Teams were divided into categories for the state competition in Wisconsin Rapids on July 17-20 based on the number of members. The Ski-Ters have about 22 participating.

Wisconsin has the most water ski teams in the nation with more than 30, according to Ski-Ters information.

Jeleen Martin wrote the comedy with the help of daughters, Halee and Nicole Martin.

She has been involved with Ski-Ters for 18 years and both her daughters perform. This year her husband, Jim, and Halee served as directors of the show. Nicole performs in several acts.

Members of the Badwater Ski-Ters hold up the first-place award they won this summer at the state water ski competition. From left are Kallen Betka, David Neering, Brett Berglund, Addisyn Kriegl and Jaelyn Kriegl. (Submitted photo)

Martin said she has won numerous comedy awards over the years, in all three divisions in the state.

“I’ve always wanted to do an ‘up north’ one and actually do a tribute to where we live,” Jeleen Martin said. “We are in Spread Eagle, but we’re also Yoopers.”

The comedy takes place on shore and is “designed to fill time to allow the waters to calm down,” said her comedy partner, Rob Lundholm, who appears with Jeleen Martin in the show as Homer and Lucky.

“You get 13 acts you’re graded on in competition and one of them is comedy and we’ve done very well over the years. We’re one of the top comedy acts,” she said.

Some of the categories include barefoot skiing, trick skiing, swivel skiing, ballet lines and pyramids.

The team is also well known for its jumping ability. The first person to perform a trick has the option to name the trick.

“We have named more tricks than any other team in the country,” emcee Angie Betka said. “That gives us a pretty good reputation in the jump world.”

“What we try to do here — other teams don’t do this — but we try do as much as we can, do the exact same show here that we do at our competition. We do it because we believe our audience deserves the best and we also do it because it’s good practice,” Martin said.

The public is invited to the free shows at 6 p.m. Sundays through August, with an additional show planned Monday, Sept. 1, at Vagabond Park on the Menominee River in Spread Eagle.

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Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.