4 minute read
FLIPS AND TURNS
WWakeboarding phenom Kane Ward hit Lake Martin in mid-June to warm up for a commercial photo and video shoot with his Hyperlite sponsor. A two-time national wakeboarding champion and a WWA World champ, Ward became the world’s youngest wakeboard pro two years ago at the age of 8, but he’s been riding behind the boat since he was 2 years old. He gained YouTube fame when his father, Justin Ward, posted a composite video of his then-6-year-old son shredding to school, which opened the door to industry sponsorships that include Russell Marine, Grom and Flipside Cable Park, as well as Hyperlite. “It started out as just having fun. Me riding with him; watching wakeboarding videos,” Justin explained. “He is on the trampoline at home almost non-stop, and we tied up a rope and handle on the trampoline. He tries tricks there first. Once he’s got it on the trampoline, he can usually dial it in pretty quick on the water.” Ward is coached by Tony Iacconi, who has helped the young wakeboarder to expand his trick repertoire.
“His coach has set up a system where Kane wears a helmet with speakers and a mic, and his coach can be in the boat talking to him. They just gel. Kane learned 11 new tricks in one weekend with his coach and got five more later. This early in the season, he’s already learned three new mobes,” Justin said. “Whatever Tony tells him to do, he’ll do it. He trusts him.”
Ward is a rising fifth grader at Cullman Elementary School and plays basketball during the short season when he is not on the water. He wakeboards from late March or early April to November or later, donning a wetsuit when cold temperatures blow in.
For his son’s practice round on a warm, sunny June morning at Lake Martin, Justin borrowed a wake boat from Flipside Watersports’ Baker Bru. “I’ll just do some flips and turns – poke a few things out,” Ward said as he waggled his elbows at his sides and tied up his boots
The youngest wakeboard pro in the world, Kane Ward, age 10, edges out to warm up for a practice session on Lake Martin last month
Kane Ward
The world's youngest wakeboard pro flies high at Lake Martin
STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
Ward looks to land a heelside backroll during a morning practice session
Ward edged out through the wake and let his hips and legs float back into a Superman position to nail the Raley
The World champion wakeboarder flips through a toeside backroll
before the boat turned in to Willow Slough.
Once he warmed up by edging out and hopping a few wakes, Ward turned on the energy, flipping, twisting, turning, grabbing the board, passing the handle behind his back and incorporating a number of moves into each jump. Weighing in at 72 pounds, the 10-year-old has developed tremendous spring in his legs and can gain behind-the-boataltitude that gives him more airtime for complicated tricks.
He likes tricks that have a fun feel to them.
“I do the Raley a lot. You can edge out real far and lay out. It feels like Superman,” Ward said with a wide smile, his chin-length blonde hair falling in waves around his tanned face.
Wakeboarding has been the family go-to recreation since Ward’s earliest memories.
“My dad wakeboarded in college, and my mom did it, too,” Ward said. “We would go to Flipside Cable Park, and my dad would pull me up from the shoreline.”
Following the Lake Martin commercial shoot, Ward was headed to North Alabama for a grassroots tournament; and then, on to the WWA tourneys.
“Except for rodeo riding, this has the most pressure of any sport,” Justin said. “The time and the effort that goes into it is tremendous, and all you get in the tournament is one pass – down and back. You get two falls in a tournament, but the boat will only pick you up after the first. On the second fall, you’re done. You’ve got to be crazy consistent. You can do a harder trick for more points. You know, they say with higher risk comes higher reward, but if you don’t make the trick, you’re done.”
The family, including Ward’s mom, Cassie, and younger brother, Kruce, summers at lakes and cable parks, following the tournaments across the Southeast and into Florida.
To see the video that launched Ward’s young career, search for Kane Shred to School Original on YouTube. Follow him on Instagram @_kaneward_ and like him on Facebook.
Ward began wakeboarding at the age of 2
The young pro filmed video for his Hyperlite sponsor at Lake Martin last month
