The Water Skier Magazine’s Hit It Podcast

This week the Hit It Podcast chats with Ty Cheshier, one of the top water ski racers in the nation. One of the rarest disciplines, Ty shares how he got into the sport, the challenges of racing more than 80 miles per hour on open water, and what the future holds for water ski racing. 

With his own successful 20 year professional waterskiing career behind him, Kyle Eade has plenty of time to focus on his students – including his sons, Jaeden and Damien. Both members of the US U17 Water Ski Team that took numerous medals in the 2024 IWWF World Under 17 Waterski Championships, they now look forward to college and beyond.

Team USA member Kailey Koehler's water ski career has taken her far beyond the shores of Lake Como in Wisconsin.  Just weeks before heading to Australia for the sixth IWWF World Show Ski Championships in Mulwala, Kailey discussed show skiing, barefooting, and where she wants to take the sport in the future. 

One of the most dominant slalom skiers of all time, the two time U.S. Masters champion, three-time U.S. Open champion and four-time Moomba Masters champion talks about enduring in the sport, the need to continue adapting during a long career, and how her kids now motivate her on the water. 

With a career spanning three decades – 47 pro slalom titles, two Pro Tour season championships and seven-time U.S. National Slalom Champion – Wade Cox has made the transition from superstar athlete to sought after water ski coach. A fierce competitor on the water, the Hall of Famer discusses slalom techniques, the current state of water skiing and his unique approach to coaching.

Dane Mechler may have missed the majority of the 2024 season, but he finished strong by taking the win at the 2024 MasterCraft Pro. Dane joins us to talk about his disappointing injury to start the season, the quality of competition in men's slalom skiing right now, and how training in less-than-perfect conditions has helped him in his water ski journey.

Both the most recognizable and the most influential modern water sports athlete, Parks Bonifay talks his water sports journey from a ski baby to water skiing and, ultimately, wakeboarding, where his legend truly grew. The winner of multiple X Games gold medals, a five-time MasterCraft Pro Tour champion and the first to land a 1080 on a wakeboard, Parks is a legend whose story is still being written. 

In the latest episode of The Water Skier magazine's Hit It! Podcast, presented by Visit Central Florida, three-event water ski sensation Kennedy Hansen joins host Tyler Boyd to talk about her recent World U21 overall record, and representing Team USA at the upcoming Pan American Water Ski Championships. They also discuss how her family's move from Minnesota to Florida fueled her passion for water skiing.

An accomplished water skier in his own right, John Horton's greatest contribution to the sport he loves is the community building online powerhouse, Ball of Spray. The website continues to serve as both a warehouse of ideas and the sport's virtual water cooler for discussions on techniques, tournaments and gear. This episode of the Hit It! Podcast is sponsored by Radar Skis.

A nine-time national champion and past U.S. Team member, The Hit It Podcast welcomes third generation professional water skier Elizabeth Montavon into the virtual studio. Elizabeth shares her path to the sport, insights on skiing professionally overseas and her ideas to help the sport grow into the future.

In the latest episode of The Water Skier magazine's Hit It! Podcast, presented by Visit Central Florida, rising superstar Jake Abelson joins host Tyler Boyd in discussing his latest world tricks record of 12,970 points; his recent overall title triumph at the Nautique Junior Masters; and his goals for the remainder of the 2024 water ski season, particularly with the IWWF World U17 Water Ski Championships set for Aug. 1-4 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

In the latest episode of The Water Skier magazine's Hit It! Podcast, presented by Visit Central Florida, Seth Stisher joins host Tyler Boyd in discussing his coaching philosophy, how to develop a healthy training culture and approach to skiing for the entire family, understanding the difference between style and function when it comes to slalom skiing techniques, and much more. This episode is sponsored by Discount Inboard Marine. With one of the world's largest selections of inboard engine parts, visit their web site when you need technical support and troubleshooting for your inboard ski boat at https://skidim.com/.

A three-time world record holder, two-time Masters champion and four-time Moomba Masters champion, Chris Parrish discusses his approach to life, slalom skiing, and what it took to create a course record that has stood since 2005.  

Wakeskating pioneer and two-time world champion Brian Grubb achieved an extraordinary feat in an innovative project that combined drone wakeskating and BASE jumping late last year from a Dubai skyscraper. Brian joins host Tyler Boyd on this episode of the Hit It! Podcast to talk about that first-of-its-kind-achievement, his life on and off the water, and much more.

Kevin Michael, the new executive director of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, joins host Tyler Boyd on this episode of The Water Skier magazine's Hit It! podcast, presented by Visit Central Florida, and discusses his vision for the organization and his more than 30-year career in the towed water sports industry.

In this episode we are joined by the man behind Peace, Love & Water Skiing, Corey Vaughn. One of the premier slalom water skiers in the world, Corey talks to us about his path to professional water skiing, and his goals for the future with the 2024 season on the horizon.

Camille Duvall, a.k.a. the Golden Goddess of Water Skiing, kicks off Season 3 and the year 2024 for The Water Skier magazine's Hit It! Podcast, presented by Visit Central Florida. Camille's Hall of Fame resume says it all: 43-time Pro Tour Champion, five-time Masters Champion, five-time Coors Light Pro Tour Slalom Grand Prix Champion, and 1985 World Slalom Champion. She joins host Tyler Boyd to talk the pro tour, water ski design, brands, marketing, and her post water ski media career.

To close out the '23 season, host Tyler Boyd talks with the world slalom record holder, Nate Smith. They recap his success on the Waterski Pro Tour, where he earned the top spot. Plus, what it will take to run 43-off, his approach in the slalom course, and Nate's consistency amongst the best in the sport.

2023 World Disabled Overall Champion Connor Poggetto isn't an athlete defined by his disability. A member of four USA Adaptive Water Ski Teams, Poggetto and USA Adaptive Water Ski Team Coach Brian Detrick join host Tyler Boyd to talk Team USA, adaptive skiing, and the goals that Poggetto has for himself both on and off the water.

Be sure to check out Episode 22 of The Water Skier magazine's Hit It! podcast, presented by Visit Central Florida. Hall of Fame water ski coach Jack Travers and his son, professional slalom skier Jon Travers, catch up with host Tyler Boyd to discuss the upcoming IWWF World Waterski Championships, the ins and outs of operating a storied water ski school, Jon's continued success of the professional circuit, and much more from the world of water skiing. 

Fresh off her first pro victory of 2023 and the most recent female athlete to run 39-1/2 off, rising slalom superstar Allie Nicholson catches up with host Tyler Boyd to discuss her love of water skiing, her breakout 2023 season, her role with The Water Ski Broadcasting Company, and much more.   

What do you do after a 16-year football career? Former NFL kicker David Akers joins the Hit It! Podcast to talk about his unlikely journey from football kicker to slalom skier, the similarities between the two disciplines, and how his competitive drive continues to fuel his endeavors today.

The only water skier to win pro tour championship titles in both slalom and jumping, Carl Roberge earned more than 100 professional victories, including 21 U.S. Open titles and eight Masters championships in slalom, jumping and overall. Incredibly, in 1996, he went undefeated in jumping on the pro tour. Carl shares his memories about being a member of six U.S. teams, how technology has made the sport evolve, and how his time in the gym helped elevate him on the water.  

While most may know her as Miss America 2023, this nuclear engineering student at the University of Wisconsin destresses by water skiing. Grace shares with us her experiences as a member of the Wisconsin team, how water skiing prepared her for the trials of the tiara, and her plans for the future.   This episode of The Water Skier Magazine's Hit It! Podcast is proudly sponsored by Radar Skis. Radar was founded and led by skiers who have instilled the passion to push beyond the norm and make better products. We never stop dreaming of what's next and what we can do to make skiing even better. Our constant desire to push the sport leads us to where we are now. We have fun creating every day so you can have fun on the water. See the full range of Radar goods at radarskis.com. Just go ski.  

One of the dominant overall water ski athletes of her era, 20-time U.S. National Champion Rhoni Barton-Bischoff joins the Hit It! podcast to talk about how coaching has extended her water ski career and the business behind coordinating the prestigious Nautique Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament.

One of the most sought after coaches in three-event water skiing, Chet Raley joins the Hit It Podcast to talk technique, his methodology and how his passion for the sport keeps him young.

While he'll be inducted into the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Hall of Fame in April, Jimmy Siemers is far from finished in the world of water skiing. The three-time world record holder and three-time world champion joins us to talk about not only his Hall of Fame career, but where his passion for the sport is taking him now.

Both a top women's trick skier as well as a top wakeboarder, Erika Lang joins the podcast to talk the pending 2023 season, what it takes to break world records and the high level competition in the women's trick category.

Only 13 years old when he broke the men's world slalom record – and only 14 when he won the Master's for the first time – legendary water ski athlete Kris LaPoint isn't done yet. From the science behind water skis to his desire to keep competing, if you are into slalom skiing, you don't want to miss this episode.   

Jay Bennett, whose water ski and wakeboard school in Zachary, La., is one of the best known in the business, joins the Hit It! podcast to talk coaching, his time as an athlete, running a top-notch ski school and, of course, the return of the LA Night Jam. For more information on Bennett Ski School, go to skibennetts.com For more information on the LA Night Jam, go to lanightjam.com And for all the latest information on water ski and wake sports, go to teamusa.org/USA-Water-Ski

Class of 2023 USA Waterski and Wake Sports Hall of Fame inductee Keith St. Onge joins the Hit It podcast to talk about his legendary career. Having racked up 14 world championships and 19 U.S. national overall titles, Keith talks about his journey from the New Hampshire to Florida, lessons learned along the path of his career, and what it was like to win a gold medal as part of Team USA in the 2022 IWWF World Water Ski Show Tournament.

Tyler is joined by Jeff Surdej – a past chairman of the National Collegiate Water Ski Association – and Marcus Brown, the man so familiar to college water skiing that his likeness is on the logo. Together they discuss the culture of collegiate skiing, the current state of the sport, and offer a preview of next week's Syndicate Waterskis 43rd Collegiate Water Ski National Championships.

Host Tyler Boyd catches up with The Water Skier magazine's latest cover athlete - Lauren Morgan, who talks about her breakthrough summer starting with her huge win at the Nautique Masters. Even more impressive, Lauren lets us in on all that she is doing off the water as well.

The 80th GOODE Water Ski Nationals are being held Aug. 7-13 at Mystic Lakes in Maize, Kansas. The nation's top water ski athletes will compete for national titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall in respective age divisions and two Open divisions during the seven-day event. To view the live webcast, live scoring and daily recaps, visit www.waterskinationals.com. In this episode we talk to Dawn Goode and Regina Jaquess about Goode's sponsorship of the nationals, the brand, the way Goode has helped water skiing evolve and how they continue to carry on Dave's legacy.

Friends, competitors and co-show directors of the 2022 USA Water Ski Show Team that will compete in Winter Haven, Florida, in the 2022 IWWF World Water Ski Show Tournament, Dave Rezin and Matt Heilman share a bond forged over water skiing.  We'll talk show ski, the passion for the discipline in Wisconsin, and what it means to them to represent their nation on the world's biggest show ski stage.  

What does a legend do after a career ending injury?   Sammy Duvall takes us through his second act, the past, present and future of the sport, and the direction of professional skiing. 

From his breakthrough performance in 1981 at the age of 19 to his 2020-foot leap in the 90s, Sammy Duvall changed waterskiing - and its image - forever. Ranked No. 1 in the world from 1979 to 1994, Sammy Duvall remains one of the most notable names in water skiing. In this two-part interview, Sammy talks about coming up through the ranks, learning from and competing against his peers in the sport, and his 1987 World Water Ski Championship performance in Thorpe Park, England.   

Competing on the cutting edge of her discipline, Anna Gay talks about the future of tricks water skiing, being part of a water skiing family, and her vision of combining online learning with the sport. 

As the 2022 season gets under way, superstar Freddy Krueger talks about both the physical and mental aspect of the sport and his life as a family man. 

More monk than madman, Marcus Brown has transitioned from University World Champion and Australian Moomba Masters Champion to multimedia and water ski method master. Marcus joins host Tyler Boyd to talk about his career in water skiing, that famous YouTube video and how a holistic approach to mind and health will improve the sport.  

What more can you say about a four-time world overall record holder that has been named the Top Female Athlete of the Last Quarter Century by the IWWF?   How about the most remarkable comeback of all time?   Regina Jaquess joins Tyler Boyd to talk about that amazing comeback, her future in the sport and the challenges of balancing being a small business owner with also being a top international professional athlete. 

Scot "The Rocketman" Ellis closed out his incredible professional career in October at the 37th IWWF World Waterski Championship.  Host Tyler Boyd sits down with Ellis to talk about his three decades at the highest level of the sport, the invention of Ski Flying with Bruce Neville, and his future.