Caroline Bryant
Editor-in-Chief
Despite Hurricane Milton, on-and-off travel cancellations and missing team members, Mocs waterski was able to clinch fourth place at the 2024 Syndicate Water Ski Collegiate Nationals for Division I.
The Mocs finished behind the University of Alabama in third, University Louisiana Monroe in second and national champion University of Louisiana Lafayette. They placed fourth at the 2023 championships, as well.
Junior Olivia Chute was the highest scoring Moc, securing gold in the trick.
“I am filled with gratitude over this win,” Chute said. “There was some uncertainty if our team would even be able to make it to Texas to compete due to Hurricane Milton approaching Florida around the time of our departure. I feel so lucky that everything came together for us to go and compete. Nothing made this win sweeter than being surrounded by the most supportive teammates I could ask for.”
With strong winds and choppy waters, Chute approached her ski tactically, ultimately leading her to first.
“Our team coach’s motto for the week was ‘Be smart,’” Chute said. “I ended up making a smart move to opt for an easier trick at the end of my run that I knew I would be able to complete in the wind, which ended up paying dividends and earning me the title.”
Though junior Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah’s main event is trick, she was unable to make the podium due to an early fall. Her mistake didn’t shake up her game, though, proceeding to take second in the jump and second overall.
“I honestly feel good about my achievements,” Yoong Hanifah said. “I didn’t do the best that I wanted to do because my main event is tricks … and I should’ve done better in tricks and should’ve got on the podium, but I didn’t. But honestly, I’m quite satisfied with the whole thing.”
Though she felt more nervous than usual and didn’t perform as expected, she expressed how her teammates made “all her worries go away.”
“All of them are there for you,” Yoong Hanifah said. “… In my tricks, I fell early, so that’s why I didn’t do so well … but they were still cheering for me when I felt [awful] and I wanted to cry, but they were there for me and still cheering for me. It’s kind of nice.”
Senior twins Chris and Johnny Horwood made the podium for the mens’ team, taking fourth and fifth place overall. C. Horwood was pleasantly surprised by his success, as he hasn’t practiced nor competed most of the semester due to a sprained ankle.
“It was a bit of a clutch moment, I’m not going to lie, skiing well in all three events,” C. Horwood said. “I didn’t have much time to prepare and my ankle was still somewhat sprained when I skied at nationals … so I didn’t have big expectations because I wasn’t training a lot.”
Unable to physically prepare as much as his competition, C. Horwood walked into the championships focused on mentality. “I had to handle it mentally and just think, for slalom for example, ‘One buoy at a time,’and same with trick, ‘land with flip and we’ll go to the next,’” C. Horwood said. “I very much took it one step at a time which is hard to do because waterskiing is very fast paced, but I think mentally I just wanted to stay relaxed and not freak out and do what I have to do.”
Like Yoong Hanifah, the love from his team inspired him to give it his all.
“This team was truly a family and everyone wanted to ski the best for each other,” C. Horwood said. “Nobody went into the tournament selfish and everyone supported each other as much as they could, which has definitely helped with my stress levels …”
And despite his injury, C. Horwood wanted to compete in the championships because it would be his last opportunity to do so collegiately. He is a senior and will be away next semester due to a full-time internship in music production and song writing, unavailable to compete in the spring.
Other team members continue to focus on tapering, improving and preparing for spring competition. These tournaments are dedicated toward individual rankings, with many international athletes like Yoong Hanifah looking forward to competing in and for their home countries.
