49 Sports Challenge: Dave's barefootin'
6:42 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2008
For the Webers, bare foot water skiing is a family affair.
"Later in the 90's, we kind of got into skiing a little bit with some people who were better," Mark Weber said. "So finally, we got into barefoot skiing and it's a blast. Once you go without skis, you don't want to do anything else."
Grandpa Mark got the family into water sports. Then his son Derrek started skiing without skis.
"We are usually out here, grandma, my brother and my sister, and my wife and my two kids, and there is usually three or four families out here skiing," Derrick Weber said. "It's a lot of fun."
Derrick then got his seven year-old son Alex into the sport.
"Well, I've seen my Pop and my Dad do it," Alex Weber said. "I just figured I could try it. I figured out how my Dad did it and I just tried to do it like him."
And the whole family knows that "footing" is way more fun then being on the water with skis.
"When you shimmy down that bar for the first time, when we are going 40 miles-per-hour, your heart's going to be pumping."
"Skis are alright. I mean, you are going 15 or 20 miles per hour on skis, but when you hop out there at 40 miles-per-hour, 45, I've been up to 50 miles-an-hour before on my bare feet , just gliding on the water, nothing but you and the water. It's unbelievable."
I figure if a seven-year-old could do this, I could stand a chance.
"You are going to hurt tomorrow really badly. Yes, it's difficult, it's all technique. It's not so much strength, but it's technique."
"Guys, what's my Sports Challenge today?"
"We are going to be doing some barefoot water skiing."
"I think I am going up against this kid, right?"
"You are. We are going to see if you can stand up to this little guy who is seven years-old."
"Do I stand any chance against you."
"I don't know."
"What do you guys think?"
"I don't think you are going to do it, bud."
"Nope, we brought the big guns out. He's going to beat you bad."
Of course, we've seen Alex tear up the lake already so now it's my turn. I tried to to stand up, not once...not twice...and on my third attempt the Webers told me I was close to standing up, so I gave it a fourth try and apparently I wasn't close enough.
"Okay guys, obviously I am a little wet and a little sore, but how did I do overall?"
"Well, you gave it a real big try. But man, that's hard, isn't it?"
"It looks a lot harder then...I thought you were going to make it, you made it look real hard.."
"Alex, how'd I do?"
"That was pretty good."
So that brings the grand total to one and seven in Sports Challenges this season.
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