Morgan Rode sports@newmedia-wi.com
Contributed Photo Brad Keuschel, bottom, and Kylie Wallace will compete in the doubles competition at the Wisconsin State Water Ski Show Championships in Wisconsin Rapids.
The Shawano Ski Sharks will compete at the Wisconsin State Show Ski Championships in Wisconsin Rapids over the next several days in front of massive crowds.
It’s an annual event for the Ski Sharks but will have a much different feel this year after Shawano won a Division 3 title in 2017 and Division 2 title in 2018.
When a team wins a title, they move up a division the following year, meaning the Ski Sharks will be competing against Division 1 teams with roster sizes two to three times larger.
Shawano made history last year by becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles in separate divisions. Winning a third straight title would be an incredible feat to achieve, but that’s not what the team has been focused on this summer.
“Our mindset, at least from a leadership point of view, is to put on the absolute best and most entertaining ski show at our home site. Entertain our home crowd, provide recognition to our sponsors and just do a great job here. Then take that same ski show to the tournament in an effort to put on a respectable show, even against teams at least twice as big as us,” said Dave Passehl, the Ski Sharks president.
“If we win, great; however, if we take last place and did the best we can, we have to be happy with that as well. So our expectations are to go down there, ski a respectable show, showcase the skills of the kids we work with and come home holding our heads high regardless of the position we take.”
Passehl said the team has tried to increase the difficulty of some of its acts after the back-to-back titles, but that at this point of the season, the team “is polishing what we’ve got and we’re going to bring it down there (the championships) and see how it does against the big guys.”
Show director Brad Keuschel says the team will have a barefoot pyramid on display for the first times in a few years at the championships.
He also believes the Ski Sharks will be only competing team to have a pair of skiers — Nick Siolka and Sam Strachan — attempting a backwards 360 around the boat.
Sam will also compete with his brothers Jack and Ryan and try win the Most Original Act Award for a third consecutive year.
Faith Passehl will compete in the individual swivel competition after taking 10th a year ago.
Keuschel and Kylie Wallace will compete in the doubles competition.
“The good thing about our competition and show skiing in general is the whole mentality at state is that we’re all friends. We all have a love for the sport, we all encourage each other to do better,” Keuschel said.
“So it’s almost not really a competitive mindset, it’s more let’s go out there and see what everybody can do kind of thing. So even with the teams we are more competitive with, we’re still trying to win against them, but we are still there to watch their shows and they are there to watch ours and everybody cheers each other on. It’s a pretty cool experience.”
The championships will take place Thursday through Sunday at Red Beach at South Wood County Park.