Water ski team splashing with popularity in Winter Haven

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Winter Haven is known for an abundance of fun outdoor activities but there’s one that may stand out among all the rest, and that’s water skiing. In fact, Winter Haven is considered the water ski capital of the world.

“What happened was Cypress Gardens closed, as you know, and it became a Legoland and there were a lot of Cypress Gardens skiers that weren’t done skiing,” said Mark Voisard.

WATCH Water ski team splashing with popularity in Winter Haven

So in 2012, Voisard decided to create his own team, performing their own shows monthly on Lake Silver in downtown Winter Haven.

“Generally, we get 500 to 1,500 people every show,” said Voisard.

Over the years, the team has grown from 25 to 200 members, doing everything from jumps to ballet lines, to hang gliding, to pyramids.

“It is a lot of work, but there is a lot of love put into it, so the work isn’t so bad,” said Diane Engberg.

Sometimes you don’t know what’s more impressive, the tricks or the costumes.

“It’s a lot of running around and changing, quick changes and stuff, people to help you do that,” said Joey O’Conner.

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Some of these skiers moved to Winter Haven specifically for the opportunity to perform.

“I started when I was 11 years old in Illinois on the Rock River, and it was always my dream to move down to Florida, always had a job coming back to Winter Haven,” said Lisa Smith.

For many of these skiers, it’s also a family affair, kids literally on the shoulders of their moms and dads.

“It’s not that hard, you just have to have balance,” said 10-year-old Maizie Smith.

The team is always looking to add new members; getting in the water is not a requirement.

“There is something for everybody, if you are not a skier, you can announce, you can work on costumes, drive the boat,” said Lisa Smith.

“I love that we can all give back, teach new people, and watch them grow, and that is really rewarding,” said Engberg.