The Mail-Journal, Volume 23, Number 26, Milford, Kosciusko County, 25 June 1986 — Page 9

Sports

Water skiing requires thinking, skill

By DAVE STRAUB Staff Writer Get a fast boat, some skis, a rope and someone to drive and you’re all set to do some water skiing. You won’t have much fun, though. There are steps that have to be taken. “I find that very few people can’t water ski,” said Don Bucher of Water Ski, Inc., an organization specializing in water ski competition. “It’s just that people have to want to do it the right way. For some people, it’s more difficult than it has to be.” In other words, skiing involves thinking. “First of all, you need a good driver,” Bucher said. “The case with most recreational skiers is that the driver pulls them too fast. There are proper speeds to pull a skier . ” Bucher suggested that a beginning skier should be pulled between 15 and 20 miles per hour Speed also depends on die size of the person. “It’s important that the skier and the driver know how to communicate,” added Bucher. “There are a variety of hand signals the skier should know how to use, like ones to speed up or slow down as well as ones to turn the boat or take.it back to dock. There are also Ones to indicate

Traviolia in Shrine Bowl

Brad Traviolia has been honored — again. Only thia time, it’s a football honor as the 1986 Wawasee High School graduate has been chosen to play on the North Squad in the Indiana High School North-South Shrine Bowl, which will showcase the Hoosier State's best gridiron performers of last fall. The contest is slated for July 26 at the Butler University Stadium. Traviolia was selected as a defensive back. He and Northern Lakes Conference rival Scott Crist (North Wood >, who will play quarterback, join a talented North Squad that is coached by Steve Keefer of Fort Wayne

Tournament of Knights on June 28

If you’re finished with high school, it doesn’t mean you’re finished with sports. Those who are between 18 and 25-years-old can compete in the International

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ONE-ON-ONE COMPETITION — The Tournament of Knights draws competitors from all over the area. Pictured are Don Flenar (Etna Green) and Mike Kendall (Cromwell) in a one-on-one basketball showdown in last year’s tourney. < Photo by Deb Patterson >

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FORMER WINNER COMPETES — Brian Walk, the 1983 Tournament of Knights winner, is pictured in a one-on-one basketball game with Jeff Atwood last year. This type of sporting ewent is just one of many that will test the skills of area athletes who have graduated from high school-(Photo by Deb Patterson)

that the skier is ok after a fall or to stop the motor.” Advancement from two skis to slalom as well as an increase in speed should happen when the skier feels comfortably Bucher noted. “Sometimes, you’ll get a natural who Will advance to higher levels of skiing at a very young age, ” he said. “The important thing is that you have fun, improve with your progression and don’t force anything on yourself.” There are many levels of skiing, with each requiring a certain amount of skill. Levels include: two skis, slalom (one ski), tricks, jumps, barefoot and show skiing. “No matter what kind of skiing you do, good equipment makes it fun,” Bucher said. Besides a boat (having a motor with enough horsepower) and skis, skiers should have vests, wet suits, or both. “Many skiers feel comfortable just wearing the vest,” said Bucher. “But you can wear both for more protection, Vests and wet suits have flotation capabilities and skiing equipment is getting better and better each year ” The Competitive Aspect Way past the beginning stages and experienced in the competitive arena, Bucher’s club, Water Ski, Inc., is a private skiing organization. The club practices and competes at Cindonwa™

Luers, the Class AA state champion. The South will be headed by Brownsburg Head Coach Mike Godan, who lead his team to a last-second Class AAAA state title win over Hobart. One of his assistants will be Indianapolis Roncalli Mentor Bill Kuntz, whose Rebels defeated Wawasee in the Class AAA championship game The South will be led on the field by Prep All-American Quarterback Jeff George, formerly of Warren Central. He will continue his blossoming football career at Purdue University next fall.

Palace of Sports 14th Annual Tournament of Knights. It will be held Saturday, June 28, and competition will start at IL a m. Participants will test their

Shores, near Dewart Lake. Water Ski, Inc., started in 1975 when Jerry Hickman, Paul Allebach, Jack Peckinpaugh and Bucher sought an ideal site to do some serious water skiing. So they leased a private lake (name Lake Jacob) and created a favorable atmosphere for the advanced water skier. The lake is 1,610 feet long and 300 feet wide. It has a slalom course and a jump. And it has what every skier dreams about: calm water. Waves caused by other boats make conditions tough on skiers. “We leased that private lake for tourney skiing,” Bucher recalled. “Before, there were many active skiing clubs on the area lakes. They used to put on shows and tournaments. But they sort of died out and much of the water skiing done on the bigger lakes is recreational.” Private clubs developed as a result. “They sort of took over,” Bucher said. “And most competitive skiers will seek out a private club these days.”

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SLALOM SKILL — Kim Contos, of Water Ski, Inc., shows why he is one of Indiana’s best slalom skiers as he sharply cuts around a course buoy at Cindonway Shores. ( Photo by Dave Straub)

skills in softball throw, football throw and kick, free throw shooting, one-on-one basketball, golf putting, track races and tennis. Trophies will be awarded to the top five finishers. This will be determined by total points gathered in one or more events. The top five athletes will also be given honorary names and attend college. If not, the money will be given to a non-profit organization. The first place finisher will be dubbed “Sir Lancelot;” the second place finisher will be named “Sir Gallahad; ’ ’ and third, fourth and fifth place finishers will be named “Knights of Camelot. ” Hirohito's 85th TOKYO — Lavish celebrations marked Emperor Hirohito’s 85th birthday and his 60th year on the throne, with heavy security laid on after leftist groups threatened to disrupt ceremonies they say honor a symbol of part militarism.

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The Camelot Ski Team, which competes at Camelot Lakes near Milford, is another private club'. “We have a lot of excellent skiers in Kosciusko County,” Bucher added. Host State Tourney Many more skiers of that caliber will compete at Cindonway Shores July 26 for the state tournament. “We’re really excited about hosting it,” said Bucher. “The lake is so small, though. But we’ll have to work hard to get it all done for two days.” In addition to tournaments. Water Ski, Inc. conducts skiing camps, providing lessons to beginners and novices. Bucher’s wife, Peggy, and member Jan Karr are certified AWSA Ll instructors. Kim Contos, John Gradle and Steve Plummer, other members of the club, are also available to help learning skiers. “Most people don’t know about competitive skiing,” Bucher said. “We want spectators to come out and watch us. There’s

Ninth Annual — 3.3 And 8 Mile ! Mail-Journal Flotilla Road Race\ Saturday, July 5,1986 9:00 A.M. i Pre-Registration — 7:30 A.M. Syracuse City Park — Syracuse . SPLITS: One, Two, Four And Six Miles The Mail-Journal Flotilla Road Race is held in conjunction with the AID ON COURSE: Water Will Be Furnished On The Course At Two. A 4th of July Flotilla Festival sponsored by the Syracuse-Wawasee Four And Six Miles I Chamber of Commerce. Both races are run near the shores of two TRAFFIC CONTROL: By Syracuse Police And Civil Defense & Kosciusko " of Indiana’s most beautiful lakes. Rolling hills are a part of both County Sheriffs Dept. A events. RESTROOMS: Park Restrooms, No Showers ■ Mail-Journal FlotJla~Registratian Form !|K I Name sex | Sj ■ Address - — — | - A ' City State Zip Date Os Birth July 6, I Will Be —— Years Old ' * I Want To Run In The A men WOMEN ■ oHr? A • 14&Under 35-39 14 & Under W I CAtoooripQ o 15-19 □ 40-44 □ 15-19 W / " Q n 45 _ 49 w 29 , W s A (Both Races) 25-29 50-59 ■ 30-39 MA . I . □ 30-34 □ 60& Over □ 40&Over J>7 J? " ALL CONTESTANTS MUST SIGN THE WAIVER, ALS O PARENTS IF JF W I YOU ARE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE > * The undersigned waives all rights and claims against the individuals, commit ?e members, and officials w . ■ sponsoring or working on The Mail-Journal Flotilla Road Race and landowners wb ®e land borders the Road a REAL RECORD SETTER - Long. lean, lightning last Tim •>- ■ Race course, both individually and severally and acknowledges the above individua s and landowners assume Mylin of Indianapolis was well ahead of the pack in the eight-mik J no responsibility for accidents, injuries, or loss of equipment prior to. during, or after the event. fun j n the 1985 Flotilla Road Race at Syracuse. Mylin. who ran for a Butler University at Indianapolis and out performed all competition ■ there, shattered the course record with a time of 41:02. The ■ Signed previous record was 41:29. set last year by John Roscoe and Dave Bruce A Parent’s Signature if Above Is Under 18 Years Os Age Mike Mazier. Ligonier, on the heels of Mylin. finished in 4th ■ - ——place overall. ▼ - ENTRY FEE - a Custom A DAY OF RACE Mail-Journal T-Shirt J (Deadline: Monday. June 30) rsrsr’ • A S 6*° Payable To Mail-Journal Flotilla Road Race TO TEC FlfSt 225 EfltnCS | a“Scsh, R ts 12E | £ / °T O £ S ' C !!J!!? e .-! . Mw,iutn (Bothßaces) awar ded to fas! th,... pesihons in each R.R. 4, Box 38C-1 Large age group of each race. 1 Syracuse, Indiana 46567 X-Larce (94 Total Award)

no charge and they’re gonna see some good skiing. ” Tourney competition is divided into boys’, girls’, men’s and women’s classes. Bucher encourages novice skiers from Wawasee, Tippecanoe and Webster lakes to compete since

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QUITE A TRICK — Backwards, with one font on the ski and the other on the rope handle. Jan Karr, also of Water Ski, Inc., makes this feat look easy. < Photo by Dave Straub)

there is a novice class. “The whole dea is to get them interested,” he said. “If we could get one of ev ?ry 10 new skiers hooked, that v ould be great. We need to get new people because the present n embers don’t get any younger.”

Wed., June 25,1986 — THE MAIL-JOURNAL

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WITH ONE FOOT — Many find it tough to do recreational water skiing. Here, Jan Karr does some fancy trick skiing. The ski Jan is using is a trick ski, which has no rudder, thus giving her the ability to rotate and perform a variety of tricks. (Photo by Dave Straub)

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GEARING UP — .After the first run, Kim Contos gets ready to do more slalom skiing. (Photo by Dave Straub)

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