REMEMBER WHEN WE DID THIS?
Many of you are looking at this photo and thinking, what were they doing? So we used to put on some pretty serious wakeboard camps. I [Ole Jer] got the chance to help a friend run one at a different camp, and then we started doing them here.
We had a former pro wakeboarder come, Bart Copeland to help coach and share his testimony. That is a bit of a hard combo to find, a great wakeboarder with a solid faith, but that was him. At the first night of the half week camp, Bart and some coaches wold do a little riding demo, show some tricks to give the kids a little show and gain some credibility as a rider and coach. I have been amazed a number of times by what Bart could do on a wakeboard. I have seen him ollie an entire back of a boat, rail slide on a moving canoe and many more tricks that are pretty crazy. They sound unsafe but we were pretty careful, honest. Anyway, after some of that, the kids were very willing to listen to Bart's testimony and the Gospel in general, pretty cool.
So then after a number of years, Bart got a little busy with his business and just couldn't make it anymore. Fortunately, his sister was able to come for a couple years. She was currently riding on the pro tour and had done very well in her career. She has earned many x-games medals and won a ton of different competitions. Her name is Emily Copeland-Durham, pictured above and many below. It was really cool to have her, especially for the girl campers cause she was also very good and a very precise rider. Once again a great rider and a solid believer willing to share her testimony.
Later in the years of wakeboard camps, we also started building ramps and rail slides. Thats what those obstacles are that you are seeing. It was for the more advanced rider but very fun and unique.
By the way, if you think Emily looks a little familiar, you might be right. Over the last few years she has been competing of American Ninja Warrior. Bart has been on there once or twice too. She has been asked back this year and will it will be airing soon.
A number of years ago, our wakeboard camps got a little less serious and we merged it with classic camp instead of it being it's own thing. partly because Bart and Emily couldn't do it anymore, and partly because of less interest at the same time. So we still offered wakeboard camps, but in a much different and more "campy" way. The kids did a little less wakeboarding and a lot of regular camp instead of the other way around. BTW, now we do still wakeboard and have a great boat for it, just not wakeboard camps.
So that's the story. By the way, the first photo in this post is Ole Jer (me). Not sure I can do that anymore but it was fun while it lasted. Pictured here is one of our long time coaches, Robb. Here we were recording one of our videos. That's how we get some really close shots. He and a number of others were so instrumental in running those camps. Another one, Marc, or "Malibu Marc as we called him, has recently passed away, we miss him.
This whole thing was one of those specialty camps that we do for a while, while it seems to be relevant. It was really effective at reaching into a difficult people group. Thanks to all who were a part of it.
If you would like to see some videos of what we did, here we go!
2011 - the Chronicles of GNARNIA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY908yLN-ME
2010 - the WAKING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rV6H-bdjbM
2009 - EL SHREDGNAR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2jttuoXyRk
Enjoy! I will try to share some more memories from the Shamineau Vault soon!
