Teens learn to kneeboard and water ski

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Four teenage boys perch on their knees, straighten their arms and glide though the lake throwing up a spray of water as they go. They jump the wake, wave to each other and smile the entire time. Another group of teens puts on water skis and after a bit of a wobbly start they, too, zip through Lake Avalon in Sugden Park in Naples.

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Andrea Stetson

Paul Cimarusti, 13, and Elijah Thompson, 14, enjoy knee boarding on Lake Avalon during a kneeboarding and water ski class for teens.

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Andrea Stetson

Nickolas Mayberry, 13, jumps the wake while kneeboarding on Lake Avalon during a class for teenagers.

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Andrea Stetson

Nickolas Mayberry, 13, Paul Cimarusti, 13, Elijah Thompson, 14, and Dylan Slye, 13, kneeboard on Lake Avalon.

Collier County Parks and Recreation has weekly classes in kneeboarding and water skiing for both teens and older children.

“Kids, teens, adults, seniors and people with disabilities; we hit everybody,” said Mike Toolen who runs the program.

Toolen says the sport is great for teenagers.

“It puts their cell phone down for a few minutes,” he said. “It’s physical. Too many kids just play video games. You are using every muscle in your body. It is great cardio.”

It also has a quick learning curve. Mike starts them off with kneeboarding, which is easier than water skiing. They begin by holding a 5-foot rope tied to a boom and later graduate to the longer rope behind the boat. With water skiing they begin by holding the boom, and then going to the rope on the boom and finally the rope behind the boat. Mike has experienced teenagers who work as counselors and go in the water with beginners to work beside them offering tips and encouragement.

“This is really quick to learn,” Mike said about kneeboarding. “Before you know it, they are going backwards and then they graduate to water skiing. One of them learned to do it in bare feet. A lot of teenagers look at the other ones and want to do what the other ones are doing. It is a great teaching device.”

Hailey Cartwright, 17, has been water skiing since age 6 and is now one of the counselors. She can even do tricks such as zipping around the boat.

“I do soccer, so this is a different sport,” she said.

The teens have mixed opinions on whether they prefer water skiing or kneeboarding.

“I like water skiing better,” Hailey said. “Kneeboarding is easier, but water skiing is more of a challenge. There are more things you can do water skiing.”

“Water skiing,” said James Lesage, 16. “It’s the rush. You are on skis on the back of a boat and there’s the wind and it’s fun. I like skiing better. Kneeboarding is easier to pick up, but water skiing is more fun.”

“Water skiing,” agreed Jack Tucker, 15. “There is more to do and kneeboarding kind of hurts your knees. It’s good exercise. It’s fun.”

Nickolas Mayberry, 13, Paul Cimarusti, 13, Elijah Thompson, 14 and Dylan Slye, 13, all said they prefer kneeboarding because it is easier. They also like that they can all go together.

“We are better at kneeboarding, so we like it better,” Nickolas said. “You feel free. It’s the feeling of being on the water.”

“I have really bad balance, so I like kneeboarding better,” added Elijah Thompson, 14. “You get more turns when you kneeboard and you get to do it with your friends.”

Paul Cimarusti, 13, just likes being on the water with his friends.

“You lose the constraints of the real world,” he said.

Corbin Craig began water skiing as a child, became a volunteer as a teenager and then a paid counselor.

“I just like being here,” he said. “I just fell in love with the sport.”

Five weekly sessions, each of which last 2.5 hours, cost $150. There are also summer camps that run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and cost $225 each week.

“It’s so reasonable,” Mike said. “You can’t beat that.”

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