By John Gregg Watsonville, CA. (July 13, 2008) — Twenty-year-old Jonathan Travers is a rising star the Pro Ski Tour.  If the name sounds familiar, well, the young slalom specialist was groomed for success as the son of legendary water ski coach Jack Travers. 

Of course, it didn’t hurt that Jonathan grew up working at his father’s ski school at Sunset Lakes, near his hometown of Groveland, Florida.  However, there have been more than a few bumps along the way, especially since Jack is renown for coaching jumpers and at six-foot-two, Jonathan is really built along the lines of a classic slalom skier. 

Nevertheless, the younger Travers’ career has really taken off during his rookie season and in three pro events so far in 2008, he has managed to nail down one podium finish after earning third place honors in Georgia. 

“It really is a dream come true.  Back when I was about 6 or 7, I told my dad, when he was coaching all the guys that I wanted to be like these guys one day,” Travers recalled.  “He told me to keep training and the stay focused and I wasn’t sure it was ever going to come true.  Because the more I skied it seemed the worse I got when I was younger.  But one winter my Dad and I sat down after nationals and we decided just to train all year in slalom and the next year I gained about 2 ½ passes.”

Growing up around a ski school was somewhat of a different childhood.  First of all the conversations always seemed to be centered on water skiing between his mother, father and older brother.  The other rather unusual aspect of ski school life was that his dad was always working with athletes and when the holidays came around, well, they were right there sharing meals with the Travers’ family.

“We always talked about skiing.  Our family is not like a normal family,” Travers said with a laugh.  “In my family it is my dad, my mom and brother, so it is the four of us but every Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day we always had students and athletes with us.  On our vacations we always had people with us.  During Christmas we would always have 6 or 7 skiers from around the world with us celebrating.  It was different and I just had to get use to it.”

Of course the upside to that type of experience was that Travers grew up around a number of outstanding skiers.

“I looked up to a lot of skiers when I was growing up,” Travers explained.  “Brenda Baldwin, Brandi Hunt and Mike Hazelwood were all really good skiers that my dad worked with.”

Along with his third place finish in Georgia, Jonathan finished 6th in Michigan and 12th in Alabama.  Within a matter of weeks he will be headed to Russia to compete in the World Cup, so a lot has been happening for a young athlete who everyone expected to be a jumper but physically is far better suited to excel in the slalom.

“It was really awkward because my dad is known for his jump coaching and I’m not the best jumper out there.  I’m just a better slalom skier,” Travers confided.  “It was really hard when people looked at me as a slalom skier and not a jumper.  They always thought I was a wash.  I’m not built for jumping.  I’m too tall and most jumpers are really short and stocky.  I’m 6’2” and so my dad looked at that and said, ‘work the best what you have and make it the best.  Not just in the middle.’”

Growing up around the sport Travers did have one special hero as a kid and he would go out of his way to gain any kind of knowledge for the one athlete that he regarded to be the very best of the best slalom skiers. 
“The biggest one was Andy Mapple.  Every time I saw him I got his autograph and I shook his hand,” Travers confided.  “I tried to get as much coaching as I could with him and he was my main guy.”

There has been a certain amount of magic in the air this season for the young Mr. Travers and he can’t help but smile when he thinks about finally competing at the top level of his sport.  However, there also have been some nerves that come with being a rookie.

“It is difficult because they have so much more experience.  They are veterans.  They have done it so many times, so I’m a lot more nervous than they are,” Travers says.  “I’m not use to having cameras in my face while I am setting in the back of the boat.  I’m still not use to other people yelling on the shore and I’m not use to getting interviewed right when you are through skiing.  I’m a little nervous on the dock but the less you think about it, you just try to make it practice.  You try to do the same things in practice and nothing different.  When your nervous your body tenses up and that isn’t a good thing.”

Travers knows he has his work cut out for himself if he is to succeed on the pro tour and he all ready has some guys that he is gunning for out on the water. 

“The guys I think are the hardest to beat and the ones I would love to beat would be Jamie Beauchesne, Will Asher and Cale Burdick, he’s a young guy and he’s very good,” Travers explained.  “My goal every time that I go out skiing is just to do my very best every single time.”

Everything seems to breaking right for the athletic slalom specialist from Groveland.  Turns out that being Jack Travers son has a number of benefits if you are prepared to put in the hard work. 

Photos courtesy of USA Water Ski