CRIVITZ – When it comes to Wisconsin sports, football may dominate in the fall but water sports reign supreme all summer long.
Known as the “Water Ski Show Capital of the World,” Wisconsin is not only home to more competitive performance teams than the rest of the country, but also boasts the exciting and accomplished organizations like the Crivitz Ski Cats.
The Crivitz Ski Cats Water Ski Show Team was founded in 1962 on Lake Noquebay by a group of passionate individuals.
“A group of skiers were out on the lake and found that they had some pretty neat talents. Every once in a while they would get together, some friends would gather and they started just showcasing their talents. Well, that then turned into an organized club,” explained Jason Ducane, the club president, boat driver and member of the show directing crew.
Ducane makes sure that the team is running smoothly both on and off the water by maintaining their status as a nonprofit organization, handling equipment maintenance, performing safety checks and managing the 50 members that make up the team.
Although a team of 50 may be small compared to others — especially for a Division 1 team — Ducane said their talent and commitment are massive.
“We have an incredible amount of skiing talent on our team. In fact, two of our members were recently selected for the USA Water Ski Show Team and competed in Australia at a world tournament,” he explained.
“We have some of the most outstanding talent around. I think sometimes people come to the show and they’re actually shocked by some of the tricks that they will see performed out on the water,” Ducane continued.
The outstanding talent extended beyond the Crivitz team, with Ducane also mentioning the positive relationship with the neighboring group Twin Bridge Water Ski Team.
The Twin Bridge nonprofit organization has made the High Falls Flowage their home for over 40 years and has competed at the same events as the Ski Cats like Footstock, an endurance barefoot skiing competition held annually in Crandon.
Having so many fellow Wisconsin-based groups like the Twin Bridge team nearby only adds to the impactful family atmosphere.
“We feel that this is probably one of the only all-inclusive family sports where grandparents can compete, mom and dad can compete and grandkids can compete,” he shared.
Opportunities are available with the club to join the boat crew, provide safety support and learn or further water skiing skills.
Ducane explained, “We like to say that we teach our kids how to win, but more importantly we also teach them how to lose, pick themselves back up and keep working on whatever their goal is.”
Together, the team is excited to present their newest season — “Sequins are Forever,” bringing the story of Austin Powers and Dr. Evil to Lake Noquebay with an action-packed performance including costumes, music and shocking feats.
The community is invited to attend for a fun family night. Ducane encouraged people to stop by the thrilling performance, “The crowd is what drives the show. So, if you get a nice crowd and they have good energy, that gets the entertainers out there to perform at an even higher level.”
Upcoming performances from the Crivitz Ski Cats Water Ski Show Team include: Wednesday, June 17, at 6 p.m.; Wednesday, June 24, at 6:30 p.m.; and Saturday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m.
Shows are held at Lake Noquebay County Park, located at W6188 County Road GG, Crivitz. Attendees may bring their own chairs or blankets. Concessions are sold by the club with The Brothers Three pizza. There is no ticket fee to attend, but parking is $5 for those without an annual pass.
Additionally, the Twin Bridge Water Ski Team will hold upcoming performances during the evenings on June 20, June 25 and June 27 for their new season “Moana: Heart of the Lake.”
For more information about either of these clubs and their performance schedules — including special firework shows — follow Crivitz Ski Cats Water Ski Show Team and Twin Bridge Water Ski Team on Facebook.
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