The Ski Show - The Ultimate Show Ski Podcast

One of our most informative episodes for the show skiing community, we have USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Executive Director, Nate Boudreaux on the show to talk about all things SafeSport.  We talk about the origin, who needs it, who doesn't, what impact does it have on teams and individuals, does it have an affect on our sanctioning and insurance, and much more.  The impact of our relation...

To know Gabbie Taschwer is to know what a positive influence and inspiration she is.  This is a must listen for all young females.  She's got a tremendous passion for show skiing, family, and friendship, and she's found a way to balance all of them together in this great sport.  She's been a long time Mad-City member, spent several years at Tommy Bartlett, spent time at Holiday Park...

If you don't know who Jessica De Porter is, you must give this a listen.  Starting out as an amateur skier in Michigan, she quickly moved to a life at a variety of SeaWorld parks, going from the show in Ohio, to Orlando, and finally to Texas for many, many years.  She's been a top skier, top show manager, and top show director.  She talks about those experiences, what's changed in p...

SO. MUCH. GREAT. CONTENT!!  Listen in as Katie Gray from Maine Attraction, John Benjamin from the Oxbow Water Ski Show Team, and Todd Thorson from the Aberdeen Aqua Addicts join Matt Heilman and talk about off-season show planning, theme selection, act orders, leadership and more.  All these show directors have a crazy amount of experience and they share their insights from years and years of lead...

Mr. Show Ski Canada is none other than Charlie Newlands.  His passion for show skiing is off the charts.  He fell in love with the sport watching a little show in Muskoka, Canada, he joined the show at Summer Water Sports and now owns the business.  He's skied in countless professional shows all over the world, he calls Australia his second home, and he's the leader of Show Ski Canada as...

David Rezin is one of the great skiers and leaders in our sport.  He started his career with the Shermalot Show Team, spent some of his most important time on the Aqua Skiers, who he calls his home team, and has been a Rock Aqua Jay for many, many years.  He's a Skip Gilkerson award winner, a champion show director, a 6-time member of Team USA, and he's given back to the sport in a big w...

In this episode we hear from four fantastic people all about life on a small show ski team.  They share all about their challenges, their successes, the culture of small teams, and their fabulous facilities.  We have Jim Martin from the Badwater Ski-ters, Dan Emerson from the Plum Ski-ters, Mickey Loka from the Kwahamots, and Anastasia Cokinos from the Chain Skimmers.  All have a fantasic perspect...

Hunter Hanson is an incredible all around skier.  He's a wakeboarder and a show skier, able to turn on his barefeet and invert off the jump ramp.  He's competed in barefoot and wakeboard, traveled around the world, show skied with the Ski Sprites, Legoland, Sea World, and Stars of Florida, and he has a love for the sport that resonates through everything he does.  Listen as we learn abou...

One of the all-time legends in towed water sports is Keith St. Onge.  When you think of barefoot water skiing, you think of Keith.  He's the undeniable GOAT of the sport.  We chat with Keith all about his past, his history in the sport, his rivals, his time at WBC, and his move into show skiing as a member of Team USA.   We also highlight The Ski Show Awards - on December 5 we will have a Fac...

Hundreds of skiers and volunteers and dozens of Guinness World Record attempts make up the 5 day event known as the Chain of Records.  Held in Winter Haven, Florida, this event attempted to set records in jump, swivel, ballet, hydrofoil, strap doubles, conventional doubles, trios, shoe skis, and barefoot.  Some were successful and some weren't.  Hear from event directors Eric Gran and  Geno Y...

Arne Van Maele is a Belgian superstar.  He's always smiling, always having fun, and has a great perspective on the sport.  In this episode, we talk about growing up water skiing in Belgium, about how the World Tournament was the spark for his career, we talk about his time on Mad-City and the pro shows he's skied in, and we talk about his love for Wisconsin, the Packers, and the "li...

We love swivel.  You love swivel.  We have a tremendous panel of swivel skiers and experts -  Willa Cook winners, Nationals Champions, Team USA members, and judges - and this episode is loaded with content.  Hear Brea Imse, Caroline Grubs, Kristen Heilman Block, Kelley Nemec Dixon, and Polly Nemec discuss the evolution of the sport, the tremendous growth, teaching techniques, tips for swivlers and...

Scoring nerds unite!! We talk all things judging and scoring with Jeff Henke.  Jeff is the head of the officials committee on the NSSA.  He analyzes scores, educates judges, runs clinics, and is generally a master of all things judging and scoring.  We dive in to difficulty charts, box score reasoning forms, difficulty, flow, and execution, changes we'd like to see made, what the current stru...

This is emotional, raw, passionate, and full of love and vulnerability.  We talk to Arik Lebda about his show ski career to this point, his years on Wonder Lake, at Holiday Park, on Team USA, and we talk about the devastating pelvis injury he suffered before Nationals this year.  You will hear and feel the emotion as he describes the struggle and more importantly, the outpouring of support from th...

Today we go DEEP.  We hit on all things D1 and D2 Nationals.  We discuss and analyze the individual competitions and the team competitions.  We talk to Raefe Gross, the show director of Shermalot, the Division 2 National Champions, and we talk to Amanda Schoelzel, one of the co-show directors of the Rock Aqua Jays, about their 21st Division 1 National Championship.  Two amazing weekends of nationa...

Today is LOADED with content.  We recap all the regional tournaments and highlight the champions and great shows.  We talk to a long time Aquanut, Lisa Nelson Mushel, about their State Tournament victory and what it means for the Aquanuts. We also talk about the Team USA roster announcement, what went into it, and some of the great talent on the team.  Special guest David Rezin joins us for this e...

In this episode we recap the Mercury Invite, highlight our podcast awards show, and the upcoming Mid-Summer Shred put on the guys at TL Cornfest.  We also interview current show ski star, Madi Hagemann.  Madi is one of the best swivel skiers on earth and a great all around show skier.  Hear about her early days on RAJ, who influenced and pushed her, hear about her time at Tommy Bartlett, and have...

Today we talk about all the awesome teams, themes, acts, and skiers to watch for in 2021.  After a year off of show ski team tournaments, it's that season again with pre-season tournaments, regionals, and nationals.  We talk about dozens of teams and things to watch for this season.  There's an exciting season in store and we are thrilled to see everyone back doing what they love - perfo...

NSFW!!  This one will make you laugh a LOT, but more importantly it will make you really come to appreciate the culture that is Wonder Lake.  We have 5 special guests this week - Dan Hansen, Jarret Graff, Arik Lebda, Jayson Rishling, and Jordan Shulda, and they are the heart and soul of Wonder Lake.  These guys are show ski legends, great skiers, all Team USA members at one point, National Champio...

Geno Yauchler is one of the all-time great show skiers.  A Skip Gilkerson award winner, a professional at multiple shows, a multiple time member of Team USA, a competitor on the freestyle jump tour in the 90's, and the world's best hydrofoiler, Geno has immense talent and a passion to be great.  He's had some historic moments in his career.  Join us for some laughs and stories and u...

Today we talk all about the greatest and most memorable show acts ever performed. Special guests David Rezin and Garry Stout join us as we reminisce about the acts we remember most.  Acts that stood out.  Acts we will never forget.  Some of the acts we touched on.... Little Crow 3-2-1 barefoot pyramid Little Crow 6 barefoot pyramids Aquanut barefoot pyramid drop Kumelien piggy back barefoot circle...

All around talent with the best in the world.  Kerry Tolzmann competed at a high level in three event, barefoot, and show skiing.  He had a long, storied career at Tommy Bartlett and ran a ski school in central Wisconsin for nearly 20 years called Ski Decorah.  He set records in three event and barefoot, and show skied at several professional shows.  And he's a phenomenal story teller. People...

Talk about modern day show ski legends.  These guys are it.  The royal couple of show skiing - Gerry and Cathy Luiting.  Today we learn all about their extensive history in the sport, from their early days, to the many trips overseas, to their Tommy Bartlett days, to the history and legacy of the Rock Aqua Jays, to their amazing career in competition doubles.  They've done it all, and they gi...

Today we talk all things FLOW.  How does your act order, boat patterns, and overall show design impact flow?  What details do you need to be aware of to maximize your flow?  What can help and hurt your flow scores?  Special guest Steve Hawblitzel of the Lake City Skiers joins us as we drop some serious knowledge about flow and show design.  We also talk about some of the GREAT ski schools and inst...

In this episode, we talk to one of the top female skiers in the sport - Brea Imse.  From her days on Mad-City to her time with the Chain Skimmers to now with Wonder Lake, Brea has always been a hard working go-getter.  She defines grit.  She's a two time member of Team USA and loves teaching and judging swivel as well.  She's well rounded, loving to swivel, jump, barefoot, and trick ski,...