Water skiing was introduced to the disabled community in 1983 with the development of the sit-ski by Royce Andes in California. In 1982, Royce was involved in a bare foot skiing accident that broke his neck and left him paralyzed. He took a whole new look at the sport he loved and how he could adapt and bring the sport of water skiing to the disabled community.  Within less than a year after his accident Royce had a prototype on the water. He drew the design with a stick pen in his mouth and his good friend took his design from paper to a working prototype. Royce’s friend, a high school shop teacher, brought the dream to his students where the first several skis were built as class projects. Later Royce developed his designs into the KanSki, which was the first composite sit-ski available for Individuals with disabled to enjoy the sport of water skiing.

Over the next few years the equipment evolved with increased involvement and new technology allowing individuals with physical disabilities to enjoy the sport. Individuals with a disability of a single leg typically ski standing up on one ski. There are some single leg amputees that use a prosthetic “ski leg” and ski on two skis or a single ski using both legs.  For individuals that have an impairment to one arm there is a variety of slings and harnesses that help compensate for the lack of pulling on one side of the body. Individuals that are unable to stand (spinal cord Injuries) and some types of cerebral palsy and muscular diseases) will ski using a “sit ski”. These come in a variety of sizes from wide, very stable skis which incorporate a “starting block” (to assist the skier with weak or poor grip strength), to very narrow competitive skis designed for running the slalom course. Skiers with vision impairments ski with minimal adaptations using audio signals.

Adaptive Waterskiing was first discussed by the Saskatchewan Waterski Association in 1999, replacing the term disabled, which eventually led to the SkiAbility program for grassroots introduction to towed watersports.  The potential to add this programming was put into the Strategic plan of the association.  In 2003, Rosie Gilliland donated $1800 to the association to purchase sit skis, and this was matched by Waterski and Wakeboard Canada. This equipment allowed the Saskatoon Waterski Club ran the first learn to ski program for adaptive skiing in partnership with Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports after Dave Wassill had taken the coaching course to teach Adaptive waterskiing.

 

In 2005, Troy Monz and LeRoss Calnek were trained to coach adaptive ski sessions, and two adaptive clinics were held, attended by 12 skiers.  The first Adaptive Nationals were held as a stand-alone event in Ottawa at Mooney’s Bay this year.  By 2006, Adaptive water skiing was integrated into provincial, regional and national competition with classic waterski. Dave Wassill became a national coach and leader for adaptive skiing after many years as a top coach in the province for classic waterskiing, and was invited to be part of Team Canada’s coach contingent at the Adaptive Pan Am Games in Florida.  He worked with Pete Andrews from Saskatoon, where Pete won silver in jump and placed second overall in MP2 men's category.  He set a Canadian record in jump, resulting in being ranked #1 in jump, #2 in slalom, and #3 in tricks in Canada. Pete was the only Canadian to medal at the Pan Am Championships.

 

Ryan Riehl was the next Saskatchewan Adaptive athlete to compete at Nationals in 2007, who also had Dave as his coach.  Ryan became the first visually impaired competitive waterskier, winning gold in trick and slalom.   Pete Andrews attended the Adaptive World Championships in Australia, winning gold in his category, a first for Team Canada.  The grassroots programming for introducing towed watersports continued in2007 and 2008, with 5 clinics held in total.  

 

Adaptive World Championships are held every two years, and in 2009 Pete Andrews and Ryan Riehl were part of Team Canada at the event, with Dave as part of the coaching staff.  Pete won the gold medal in jump, and Ryan brought home 3 bronze. There were 2 Adaptive Clinics called “Give it a Go” held this year in Saskatoon.  2010 had the first clinic for Adaptive in Regina in partnership with Regina Rehabilitation.  Ryan and Pete both attended Nationals, defending their titles as National champs again.

 

The next season in 2011 saw a boost in grassroots support as a 1995 Ski Nautique boat was purchased for supporting Clinics for people with a disability using funding from the Jeux Canada Games 1989 Foundation.  There was a clinic held for the first time at Camp Easter Seal led by Leross Calnek, with 8 participants.  Ryan defended his National title again, setting a new Canadian Jump record.  He also attended the World Championships in Ohio.  As 2012 was an off year for worlds, Ryan attended the US Nationals that year.  He also defended his national title, and added to his jump record.  Dave Wassill organized a National Team Training Camp in Florida in the offseason, attended by Ryan.

2013 Nationals saw Pete and Ryan both set new records again, and the contingent from Saskatchewan was joined by Ashley Baerg and Nolan Barnes. Ashley recalls the positive experiences of becoming involved with the Saskatoon Waterski Club.  “I just know for myself that everybody at the club has been incredibly welcoming.  As far as being an adaptive athlete, I’ve never felt any different than any other skier that has come to the club.  They have just been encouraging and welcoming.”  

 

 Each Saskatchewan athlete at National in 2013 reached the podium and their results qualified them for Team Canada.  World Championships were held in Italy, with the team coached by Dave.  Ashley Baerg became World Champion in Jump, and won Bronze in trick.  Pete Andrews took the Silver in jump. Ryan Riehl and Nolan Barnes were also part of Team Canada.  The following season was again an off-year for worlds, so there was an opportunity to build the program in Saskatchewan.  Lisa Williams joined Dave at Give it a Go events, bringing her extensive waterski resume background as an athlete and coach.  A VP Adaptive position was created on the WSWS Board, providing for adaptive watersports to be fully integrated into Waterski and Wakeboard Saskatchewan. 

 

The 2015 season had eight athletes attend the Give it a Go program.  Dave took 4 athletes to Florida for off-season training as part of Team Canada.  World Disabled Waterski Championships at Shortline Lake, Elk Grove, California.  Team Canada placed 4th overall for the second consecutive time.  Ashley Baerg led the team in points, winning four medals in slalom, trick, jump, and overall, and holding her title as world Champion in Jump.  Nolan Barnes set a record in the MP2(M) Slalom event. The following season was an opportunity for grassroots, with Camp Easter Seal hosting a "Learn to Ski" day as well as five towed water sport days in Saskatoon and Regina, with eight new participants.  Blake Lamontagne, Todd Hubbs and Nolan Barnes attended US Nationals in Harmony, North Carolina.

 

The following season World Championships were held in Australia, where Ashley Baerg set a new World Record in Jump in 2017, and was named the SaskSport Athlete of the Month in May.  She extended her record at the US Nationals the following season.  In 2019, the 14th World Waterski Adaptive Championships were held in Skarnes, Norway in July with 44 skiers from eleven countries.  Team Canada had Ashley Baerg, Ryan Riehl and Nolan Barnes participate as athletes, and Dave Wassill and Lisa Williams as coaches.  At this event Nolan Barnes set a world record in slalom, becoming the 3rd world champion from Saskatchewan in Adaptive waterski history.  

 

The pandemic created havoc for the sport in 2020 and 2021.  There were no Adaptive Give it a Go clinics held.  There were also no regional, national or international events.  In 2022, there was a Give it a Go hosted by Saskatoon Waterski club with 5 participants, and they were joined by Nolan, Ashley and Ryan to provide some inspiration and show the athletes the potential for development, and Blake Lamontagne also used this time for training and development.  In the off-season, there was a training opportunity in Florida to help the athletes prepare for the return of competitions.  Nolan Barnes won the SaskSport Inspire Through Sport Award in honour of his accomplishments and involvement in the community.   In 2023, several athletes received Future Best funding to further their  training and competitive experience, which include Ashley Baerg, Nolan Barnes, Blake Lamontagne, Ryan Riehl and Jacob Wasserman.  Ashley, Blake, and Ryan all attended Nationals with coaches Dave and Lisa.  Blake set a new National record in trick in his category at the event, and also took the gold in slalom.  Ashley once again kept her national title.  At the 2023 IWWF Disabled World Water Ski Championships in California, Team Canada celebrated a historic silver medal win.  Ashley Baerg was 2nd in Seated Ladies Jump, 3rd in Seated Ladies Slalom, and Overall.  Blake Lamontagne set a new World Record in trick, which effectively increased his Canadian record.  Blake joined Nolan as a SaskSport Inspire through Sport Award winner in 2023. 

 

Ashley Baerg took on a leadership role in coaching and development in 2024, and using grant money from SaskSport, organized a very successful grassroots and development program.  There were 2 Give it a Go clinics in Saskatoon, followed by 5 Adaptive Members’ Nights at SWSC.  The participants were invited to train after the grassroots events, and had the opportunity to work with Ashley and Leross Calnek to learn to become more independent and the chance to train toward competition level.  US Nationals saw Blake, Ashley and Todd attend with Dave and Lisa. 

 

Saskatchewan athletes, coaches and volunteers have been key to the development of the National program for Adaptive.  They have been leaders and mentors for others in Canada and provide inspiration for others to get involved in this growing discipline in towed watersports.  The success of the program saw 5 athletes and 2 coaches from Saskatchewan on Team Canada, and the challenge is to use this as the foundation to build for future success.

 

The last words in this section will go to Blake Lamontagne, 

 

 Even seeing and watching Team Canada grow as a whole, when I first started, there were five of us or six of us, I think, from Saskatchewan. And now to see there being 14 and potentially more athletes, and not just from Saskatchewan, but from across Canada, watching the program grow and seeing everybody's hard work and seeing what everybody's put into this program and to get to be a part of it. Another memory, I guess, that'll sit with me forever.  Getting to be a part of Team Canada's first ever team medal. know, we'd gone to, I'd personally been to two of them before California and I know that a number of my other teammates have been to a few more than I have and we'd never placed higher than four. So for us to come together again, see the program build and see athletes from across the country all contribute to those scores. you know, I, we're going to give the Americans a run for their money in 2025. 

 

So, but again, to get to be a part of that and, and watch and, and, you know, I'm one of the, I'm one of the senior athletes now and, and to get to pass on what I know and, and, you know, be a part of building and growing that and just being a part of everybody's journey has been super special.

 

 Well, we caused some waves. The events that we would have held would have been the Give It A Go Days, where it provides new athletes that have never tried this sport before the opportunity to come out, where we've got all the equipment, we've got all the coaches, we've got everything in place basically to make sure that you're going to have successful day on the water and, You know, there was one event We hosted this was years ago and I can't really remember but we had something like 15 new skiers come out and try that out and to get 15 people to come out to a kind of like any kind of event like that is almost unheard of like it's really hard to do. So I mean, we had like two or three years of just incredible turnouts, people coming back because they wanted to go again. But you know, like I get, water skiing is also kind of a tough sport and that not everybody has a boat or, you know, means of transportation to and from the lake and everything. But so getting to be a part of that and you know, create that outlet. There were some people that would have never ever had that opportunity before. So to get them out on the water, see those smiles and you know, the laughs and everything. That for me would have been the most memorable would have been those events. They were, yeah, it's kind of hard to put into words what those mean. For sure

 

The association, I mean,  it gives us that platform or that outlet you know, to be able to go out and experience these things. When you're part of a club, you're part of the team, you're no longer on your own anymore. There's more than just you there to help you out. you know, it just opens the door up more. It provides a lot more opportunities being a part of that and just having those people to be able to bounce off of and whether they're in the boat helping you coach, like coach you or driving or whatever it is.  I mean, like, because water skiing is kind of weird in that it's very individual, but it's still a team sport in the end as well. My teammate, Ryan Reihl is the most incredible athlete that I've ever met in my entire life. To have what it takes to go and do what he does with the ability that he does. He's never got an excuse you know, to just see that he just never gives up when it's like, I'm having a bad day because...whatever my reason is, it's like, but Ryan’s still sitting there with a smile on his face waiting for his set. Yeah. You know, so to have guys like that, you know, obviously make more than the most of the situation that he's in. That's kind of one of the cool things about water skiing is the journeys and the people like not even just my teammates, but the people that I compete against. You know, some of my best friends that I would have never known had it not been for this sport. You know, I'd probably still partially be that angry 16-year-old kid that I was, just secluded in this great big world.  Now I’m not alone."