Neither CWU junior Cole Osborn nor CWU Wake Team President Tyler Starks had much wakeboarding experienced before joining the group in college.
Osborn, a snowboarder, grew to feel right at home on a wakeboard, while Starks grew up on the water, surfing. However, both can agree that the speed they felt on a wakeboard played a large part in joining the Wake Club.

While the rest of CWU students settled in for the new school year, Osborn, Kelsey Anderson, Teagan Wylie, Shane Armstrong, Devin Carlisle and Tyler Ziemek were in Florida competing in the USA Water Ski Nationals. According to the 2016 Collegiate Wakeboard Nationals results, Anderson won the Women’s B division and Wylie placed second in Women’s A.

Overall, CWU placed fourth with 293 points, only a mere two points behind Michigan State’s score of 295. CWU competed against 12 Division I schools and one Division II school.

Osborn won the Wakeskate event with a score of 56.67.

“It was pretty crazy… Everyone was going nuts,” Osborn said.

Although the 2016 USA Water Ski Nationals are the most recent major accomplishment for the CWU Wake Club, they are definitely no strangers to the limelight. The team has been consecutively recognized as a force to be reckoned with for the better part of the last decade, including winning Collegiate Wakeboard Nationals in 2013.

The wake season runs from early spring to late fall through both the USA Waterski and Empire Wake Leagues, but the team practices most of the year either in the water at the Selah pit or on trampolines.

“If you’ve never stepped on a wakeboard [or] you’ve ridden your entire life, anyone is welcome,” Starks said.

Students can expect a CWU Wake Team video announcing their next fundraiser. Fundraisers in the past have included raffles and symposiums, but a big help to the CWU Wake Club are their sponsors, including Northwest Riders, Ronix, Elevated Clothing, Findlay Hats and Hyperlite.

The next big event for the CWU Wake Team is the USA Waterski Regionals on Oct. 22 in Sacramento, California, which could qualify CWU for next year’s Collegiate Wakeboard Nationals.