the Warsaw team a competitive edge.
“We’re just trying to bring home a championship. It’s a way to celebrate 25 years,” he said.
Regardless of where the tournament ends up, he said, “I would be surprised if we’re not in the top three.”
He attributed that to the strong leadership, the athletic ability of the skiers and the new acts the team has never done before. Those acts include a multiple backward barefoot line, the one-act show featuring a little of everything and the return of the four-tier pyramid.
“A lot of former professional skiers are back like me, my brother (Gary) and Chuck McLaughlin is back,” Hawblitzel said. “There’s also a lot of second-generation skiers taking it to the next level who are stepping up and taking the reins.”
Over the years Steve Hawblitzel performed at Marine World, California; Sea World in Florida, Texas and California; Cypress gardens in Florida; and Kiteman Productions in Dubai and Kuwait. Gary Hawblitzel performed at Marine World in California and Sea World in California, Ohio and Florida.
Other past team members who went on to ski professionally include Debbie Craft, Jeff Estes, Matt Gudeman, Brian Laursen, Angela McDaniel, Ty Patrick, Ben Rankin, Melissa Patrick Seykora, Chris and Jake Wilson and Anne Youtsler.
“The biggest focus is just the team. It’s all come together this year. The difficulty level has increased. It’s probably the highest we’ve ever attempted,” Hawblitzel stated.
Home shows for the LCS start at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Sunday, except for the weekends of July 13 and Aug. 10. The last Tuesday home show will be Aug. 5, with the Sunday home shows continuing until Aug. 31. The team will have a road show at Prairie Creek Reservoir, Muncie, on Aug. 30, according to the schedule.
LCS has hosted two “Learn to Ski” events, with three more scheduled. Upcoming dates are July 20, 27 and Aug. 24. Hawblitzel said they are a way for the team to give back to the community.
For more information on Learn to Ski, the team or how to join, visit www.lakecityskiers.org[[In-content Ad]]
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