| Summer time is one of the best times to play sports. | | | | your elbows are on the board, like you're going to lift |
| Many people like to go to the lake or the beach and | | | | a weight and do a curl. |
| go out in the water to play around. One of the best | | | | Fourth, when the boat starts to move you're |
| things to do in the water is to kneeboard. For those | | | | going to feel a big pull. When it starts to pull you, |
| of you who don't know kneeboarding is almost like | | | | take the rope and pull it back towards you and use |
| wake boarding, but on your knees. You kneel on a | | | | your elbows to slide your knees up into the knee |
| board, across the water, while holding a rope that's | | | | pockets. Your elbows are what are going to get you |
| connected to the boat. The object is to stay up and | | | | up. Use your forearms and elbows and slide your |
| try and do any types of tricks you can. I have been | | | | knees in. If you are a little bit stronger you can hold |
| doing knee boarding since I was probably 12 or 13 | | | | the rope with one hand and use your other hand to |
| and I have become pretty good at it as well. On my | | | | hold the board. |
| dad's boat I'm known as the kneeboarding "teacher." | | | | Fifth, once you're kneeling on the board the next |
| Every time someone new comes on the boat they | | | | thing to do is to strap yourself in. On the board there |
| say, "We brought you a new student today." That's | | | | is a strap so your knees won't come out when |
| what I'm going to do today is give you some tips on | | | | you're up, but you slide out when you fall. Strap |
| how to kneeboard. | | | | yourself in as tightly as you need to. |
| The first thing you need to do is put on a life | | | | Sixth, make sure you keep holding onto that |
| jacket. When it comes to going out in the water, | | | | rope. The rope at points will pull away from you and |
| safety always comes first. Make sure the life jacket | | | | you will feel like it's going to fall. When that happens, |
| fits you well and is tight enough that you can't slip | | | | take both hands and pull it back towards you. When |
| out of it. Also, be aware of the signals. The signals | | | | you do this it will give you some slack. |
| are: a little faster, a little slower, it's wavy (meaning | | | | Seventh, remember at all times to lean back. |
| there are big waves coming, be prepared) and stop | | | | You don't want to lean to far back because you will |
| (cut it). | | | | be off balance and fall. But you also don't want to |
| Second, is to grab the rope you are using to pull | | | | lean to far forward or you will do a nose dive. You |
| you along and find somewhere on the boat to tie it | | | | want to lean just a little back. When the waves |
| to. Normally you will tie it to one of the hooks on the | | | | come, make sure you really lean back. |
| back of the boat or one in the middle if there is one. | | | | Kneeboarding can be a lot of fun once you learn to |
| Stick the rope through the middle of the hook then | | | | get up. It sometimes takes a few tries, but you will |
| latch it on so it goes over the top and bottom of the | | | | get it. Never give up. I always say, once you get up |
| hook. | | | | for the first time, you will get up every time. Go out |
| Third, jump in the water and once you get in, | | | | and have fun with it. Once you master getting up try |
| dunk your board under water so it gets wet. You | | | | doing spins or some tricks. It's a lot of fun when you |
| want your board to be wet from the water so it's | | | | have another person going with you because then |
| easier to get up on. Once your board is wet you are | | | | you can try and push each other off, splash each |
| going to lie on it. Don't put your whole body on the | | | | other and just have laughs about it. Go out and try |
| board; make it so that half your body is on the board | | | | knee boarding! |
| and the have your legs dangling. Hold the rope so | | | | |