2025 USA Water Ski Show Team Selected

The National Show Ski Association, a sport discipline organization of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, has announced the athletes who will comprise the 2025 USA Water Ski Show Team at the 6th IWWF World Water Ski Show Tournament in Mulwala, New South Wales, Australia.

The team rosters for the IWWF World Water Ski Show Tournament are limited to 35 total members and four alternates, including skiers, boat drivers, announcers and show directors.

Athletes that have been selected to the 2025 USA Water Ski Show Team are (alphabetical order): Garrett Bouley (Bradenton, Fla.), Derek Buchman (Madison, Wis.), Cody Coffey (Medinah, Ill.), Kaila Coffey (Medinah, Ill.), Cale Ducane (Marinette, Wis.), Caroline Grubs (White Bear Lake, Minn.), Madi Hagemann (Orlando, Fla.), Pete Hegarty (Winter Haven, Fla.), Bailey Hyatt (Winter Haven, Fla.), Tyler Hyatt (Winter Haven, Fla.), Brea Imse (Wheeling, Ill.), Kevin Jack (Winter Haven, Fla.), Maggie Kelly (Chicago, Ill.), Liam Klotzbach (Charlotte, N.C.), Kailey Koehler (Lake Geneva, Wis.), Noah Leach (Hales Corners, Wis.), Darian LeBlanc (Winter Haven, Fla.), Aragorn Luiting (Edgerton, Wis.), Brody Meskers (Chetek, Wis.), Paige Peshina (Malvern, Ohio), Grace Petzold (Mequon, Wis.), Caleb Ross (Sarasota, Fla.), Joe Sawaska (Winter Haven, Fla.), Katrina Sardenga (Clearwater, Fla.), Ethan Shulda (Twin Lakes, Wis.), Josie Smerchek (Marinette, Wis.), Gabbie Taschwer (McFarland, Wis.), and Nick Wilson (McQueeney, Texas).

Matt Heilman (Verona, Wis.) and David Rezin (Janesville, Wis.) are the co-show directors for the 2025 USA Water Ski Show Team. Additional team members are: Dan Jaworski (Monona, Wis.), driver; Jacci Meier (Monona, Wis.), sound; Andrew Petzold (Mequon, Wis.), driver; Collin Ridgley (Davenport, Iowa), announcer; and Adam Schaller (Mount Horeb, Wis.), announcer.

Alternates are: Presley Cupp (Waunakee, Wis.), Arik Lebda (Buffalo Grove, Ill.), Matt Strode (McFarland, Wis.), and Austin Walstad (Zumbrota, Minn.).

In competitive show skiing, each club has one hour to present a theatrical performance on water skis. Judges score acts by awarding points based on originality, presentation and execution. Elaborate costumes and staging intermix with music and fast action on the water as an announcer leads the audience through the show.

The USA Water Ski Show Team won the team title at the 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022 world championships. The 2020 world championships, which was to be held in Australia, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the United States, the tournament has featured all-star show ski teams from Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Germany and Sweden. Each team performs two shows over the course of the weekend with the highest-scoring performance determining the champion. The previous events have been held in Winter Haven, Fla. (2022); Huntsville, Ontario, Canada (2018); Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (2016); and Janesville, Wis. (2014, 2012).