About Brian
Name: Brian Detrick
Discipline: Slalom Water Skiing
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Home Site: Shortline Lake
STATS
Age: 32
Height: 6’4
Weight: 180
Shoe Size: 14
College: Saint Mary’s College of California
Home Lake: Shortline Lake
Stance: Goofy – Right Foot Forward
Best Performance: Tournament – 1@43 off / 9.75m
Boat of Choice: ________
Ski of Choice: Goode XTRcc
Hobbies: basketball, yoga, working out, slackline and traveling
Brian grew up in a Northern California city, Elk Grove, that was a farming town but quickly turned into a populated urban city by the time he was a teenager. His parents skied on the delta and at other bodies of water in Northern California and eventually got into tournament water skiing. This is when they first discovered private man made water ski lakes and quickly realized that they wanted more of a quality of life instead of spending a number of hours a week traveling to get a ski ride. They pursued their dream of living on a private man made water ski lake as they moved their family to Elk Grove, California when Brian was 18 months old.
Brian was 2 years old when his parents first got him out on the water. They taught him how to kneeboard and he soon began running the mini course. At 4 years old, Brian tried double skis tied together and before he knew it, he was competing in his first tournament. Since then, Brian has spent many hours skiing, being around lakes and now coaching. He won his first tournament at the age of 4 (1994) and by the time he was 9 years old, he had won more than 30 tournaments and was ranked #1 in the country. He was ranked #1 his last 2 years in the Boys 1 division (10&under). In his last year, he was able to set the Best of the West, Regional Tournament and National records and won the Regional and National Championships; all at 10 year old.
Brian’s parents always taught him to keep a balance in life. Brian was fortunate to play both team and individual sports growing up. During childhood, he played baseball, soccer and basketball. It was easy for him to go from one sport to the next and still be able to ski at a high level. Things quickly changed, as he got older and all of the coaches wanted him to play their sport year round. Brian played football, basketball and ran track in high school so it was difficult for him to keep his skiing at a high level as he quickly dropped in the rankings.
Once Brian graduated from high school in 2007, he was able to put 100% of his focus back on skiing. Brian quickly started to make a comeback and within two years of being back to 100% skiing, he obtained his open (professional) rating at the age of 20. He also won the 2009 Collegiate Western Regional Championships, was voted 2009 NCWSA Male Leader of the Year, won the 2010 Collegiate National All Star Championships and was named Collegiate All American in 2010. While achieving those honors on the water, Brian was also getting it done in the classroom. Brian was able to finish college in 4 years and in 2011, Brian earned a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology Sport & Recreation Management from Saint Mary’s College.
In September of 2011, Brian was selected to the six member 2012 United States University World Water Ski Team. In January of 2012, the team traveled to Santiago, Chile to compete in the FISU Water Ski World University Championships. The United States team went on to win the gold medal. In doing so, Brian became a University World Champion along with his 5 teammates. Brian said, “It was an honor to be selected to the U.S. team and have the opportunity to represent my country. To bring home the gold was a huge accomplishment and to become a world champion is something I had only dreamed of. It was an amazing way to end my collegiate career.”
At the 2012 Australian Open, Brian made the podium for the first time in a pro tour event. This was a huge milestone that Brian reached early in his career. He started off the 2012 season strong and Brian is looking to continue his success as the Northern Hemisphere season begins. Brian had two top 7 finishes to end the year with a 5th place at the Atlanta ProAm and a 7th place finish at the Calgary Pro Shootout. Brian was injured in a transportation accident that interupted his season and he tried to finish the season well short of 100%. He took time off in the offseason, missed a few event early in 2013 but finished strong by running a new personal best of 3@41off/10.25m and finishing 10th at the Diablo ProAm and the Orlando Watersports Fest.
2014 started off with a bang for Brian as he went down to Australia and made the podium at both events; 2nd at the Australian Open and 3rd at the prestigious Moomba Masters. This moved Brian up to #7 in the world on the Elite Skiers World Ranking List. Brian has made 4 out of the 5 finals in the events he has skied in this year with 4 top 7 finishes (2nd, 3rd, two 7ths). Brian has consistently run into 41off/10.25m this year and he looks to finish the year strong with four more Elite events.