It’s that time again. The annual migration to the practice fields, stretching, exercising, running and getting into shape. Yes, it’s spring training time. 
Only there’s no crack of the bat, no shagging fly balls, no infield drills.  It’s spring training, water-ski style.  For us it’s open water drills, running the course at longer lines or slower speeds and working on timing and fundamentals.

     It turns out we have more in common with the other boys of summer than is generally thought. Our season starts early in the spring when there is still a chill in the air. We have to start slowly to retrain our muscles to prevent injury, we stay away from competition until our timing and form is back.
Once we hit the regular season, it runs though late autumn. Even our biggest event has now been scheduled for October. Yes, the boys (and girls) of summer are back.

     A couple of aspects of spring skiing that are different from summer is time and temperature. With the switch to daylight savings time we now have the option of evening skiing but only for an hour or so. But trying to get three skiers two sets after work before dark is near impossible this early. And when the sun goes down the temperature drops quickly. The boat heaters are blowing full blast, wet suits get sprayed with the hot water shower and it’s the quickest you’ll ever see us get dressed and ready to leave. Summertime we’ll hang out awhile in shorts and t-shirts while spring is sweat pants, sweat shirts and turn the car heater on. 

     But it’s all well worth it. I notice all skiers are upbeat and optimistic now. All we want is rope time. Set after set of drills. Gate set ups, form checks, turn radiuses and angle through the wakes. Just practice, practice, practice.  Some of us are using full wet suits while some opt for dry suits. Either way it cuts down of course efficiency. But we’re finally getting to use all that new equipment we got during the winter.
In a few weeks the wet suits will give way to short suits or trunks. Those are our regular season uniforms. That’s when we’ll crank it up a notch and the fun and the season really begins.

     The water is still teetering back and forth of 60 degrees. But after a long winter all that is needed is warm sunshine and low wind.  Wind is a problem in the spring and running a strong tail wind pass this early in the season can be an adventure to say the least.  There’s nothing to be done about it other than watch for a weather break and plan accordingly.

     With maybe the exception of golfers, skiers are probably better at predicting and monitoring weather than any other sports enthusiast.  And how frustrating is it in the spring to meet up at the ski site only to have white caps rolling straight down the course. Many times we’ll ski through it only to have the water calm down as we are packing to leave.  But just like our big league counterparts we have to work through spring training before the real season can begin. Once it’s here, there’s nothing else quite like it. 

     So when someone asks you about why you’re spring training in the cold water and cool air of spring, all I have to answer them with is “If you have to ask, you wouldn’t understand”

 
Gordon Slingerland

Gordon is a regular contributor and can be found carving buoys in his spare time.

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