Membership

How to Join

Photo of Jillian

The first step to joining our team is to get into contact with the president or the recruitment chair. These individuals can answer any specific questions you may have about our team, but more importantly they will get you on the email list so that you know what is happening with the team. Once you are on the email list we encourage you to try and come to a meeting as soon as you can. The dates and times will be emailed to you.

At that meeting you can meet the people on the team and learn more about how to get involved in our organization. There are also two new-member kick off meetings that are hosted in the fall and the spring. These are great opportunities to learn in-depth what the team is about and how we operate.

Photo of Members

Many people interested in our team wish to come out and see what a practice is all about. Since practices are the largest involvement of our team we encourage this, but due to insurance requirements you will not be able to ride unless you have valid USA Waterski insurance. To find out how to get out to a practice including rides, days, and times please check out the Ride Website (Read more about Ride).

Lastly if you wish to join our team, please print off the following forms and bring them to either a meeting or a practice. The USA Waterski Insurance is required and a receipt of the purchase is necessary. If you already have USA Waterski member through another organization please let the president know this and be ready to present your card. Lastly each semester has associated dues, please contact the president for this amount.

Steps to Join

  1. Complete Member Application
  2. Complete Emergency Contact Form
  3. Join USA Waterski. See Below.
  4. Come to a team meeting

How to sign up for USA WaterSki Insurance

  1. Go to http://www.usawaterski.org/renew/membership_new.asp
  2. Select "Under 25 Active"
  3. Click "Next"
  4. Fill out all of the required fields
  5. Be sure to enter "University of Minnesota" under Club/Team
  6. Pay for the insurance, cost should be $35
  7. Print out 2 copies of the receipt, one for you, one for the team. We must have the receipt for you to participate.

Member Resources

Our Members

Former President: Corey Bergendahl "Puffy Cheezer"

Corey Bergendahl
  • Practice Captain, Jump Captain
  • Email: Berg1464@umn.edu
  • Graduation: 2008
  • Major: Mechanical Engineering
  • Discipline: Slalom, Jump, Barefoot, paddle-ski
  • Quote: "We must never speak of this again."
  • I've been skiing since I was 4 years old on the beautiful, fishermen infested shores of Little Muskego Lake. Some of my hobbies include: going skiing, watching skiing, thinking about skiing, pretending to be skiing, cursing at fishermen and jetskis, and crashing....hard. After a tragic helicopter accident last summer, I expect to be back this season to mess myself up a little more. And if anybody asks, NO, of course I was not "that guy" at the tournament. (Editor's note: If you ever need to find Corey, it is best to follow the cheese puff trail all the way until you hear a 40 minute long conversation with a tent.)

Practice Coordinator: Heath Marnach "Heathdogg" or "Roof Rack"

Heath Marnach
  • Practice Captain
  • Email: Marn0012@umn.edu
  • Graduation: 2008
  • Major: Aerospace Engineering
  • Discipline: Slalom, Jump, Barefoot
  • Quote: "Oh s***, tear gassed again!!"
  • I was literally born in the water...yeah...Carol fell in the lake (Eeditor's note: Jon is childish and unimaginative) learning to swim before I could even walk and waterskiing soon after. I enjoy slalom runs at sunrise, barefoot runs at sunset, and climbing stepladders upon wooden planks at midday. Jumping out of moving boats, building rockets, and riding my Harley are just a few of my hobbies.

Tournament Coordinator: Cole Bond "C-Bondo"

Cole Bond
  • Practice Captain, Wakeboard Captain
  • Email: Bond0071@umn.edu
  • Graduation: 2007
  • Major: Physiology
  • Discipline: Wakeboard
  • Quote: "Where is Iowa?.. is that on a coast?" - Jillian
  • I've been on the team for 3 seasons, going on 4. I've been wakeboarding for 2 years, going on 3. Wakeboarding is a bit of an obsession of mine, and I plan on being out there as often as I can afford my time for. I also participate in the U of M gymnastics club, which is also very bad arse.

    • Fundraising Chair: Mike Stevens "Red"

    Mike Stevens
    • Email: Stev0347@umn.edu
    • Graduation: 2008
    • Major: Civil Engineering
    • Discipline: Slalom, Jump, Barefoot
    • Quote: "Screw it, I can re-take the class, but I can only have the opportunity to learn to barefoot in October once."
    • I've been a team member since Fall '05, and plan to work with boats for living after I graduate. I also enjoy romance novels, fireside chats with red wine about feelings, and long walks on the beach...as long as there is a course near that beach.

    Social Chair: Adam Cloutier "Pre-gate"/"Stitch"

    • Email: Clout026@umn.edu
    • Graduation: Fall 2006
    • Major: Architecture
    • Discipline: Wakeboard, Slalom
    • Quote: "Who drank all the Rod Diez"

    Former President: Jon Raduenz

    Jon Raduenz
    • Practice Captain, Prior Web Designer
    • Email: Radu0026@umn.edu
    • Graduation: 2007
    • Major: Civil Engineering
    • Discipline: Slalom, Trick, Jump, Wakeboard
    • Quote: "We can never go back!"
    • I'm one of the older members of the team that use to take advantage of people on other teams by sleeping in their tents at tournaments or outside if I failed. Since those days I have bought my own tent with an air mattress and found a new love for wakeboarding and jumping.

    Paul Rapnicki "Doc Paul"

    Doc Paul
    • Major: Associate Clinical Professor in Dairy Production Medicine
    • Graduation Year: 1986
    • Quote: What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. -Friedrich Nietzsche
    • Doc Paul joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. In 2005 he joined up with the team as a faculty advisor and really helped get the team on the right track. If he is not in sunny Florida checking up on them cows he may be skipping office hours to take the polar plunge and prove that even the "old" can show the kids a thing or two.

    Jessie Virant

    Jessie Virant
    • Email: vira0014@umn.edu
    • Graduating: hopefully in 2008
    • Major: Uh... we'll see
    • Dicipline: Wakeboarding for 3 years
    • Quote: "Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless." AND "Take a couple nineties and turn left at a white fence." Jon - giving directions
    • Coming up on my 2nd season on the team - what a great group of youngsters -just out having a good time :). When I grow up I want to be a ROCKSTAR and a WAKEBOARDER! This is probably the most fun group of people that have ever gone to the U. I can't wait for the water to open up so we can get back out there.

    Erin Leline

    Erin Leline
    • Email: Leli003@umn.edu
    • Graduation: 2008
    • Major: Anthropology, Leisure Studies
    • Discipline: Wakeboard, Trick
    • Quote: "I think we need a break from each other" (to my reflection in the mirror)
    • I started out on the team last year and fell in love with it. Right now I'm spending a semester on the sunny shores of the Dominican Republic, so everyone will just have to go on without me and look at all the beautiful pictures I send home!! When I am at home, I enjoy frolicking in autumn meadows and moonlit walks over to UDS to keep from starving.

    Former VP: Ariel Johnson

    • Major: Chemistry
    • Graduation: 2006 (maybe 2007)
    • Quote: "Skiers have more fun!"
    • SWF from Duluth, MN Slalom skier extraordinaire =)
      (Editors note: Impressing the judges with your tricks is overrated. For best results, please remove top)

    Annie Schurman

    • Major: Kinesiology
    • Graduation: 2008
    • Quote: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
    • Annie joined our team right away in the fall of 2005 looking for something to do when the snow what not on the ground. She shocked everyone on the team and even more herself by pulling off a 6th place wakeboard finish at Bartlett's. She may be the only one that knows what happened to the Ron Diez

    Ceci Wilson

    Ceci Wilson
    • Graduation: 2008
    • Major: Elementary Education
    • Discipline: Slalom, Wakeboard
    • Ceci is a true testament for what this team can do for a person. She began skiing with us not being a very accomplished skier but looking to improve her skills and meet new people. Since coming to our team, she has picked up a new passion for wakeboarding.

    Alumni

    Craig Kotilinek

    Craig Kotilinek
    • Major: Journalism, mmmmmbeotch!
    • Graduation: Alumni
    • Quote: Life's short and hard like a Bodybuilding elf.
    • Craig is a professional ninja as well as a part-time pirate. He enjoys being steezy and choking.

Design Credits

Designer
Kamran Ayub
Company
Intrepid Studios, Inc.
Website
Intrepid Studios, Inc.