Lake City Skiers Offer Family Fun [VIDEO]
WARSAW – If you are looking for a show that is all in the family, a trip to Hidden Lake might be what you need.
The small lake just off of State Road 15 is home to the Lake City Skiers Water Ski Show Team. For 25 years the Skiers have been delighting fans with their performances filled with jumps, pyramids and ballet lines along the way.
To help celebrate the 25-year milestone, the team staying true to its family roots by presenting “Griswold’s Ski Vacation.”
Much like the “Vacation” movies starring Chevy Chase as the clumsy Clark Griswold, the same goofiness and laughter that people loved on the big screen has successfully been brought to the liquid stage by the Skiers.
The excitement surrounding the shows every Sunday and Tuesday night at Hidden Lake comes from the top. Show Director Steve Hawblitzel was one of the original members of the team when it was founded back in 1989.
Hawblitzel, who spent time doing professional shows after leaving Warsaw in the early ’90s, has been back skiing with Lake City for three years now and loves every minute of it.
“We’ve had fantastic support this year,” said Hawblitzel. “We wanted to make it a big deal since it our 25th anniversary and we are getting a great turnout from fans and memberships”
The Skiers have twice been crowned Division II National Champions, in 2006 and again in 2007. This year Lake City and Hidden Lake will play host to the 2014 Division II Nationals. Competition will start on Saturday, August 2 at 8 a.m. and continue most of the day and will resume again at 8 a.m. on Sunday, August 3.
Though this is not the first time Hidden Lake has hosted the Nationals, Hawblitzel still knows it is a big deal.
“We had that little dream back in ’89 about starting a club and hosting tournaments, now it’s a reality,” a proud Hawblitzel stated. “We’ve got a legitimate shot at the Division II title and we’re real excited about that.”
The team made up of over 75 members is truly a family affair as father-daughter duos can be seen on the skis as well as brothers and sisters and other family combinations. Hawblitzel knows the participation and support from family is what keeps the club thriving and bringing families in to watch week after week.
“The biggest thing about this, it’s such a family draw,” remarked Hawblitzel. “My dad was a boat driver out here for more than 20 years. Now I’m out here and I’ve got my son and nieces skiing next to me.
“My brother is out here with me, we’ve got our wives in the stands helping with behind the scenes stuff, it’s just a big family production and that’s where we get a lot of our support from, families.”
The Lake City Skiers perform every Sunday and Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. and are a not for profit organization. They pride themselves on giving back to the local community that supports them by providing free ski and water safety lessons throughout the season. More information about lessons, show times, the Division II Nationals and the team itself can be found on the team’s website, www.lakecityskiers.org.