Family matters

Waterskiing is woven into almost all family memories for East County residents Robert and Carrie Hannabass and their daughters, Kirsten and Samantha.

About eight years ago, Kirsten Hannabass, now 21, joined the Sarasota Ski-A-Rees team.

A year later, Robert Hannabass joined the team as a boat driver. Soon after, Samantha Hannabass was skiing with the team, and Carrie Hannabass was in the boat controlling the ski ropes.

“What makes it so nice is you spend the entire day together,” Robert Hannabass said. “Both daughters are 75 feet behind you, and your wife is next to you in the boat. That’s what makes it such a nice time.”

After competing at nationals last year, Kirsten Hannabass and other skiers decided to put together a team made up of skiiers from the entire southern region.

She and Lakeland skier Diane Engberg set out to build the team, deemed the “Southern Ski Fanatics,” and get its members ready for the national competition in Rockford, Ill.

While Engberg and Kirsten Hannabass bring the team’s members together, Carrie Hannabass and others work behind the scenes to set up the lodging and other logistics.

Each national ski team must come up with a theme, which includes dances, costumes and styles of skiing.
“Every show is like a play. It tells a story,” Carrie Hannabass said.

A difficulty Kirsten Hannabass and Engberg face is bringing skiers together from Florida and other states, such as Alabama and North Carolina, to choreograph the routine and train before nationals in August. The team sends videos to members who can’t make its once-a-month practice at the Ski-A-Rees Stadium on City Island.

Because the skiiers are on different teams, some skiers might have a different way of holding a skier on the base of the pyramid, while another skier might have a different way of climbing to the top of the pyramid.

In August, the team will have the task of transporting dozens of people, gear and ski boats up to Rockford, Ill., which is a little more than 1,300 miles away.

Kirsten Hannabass resumed school at the University of Central Florida several weeks ago and also holds a job in Orlando.

Kirsten Hannabass said that when she first started at UCF several years ago, she couldn’t grasp the concept of not being with the Ski-A-Rees team and family every weekend.

“One tournament we had nine people and a dog all crammed into one room,” Kirsten Hannabass said. “I had spent every weekend with my parents since I was 13.”

Samantha Hannabass’ role is helping her sister develop ideas for the team and to be one of the few daring enough to be on top of a three or four-tier pyramid while flying across the water.

“I’ve fallen off the front, hit a ski and gotten a concussion,” Samantha Hannabass said. “Other than that it hasn’t been too bad, surprisingly.”

Carrie Hannabass recalls a ski show in which her daughters were on top of a three-tier pyramid.

“A woman behind me said, ‘What mother in her right mind would let her kid climb to the third tier of that pyramid?’ I turned around and said, ‘That’s me!’”

Although ski team members will come and go, the Hannabasses hope one constant will remain — they will ski together as a family.

“I would think (we’d continue being involved), especially if they graduated and stay in the area,” Robert Hannabass said. “Maybe someday we’ll have grandkids and they’ll ski.”

By the numbers
80 - Southern Ski Fanatics members who visited Florida in 2014.

83 - Age of the oldest Ski-A-Rees

6 - Age of the youngest member

Want to help?
The Southern Ski Fanatics team needs help getting to nationals. To donate, visit gofundme.com/jqeqr0

Southern Ski Fanatics
To learn more about Southern Ski Fanatics, visit its website at http://southernskifanatics.weebly.com/.
Southern Ski Fanatics practices will rotate throughout Florida to accommodate team members from across the state. The next practice will be held Feb. 28, in Tampa.

Robert Hannabass, a USA Water Ski certified boat driver, will be one of the drivers for the Southern Ski Fanatics during nationals.

How to join
Public shows take place at 2 p.m. Sundays, at the Ski-A-Rees Stadium, 1602 Ken Thompson Parkway, City Island, and continue through Mother’s Day. To join Ski-A-Rees, email [email protected].