Water ski team ready for season
Keri McClure
Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: Sports
Some students at Florida Southern College have never heard of the water skiing team. However, many of the team members are nationally recognized in their respective countries, record holders, and all are looking to make a big splash this season at tournaments held all across Florida and the surrounding region.
Alex Paradis, Alex Lauretano, and Keri McClure were even recently recognized on the world stage, over the summer at the Pan American Water Ski Championships held July 28-Aug. 3 in Medellin, Colombia.
Lauretano and McClure skiied for the 17 to 20 American team, while Paradis skiied for the Canadians. All six American teams - Elite, 17 to 20, Junior, Under 13, Veteran 1, and Veteran 2 - took home the gold in the overall team competition with athletes on all six U.S. teams combining to win 68 individual medals, including 33 of the possible 48 gold medals.
The U.S. 17 to 20 Water Ski Team, under which McClure and Lauretano skied, scored 7,730.2 points in winning its gold medal. Canada's team, under which Paradis skiied, earned the silver medal with 7,276.5 points. Lauretano took home gold medals in all three individual events and McClure took home the silver in the individual slalom event, while Paradis performed well, but did not place in the top three.
McClure is one of two incoming freshmen on the team, Paradis is a sophomore at FSC, and Lauretano is a junior at the FSC campus in Orlando.
Coach Roger Skalko expects this season to be a great one even with few freshmen coming in. In spite of that, the returning skiers are strong competitors, ranking third in the nation, so with the newcomers they are expected to make a strong showing.
One of the only things Coach Skalko can look for this year is "the drive to improve." The team has performed well in the past, but there is always room for improvement. A willingness to get on the water every morning at 8 am, brave treacherous public lake waters in the afternoon, or whenever classes permit is the kind of spirit that the water ski team wants to embody.
Alex Paradis, Alex Lauretano, and Keri McClure were even recently recognized on the world stage, over the summer at the Pan American Water Ski Championships held July 28-Aug. 3 in Medellin, Colombia.
Lauretano and McClure skiied for the 17 to 20 American team, while Paradis skiied for the Canadians. All six American teams - Elite, 17 to 20, Junior, Under 13, Veteran 1, and Veteran 2 - took home the gold in the overall team competition with athletes on all six U.S. teams combining to win 68 individual medals, including 33 of the possible 48 gold medals.
The U.S. 17 to 20 Water Ski Team, under which McClure and Lauretano skied, scored 7,730.2 points in winning its gold medal. Canada's team, under which Paradis skiied, earned the silver medal with 7,276.5 points. Lauretano took home gold medals in all three individual events and McClure took home the silver in the individual slalom event, while Paradis performed well, but did not place in the top three.
McClure is one of two incoming freshmen on the team, Paradis is a sophomore at FSC, and Lauretano is a junior at the FSC campus in Orlando.
Coach Roger Skalko expects this season to be a great one even with few freshmen coming in. In spite of that, the returning skiers are strong competitors, ranking third in the nation, so with the newcomers they are expected to make a strong showing.
One of the only things Coach Skalko can look for this year is "the drive to improve." The team has performed well in the past, but there is always room for improvement. A willingness to get on the water every morning at 8 am, brave treacherous public lake waters in the afternoon, or whenever classes permit is the kind of spirit that the water ski team wants to embody.
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