history
The team was chartered by 24 original members in 1980. The mutual love of water-skiing, skiing safety and organized water-skiing were the common denominators that brought this group together. This emphasis has also remained with the team throughout the years.
We began as a non-profit organization "to promote the sport of water skiing through group participation, sponsoring exhibitions, shows, tournaments and associated recreational activities for the mutual benefit of the members, to stimulate interest in water skiing among the non-skiers in our community, and to work for greater safety in water skiing."
Originally a club that skied recreationally, it gradually evolved into a “Show Team”. The team gathers during the winter months and works on pyramids, doubles and trios lifts, and shore routines. We have held and hosted many clinics over the years in order to further our team's expertise and to teach other teams the basics of Show Skiing. In 1984 the Team created and hosted the first ever Eastern Region Ski Show Tournament, a Class "A" event sanctioned by the American Water Ski Association. The Oxbow Water Ski Show Team has been the host to this event many times since then.
Becoming a Show Team has allowed us to remain true to our mission statement. Show skiing is inherently bound by its rules to safety. The team has performed hundreds of weekly shows over the years and is available for hire both at home and on the road.
We also support the community by hosting Benefit Shows. The team has raised thousands of dollars at our special benefit shows and have donated to the organizations below:
- American Lung Association's "Kamp for Asthmatic Kids"
- The American Red Cross - Hampshire Unit
- Children's Miracle Network through Bay State Medical Center
- Cooley Dickinson Hospital's Pediatric Unit
- The Muscular Dystrophy Association also known as "Jerry's Kids"
- Shriners Hospitals Springfield Unit
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