Scott Brown, Syracuse, is a familiar sight to those living around Lake Wawasee. Throughout the season, he can be found skiing on the calm water early in the morning. When he was working, he’d refer to his morning ski as his “commute to the office.” Photo by Larry Baumgardt.
By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews
SYRACUSE — While most of us are rolling out of bed or enjoying that first cup of coffee at 6:30 a.m., Scott Brown of Syracuse is starting his day on water skis.
Many around the lake have seen him and his friends as they ski at sunrise from mid-April to October. “I’m fortunate to have a supportive wife who likes to drive the boat and get up early,” he said. “And lots of supportive friends.”
The latest into the fall he’s skied was Oct. 31. He said both the air and water temp were around 57 degrees. The only minor disappointment was Brown and his buddies couldn’t claim they skied on Nov. 1.
Depending on the day, Brown and three or four friends will get together to ski early in the morning. Brown typically goes first since he usually wants a second or third run. That early in the morning, the water is like glass. If it’s too windy or rainy the group doesn’t go.
Brown, who is originally from Indianapolis, spent his summers on Lake Wawasee. “My parents loved coming up here,” he said. They purchased a place in 1967 and Brown, who started waterskiing when he was 6-7 became active in the Wawasee Ski Club. He would ski, trick ski, slalom ski as well as ski competitively.
Today, Brown and his wife, Rebecca, have a condo in Wawasee Condos and his sister still has the family home. Brown said the move to the condos has allowed him to reconnect with ski buddies.
“I just enjoy it so much. Just the fun of it,” Brown said about water skiing. “It’s a passion and there’s no cure.”
Brown’s passion for skiing has caught the attention of others. Joe Spees has been skiing with Brown for about four years after seeing him ski and telling his grandpa he’d like to be able to ski like that.
Spees’s grandfather is a friend of Brown’s and put the two of them together. “It’s nice to have a young adult skiing with us,” he said.
Another ski buddy is Heather Harwood, executive director of Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation.
Brown has no plans on stopping. “That day is not on my calendar,” he said.
When he isn’t on the water, Brown serves on the alumni board for Trine University and on Trine’s Civil Engineering Advisory Board.
Brown worked as a civil engineer and is graduated from Trine when it was Tri-State University.
He has two stepsons and two granddaughters who love to come up to the lake and ski during the summer. His youngest granddaughter is thrilled she can legally drive the boat now.