Wakeboarding Student

By Brian Cronin

Nick Foren, a 19-year-old, Semi-Professional Wakeboarder, wakeboarding is a water sport where a boat pulls an athlete by ropes and handles and the athlete does tricks, who attends Valencia Community College, has his plate full. A native of Detroit, Michigan, he moved to Central Florida to take advantage of the weather to train almost everyday and still have time to attend a great school like VCC. Along with his studies and grueling practice schedule, Foren also finds time to work because wakeboarding is an expensive sport.

Sponsors provide Foren with the necessary funds to play the sport. He explained, “This sport is so expensive I could not make it without help.” The company that sponsors Foren is Helium a premier distributor of life jackets, vests, ropes, handles, and neoprene tops. They provide funds for Forens wakeboard, boat, ropes and handles, gloves, cloths, and accessories. With wakeboards starting at $100, boats at more then $4,000 and countless other necessities, the sponsors don’t deny it takes money to compete according to the online website Ski Pro. Some of the gear that Foren uses is a Hyperlite wakeboard. Hyperlite wakeboards are a manufacture of wakeboards and the pioneers of the sport since its inception in 1991. They proudly craft their wakeboards to the standards set by their customers, athletes and themselves on the shores of Lake Sammamish in the United States

Starting at age 11, Foren worked at his craft, earning a few awards at local events. He developed into a Semi-Professional in the Junior Men’s Division when he received payments to participate in certain events. Last year he attended the first two stops of the Pro Wakeboard Tour. His dream includes moving on to becoming a professional wakeboarder one day. Hard work and dedication and a good education from Valencia give Foren the tools to make this dream a reality.

Staying in shape is the key to his success, says Foren so he trains daily. His workouts include: cardio three times a week, upper body twice a week and lower body workouts the other two days, “The whole body needs to be in tune for a person to succeed in this sport.” clarified Foren. Practicing at the local Lakes, Clear Lake and Lake Holden, put Foren above his competition. He rides twice a day and goes to Orlando Water sports Complex three times a week.

Eight years of experience, a good education, and continued countless hours of training, Foren knows the maneuvers, or tricks as he put it, in his sport, do not come without risk. Able to do a 720 (spinning his body in the air a full two rotations), Foren acknowledges he must still work at his tricks. “I do not want to put my life in jeopardy.” He is aware that a good education can eventually give him the edge on his competition when it comes down to the becoming a professional Wakeboarder and he is proud to say that he started his college education at Valencia Community College.