Morgan Eserti really can’t remember a time when she wasn’t part of the U.S. Water Ski Show Team.
Her family dad Bob, mom Lisa and sister Jackie have been involved with the team for years, so some of Eserti’s earliest memories involve the team that regularly performs behind Jumpin’ Jack’s in Scotia.
`I’ve pretty much been on it my whole life,` said Eserti, a 14-year-old from Burnt Hills.
Eserti’s story is similar to many of the other skiers’. In fact, when the people on the team talk about how it’s like a big family, that’s in no small part because many of the members are family in the literal sense. The crowds they draw to Jumpin’ Jack’s are also heavy on families, who turn out on Tuesdays to see the show that is a staple of summer. The last show of 2009 is Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 6 p.m. It’s always a good idea to arrive early — the hundreds of people who turn out often make a night of it, grabbing dinner from Jumpin’ Jack’s and then settling in on the banks of the Mohawk River to watch the show.
Eserti’s friends are often among those in the crowd.
`They think it’s really cool,` she said. `They don’t know how I do it.`
That’s because the team does far more than just ski behind boats. Women ski in pyramid formations. Men do jumps. Skiers of both sexes and all ages ski backwards, barefoot and with partners.
Roy DeLarma grew up water skiing on Sacandaga Lake, but he never tried anything like that. When his kids were 12 or 13, he brought them to Scotia to see the water ski team, and the show blew them all away.
`They were just as excited as I was,` DeLarma said.
So, soon DeLarma and his wife, Sandra, joined the team with their kids: sons Michael and Brian and daughter Michelle.
`It gave us someplace to get together,` DeLarma said. `The team is really family oriented. It’s pretty special.`
DeLarma’s sons fell so in love with water skiing that both went on to perform for Ski World. Meanwhile, he’s stayed involved with the team even now that his kids are grown. He used to drive one of the team’s boats during the show; these days, it’s common to find him helping on shore, dropping ropes into the water and picking up skis after skiers return to shore.
DeLarma’s presence underscores the fact that there’s a lot of work that goes into each show. `It’s kind of like a second job,` said Christine Palleschi, the president of the team.
But there’s no pay for being part of the ski team. In fact, everyone on the team pays dues to belong. They also chip in with chores like making costumes and choreographing shows, each of which adheres to a theme. On a recent Tuesday night, some male skiers were called the New York Giants, while female members of the team who were skiing in a pyramid formation were hailed as the Giants’ cheerleaders.
The work doesn’t stop when the shows stop. DeLarma said the team is a 12-month commitment. Palleschi said off-season work includes raising money and finding sponsors. There are also practice sessions in local indoor pools.
Palleschi, a Scotia native, was about 12 when she first saw the ski team in action. She had grown up water skiing, but like DeLarma, she’d never tried anything like what the ski team was doing. She remembers seeing her first show: `I was amazed,` she said.
But before long, it was Palleschi performing those same kinds of tricks. `It was so long ago, but I know I was scared out of my mind to try that stuff,` she said with a laugh.
She caught on quickly, and before long, Jumpin’ Jack’s was like a summer home for her, her three brothers and her parents. That was about 13 years ago, and Palleschi isn’t the only one in her family still involved — one brother still skis, and her mom helps out.
`It’s a great family sport,` Palleschi said.
Beyond that, Eserti enjoys the way any cares or concerns she might have fall away on the water.
`I like how it just gets my mind off things,` she said. `It’s fun.`
Fun was what about 40 local teenagers were looking for when the team was first formed on Mariaville Lake in 1968. The team moved to the Mohawk in 1982. In 1986, it started performing behind Jumpin’ Jacks in Scotia and was incorporated as the U.S. Water Ski Show Team.
While the roster has changed every year, Eserti said she plans to be part of the team for a long time.
Admission to the shows is free. Parking is at a premium at Jumpin’ Jack’s, but there are spaces available in and around Collins Park.
For information on the team, including how to join, visit www.uswaterskishowteam.com.“
