HS JOURNALISM: Ski team gears up for summer

Editor's note: Here is your chance to tell your story about your team, your school or your favorite player. If you'd like to join The Gazette's growing list of high school contributors, contact J.R. Ogden at jr.ogden@thegazette.com. Katherine is doing a 90-hour internship with us this summer through the Kirkwood Workplace Learning Connection.

CEDAR RAPIDS - For most people, summer is a time for relaxation. Not for the members of the Five Seasons Ski Team.

“When the summer rolls around, we do ski team,” said skier Mark Bortz, who has been with Five Seasons for 26 years.

Five Seasons displays a wide range of skills from pyramid building to ballet lines, with swivel and barefoot skiing. This year's theme is “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

The team is out on the water three times a week for three hours. They also perform every Thursday night for the public free of charge.

They had three straight shows during last week's Freedom Festival in Cedar Rapids and perform each Thursday.

“It takes a lot of time,” first-year skier Claire Bouchard said, “but it's well worth it. It's so much fun. It just makes my day a lot better.”

This season, however, was slow to get under way due to the flooding on the Cedar River.

“We haven't been out on the water very much,” co-show director Jessica Salzwedel said, “and these are rough conditions.”

These complications put a strain on the crew, as well as the skiers.

“The river's been closed a few days. It's been nearly closed a lot of other days,” senior boat driver Don Clow said.

“It really set us back a lot. It's very difficult to practice.”

A lot of work goes into the exciting show. Along with 75 skiers, the group consists of five towboats and drivers, a sound team, an equipment team and costume coordinators.

“It's a huge show,” Clow said. “It's like a small army of 125 people.”

Along with Clow, show directors Salzwedel and Kris Cory are at the team's core. Both also ski in the program.

“I got involved 10 years ago,” Salzwedel said. “My dad told me to come down and start climbing pyramids. And then I fell in love with it.”

One clear characteristic seen throughout the large group is family.

“The people are so encouraging and so loving,” new skier Jeanne Bouchard said. She joined after her sister, Claire, had a great time at practice.

Now they both enjoy it.

“I grew up skiing with family,” Bortz said. “The ski team provided a great opportunity. Now my whole family skis. It's a great family activity to participate in with kids and parents all at the same time. In a lot of other sports, you don't get to do that.”

Along with weekly shows and the Freedom Festival events, Five Seasons will compete at regionals in Waterloo the last weekend in July. Nationals are in August in Rockford, Ill.

For more on Five Seasons, go to www.5sst.com.