It's hard for 10-year-old Kelley Breeden to talk to her Florida High classmates about her water-skiing hobby.

"Most of my friends say, 'We don't get that sport, so why do you talk about it?' Breeden lamented.

But the rising fifth-grader has earned some serious bragging rights this summer when she broke a 15-year-old record in Girls 1 slalom by making two buoys at 28 feet off at the Florida State Championships in Mulberry on July 11.

She placed third in tricks and fifth in slalom, ending up third overall in Girls 1.

Breeden took up water-skiing at age 6 and started competing when she was 7. She trains at Lake Jackson as well as Santa Rosa Beach.

"I really like that it doesn't really matter if you have talent," Breeden said. "Talent helps, but it doesn't really matter if you have natural talent because you can practice, practice and practice and you'll get better and better. It doesn't matter if you have a good day or bad day. I can always push myself more and more."

Breeden, who heads to Paducah, Ky., next week for regionals, likened the personal-best aspect of water-skiing to golf.

"It's one of those sports where you can always beat yourself," she said.

Breeden has already made friends from Mexico and Chile at competitions, keeping in touch with them through e-mail.

She's also looking forward to nationals in West Palm Beach in August.

Don't expect Breeden to go pro, though. The aspiring marine zoologist wants to keep it a fun, lifelong hobby.

"I want to do it when I'm 80," she said.