Chestermere Water Skier showed focus and diligence to achieve her goal of becoming a member of the Water Ski Canada Team.
“I hadn’t thought that I was going to make it onto the team. I was very shocked,” Water Ski Canada Team member Shae O’Brien said.
Six years ago, Shae O’Brien, 12, saw an ad for a water ski site near Edmonton and she never looked back.
O’Brien has been competing in tournaments and learning how to own her craft by training five days a week, from when Chestermere Lake opens in the spring until it shuts down at the end of the season.
“I really like being in the water, when I’m out there I feel free,” O’Brien said.
This season, O’Brien broke the age 12 Slalom record for getting two at 32 ft at Provincials, and she also broke the Alberta Jump record age 12 for jumping 78 ft.
“For myself, personally I don’t really do much to prepare myself for competitions, if I get inside my head I’ll get super stressed about it,” O’Brien said.
“If I feel nervous I try to push the bad thoughts out of my head and just go ski. Lots of times I’ll get inside my head and then I don’t perform the way I know I can,” she added.
O’Brien has come from a long line of water skiers, including her mother who recreationally water skied, and three older siblings who also have water skied competitively.
“The competitive sport is very different than what you see out on the lake, it’s not like free skiing,” Shae O’Brien’s mother, Blais O’Brien said.
“Having been a high-performance athlete myself, I’m a strong component of kids in sport, and the life lessons they learn from participating, trying, and failing,” Blais said.
She added, “All of those skills they acquire that they need in life, they suddenly realize they have even though they didn’t know they were developing them.”
Even though Blais is excited for Shae in her new water skiing journey, Blais has had to jump over hurdles in order to find training sites for Shae to receive the proper training she requires.
“The closest ski club that’s reasonable is outside of Calgary, we’ve been on a waiting list for five years trying to get a membership,” Blais added, “Trying to find training sites is very limited.”
In order for Shae to train properly, her and her mother have to either do a day’s trip to a private lake near Olds Alta. or spend a week in Edmonton to train.
“We came here to live on the lake and play, and because they discovered this competitive side now we’re gone most of the summer,” Blais said.
“It’s been challenging with her training more and going away. Making this team she was just in Florida for two weeks.
“She flew as a 12-year-old down there and back on her own,” Blais added, “It’s great, gaining those skills that a lot of adults don’t have.”
Shae’s focus, and diligence for getting all other responsibilities completed ensures that she can train when she’s ready.
“She’s good at making sure she gets everything done regularly before she goofs off. Down days are pretty quiet, because you’re physically drained,” Blais said.
“I was really excited for her when she got on the team. She’s worked really hard for the last number of years, and especially this year and had a crazy, very audacious goal and went out and met it,” Blais added, “It’s gratifying to see her succeed in that.”
Shae is now training for the 2018 IWWF Pan American Water Ski Championships, taking place in Santiago Chile on Nov. 12 until Nov. 18.
“When she’s competing I just let her figure it out herself. I know enough to stay away and not to interfere. My nervousness doesn’t do her any good I try to leave her down on the dock and go watch and cheer,” Blais added.
