The Man, The Legend
1973 - Present - Owner/Operator International Tournament Skiing
1979 - Received “Best Coach Award” presented by Russian Waterski Team at the World Waterski Championships
1988 - Coach, AWSA Pan American Junior & Senior Teams
1989 - Present - Member AWSA Coaching Committee/Level 3 Course Conductor
1989 - Coach USA World Team
1989 - Chairman AWSA National Coaching Committee
1990 - Author of “Water Skiing”
1991 - Nominee for Jack Kelly Fair Play Award
1993 - 1995 - Skier rep for Duvall Ski’s/Research and Development
1995 - Coach US Olympic Pan American Team
1996 - Coach U.S. World Junior Team
1996 - Coach/commentator for MTV’s Road Rules season 2
1997 - Coach U.S. World Elite Team
1998 - Coach U.S. Pan American team
1999 - Coach World U.S.A. Team in Italy
2004 - Named Waterski Icon for past 25 years by World Publications
2003 - Coach U.S.A. Open team Pan Am’s in Dominican Republic
2007 - U.S.A. Coach for Can Am Challenge
2007 - Florida Waterski Hall of Fame Inductee
2008 - Coach U.S.A. Team U21 World’s Santiago Chile
2011 - Received Award of Distinction Honoree
Jack Travers has dedicated his life to the advancement of water skiing as a respected athletic endeavor. He has operated his own ski school in Florida since 1973, developing his Sunset Lakes complex into a world renown water ski training center
Jack has helped athletes from many countries develop their skills. He has coached 15 of the 17 men that have jumped 200 feet or better and all but two of the women that have jumped over 150 feet. He has trained many world world champion skiers during his career. Not only is he recognized for his expertise as a jump coach, he has a broad knowledge of all ski disciplines. Jack has received many awards over his lengthy career, including the Best Coach award from the Russian Water Ski Federation at the 1979 World Championships. The Russian team recognized Jack's unselfish dedication to willingly assist all athletes regardless of what team they represented.
Jack has served as coach of numerous U.S. teams, including the 1988 Junior & Senior Team that won the Canadian-American Challenge; the 1989 U.S. Team that won the World Championship; the 1995 U.S. Team that won the Pan American Championship; the 1996 Junior Team that won the Junior World Championship in Chile; and he served as coach of the 1997 U.S. Team in the World Championships in Columbia. It should be noted that with Jack as coach, no U.S. Team has ever lost a world title.
Jack has consistently exhibited total support of all athletes, regardless of who an athlete's primary coach may be. Jack was instrumental developing the AWSA coaches program,, assisting with implementation of that program and assisting in writing the text for all three levels of coaches manuals. He is a founding member of the AWSA Coaches Advisory Committee, serving as the first Chairman of the Committee. He continues to take an active role on the committee.
In 1990 Jack authored the definitive instructional manual of water skiing,m simply titled "Water Skiing", that continues to be published and is available in bookstores around the globe.
Recognized by water ski industry personnel around the world for his technical expertise, Jack's skills have been recruited by various companies, including Duvall Skis, Kidder Skis, EP Skis, Correct Craft Boat Company, and most recently, Perfect Pass speed control systems. His pioneering efforts with boat speed control may eventually play a key factor in water skiing being accepted as an Olympic sport. The reliance on a mechanical propulsion device operated by another human has been a concern of the IOC when considering water skiing for election to full Olympic sport status.
Jack was also instrumental in the development of such now widely accepted items of competitive water ski equipment as the fiberglass jump ramp surface, jump helmets for safety and the arm sling used by jumpers to hold the arm in proper position when accelerating toward the jump ramp. He has been a key contributor in the development of advanced composite water skis, including slalom and jump ski design.
Jack's coaching skills are recognized globally, with students from around the world attending training sessions year round. He has assisted students from virtually every country affiliated with the International Water Ski Federation.
Jack has not only operated a ski school for the past quarter of a century, he has been totally involved in the sport. His Sunset lakes site has been host to many coaches and officials clinics. He has held clinics for novice skiers through world class athletes. Sunset Lakes was the site of the 1992 U.S. Junior Team Trials, 1994 Junior Team Trials and 1994 Pan American Team Trials. The 1995 Southern Regionals were held at Jack's, with over 440 entries. He has hosted numerous water ski tournaments over the years, setting more World and National (U.S. and others) records than any other site. In addition, he has loaned his site to other ski clubs for tournaments and has held many collegiate tournaments on his site. Jack has also been at the forefront of providing training opportunities for women and disabled athletes.