Plotz,

Thanks for the reply.  It would be great to have a pro ski school up here in the eastern region, so I truly hope Corey is successful.  Do you know if the site is private or public?  Where is it?  Thanks again.

Hey Guys!

I just surfed onto this site and am very happy and surprised to see that there is a thread about Peace, Love & Waterskiing!    Now that I know some people are interested, I will be sure to return to this thread and answer any questions as they arise.  Here are the basics:

I will be offering private lessons and clinics all summer in Bumpass, Virginia.  The lake belongs to John Whitlock who has generously allowed me to form a club there and conduct coaching.  The lake is private and arguably one of the best slalom sites you will ever ski.  It is very very sheltered from wind (to the point that it is a problem trying to get any good wind training).  Also, the ski really rides nicely in the water and the course is a permanent Record capability course.  Also the surrounding farm is a beautiful piece of land.  I will be pulling all sets behind a 2008 TT Master Craft with the latest Zero Off. 

Besides the great site, it is a great place to meet new people and make friends.  Everywhere I have ever been in my water ski travels, the people have been fantastic. It's hard to find a skier who is not helpful and friendly.  I like to stress the community aspect of our sport because I believe it is one of the best things we have going for us.  I can say that everyone that comes to ski at "The Ski Farm" with me is down with Peace, Love & Waterskiing.  Any skier who is rude, disrespectful or otherwise toxic to the environment would/will kindly be asked to ski elsewhere.  I want this to be a great thing for skiing, a great thing for the Eastern Region (represent! haha) and a place where everyone can feel at home and have a great time, as well as improve their skills.

With regard to my coaching style, I would describe it as highly personal.  I really truly want everyone that comes to get better not just because it's my job but because that is what fuels me.  In fact, my coaching actually helps my skiing.  The only professional coaching I have received has been from Chet Raley.  I would consider him my mentor, coach and friend.  I was fortunate enough to spend the entire "off season" in South Florida training with Chet and skiing at Okeeheelee.  This was a major boon for both my skiing and coaching careers.  I got to apprentice myself to Chet and take in a wealth of knowledge as well as spend some time with Schnitz and learn from his wealth of wisdom.  All I can really say is that I am about as passionate with my coaching as I am with my skiing and I encourage anyone at any level to come check it out.  I also make myself available for clinics - primarily in the early season and after nationals.

Thanks for the interest guys and I hope to see you all on the water this summer! Also, Thank you, Griff, for the kind words. Thank goodness spring has finally sprung in VA (I just got back today!)

Peace, Love & Waterskiing
Corey

Hey Corey,

Thanks for dropping in here with some info on your ski school.  Sounds like a great place and I'll be contacting you soon about coming down to ski. 

Peace,

AL

Corey - sent you an email with some info about it

Dear Ski Friends (and ski friends to be),

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I send you this email.  I am proud to announce the opening of Virginia's first and only professional water ski training center! Yes, there is a new club on the block in Bumpass, Virginia - "The Bum Pass Ski Club".  The mission of this club is to grow Peace, Love & Waterskiing! 

This is not your ordinary ski club. Unlike many clubs with limited membership opportunities and more limited guest invitations. This club makes guests its entire purpose and I would like to invite you all to come ski, as my guest.  The Bum Pass Ski Club is also unique in that professional coaching is available everyday Monday - Friday.  These one-on-one lessons are the foundation of this training center and dear ol' Bumpass is the only place in the Eastern Region where professional coaching is available every day. 

Now if you are a beginner or recreational skier, don't be intimidated. The tournament scene may be a little scary but that is a whole different world than the Peace, Love & Waterskiing we will be cultivating.  Skiers of every skill level are wanted here! I have coached people getting up on two skis for the first time through some of the world's most elite skiers and pros and I can tell you that I enjoy all skill levels equally. 

Now for a little more info on the club and where the heck Bumpass, VA is located...   Bumpass, Virginia is in the central part of the state about 30 miles North West of Richmond.  It is a quiet agricultural town with no stop lights and is home to part of gorgeous Lake Anna.  The ski club, however, is not on Lake Anna.  The club operates on the beautiful "Whitlake" - named after the Whitlock family who own the lake.  For the past few summers, a small handful of Virginia skiers have had the privilege to train on this slice of slalom heaven.  Due to the extreme generosity of the Whitlock family, this year many skiers will get to experience one of the sweetest slalom spots on the map, as guests of the club.  The club boat will be the 2008 Master Craft ProStar 197 TT with Zero Off and the slalom course is a record capability course.       

All that is required to come and join the fun is that each skier is an active member of USA Water Ski.  You can easily join this organization online at usawaterski.org.  You can always sign up as a daily member when you get here for $7 but after you have inordinate amounts of fun, you will wish you signed up for the year.  The other requirement is a positive attitude and a willingness to learn new things.  This club is opening its arms to all guests but will not tolerate any negativity or disrespectful acts!

This club offers far more than a nice place to ski.  As most of us know, water skiing itself is about far more than the short amount of time we spend going back and forth across the water.  It is about the friends we make, the good times we have and our mental and physical health.  Everywhere I have traveled to ski I find the same thing: great people.  The strength and warmth of the ski community is the cornerstone of this club and I hope to see it build and grow.

I am now honored to say that May 1st will be "Opening Day".  I plan to kick off the season next weekend with two days FULL of skiing! This is your invitation to join in the excitement next weekend.  I will book up to 20 sets per day and take reservations on a first come first serve basis.  After this weekend, we will be in training center mode all summer and into October.  You may contact me to book lessons any time and there are still spaces available to set up a regular coaching schedule.  Contacting me at this email address is best but you may also call my cell phone: 240.498.7033.  Also, if you know of anyone who would be interested in taking lessons, please forward this email to them.  If you wish you weren't still reading this email and never want to hear from me again, please respond and let me know!  I'm sure I left out some details, so don't hesitate to respond with your questions.

I hope everyone shares my excitement about the summer ahead.  Now come check out Bumpass, VA and see what Peace, Love & Waterskiing is all about!

your friend,

Corey Humburg
Pro Skier, Coach and Bum

Corey rips on the water and he's one of the most humble skiers I have come across.  I have not had the opportunity to ski with him yet, but I would feel confident sending skiers his way.  Good luck bro.

my3angels wrote:

Fabulous way to spend some time on the water loving your passion and meeting new friends alike.  Definately intersted in the group and a few lessons; trying to see how I can fit it in last minute this weekend.  My daughter's last senior year national cheerleading competition...then the water rules!  I grew up one of five kids water skiing on Lake Gaston, NC  all day long!  A few years ago, this single mom picked up the slalom ski again, you never forget your roots!  Love it!  I will never forget the day my three kids cracked up laughing when they saw their mom ski for the first time! AWesome, yet reverse feeling!  Now I work with them.  Will use Corey to help with lessons to give my kids the same wonderful respect and love for the sport of skiing!  I am 45 years old, and get grumpy if I miss my run on the water:)

Very Cool! It's always Cool & encouraging to see skiers returning to their youth! I was one two seasons ago as well!

alski,

Thank you again for the kind words. It was a great weekend!  While we are on the subject of having a great time at ski school, I would like to raise one point from the coach's point of view.

When a skier comes to ski school, the skiers progress and learning will depend on both the coach AND the skier.  The coach/student relationship is a two way street and for true progress to be made, both parties have to bring 110% of their effort and work together to make improvements.  Slalom skiing is not a one size fits all game (as Rossi noted in his last article in The Waterskier).  For a skier to get the most out of their ski school experience they have to bring the right attitude (LIKE ARYEH AND HIS FAMILY DID!).  There are no magic tricks to make a skier run the course for the first time or finally run 35.  A coach can introduce new concepts and help create new skill sets but ONLY if the skier opens up to the coach and really tries to change.  If you go to ski school and don't plan on really changing something, you are just wasting money.  You may have to take a step back to take two or three forward. You may have to struggle with a new idea or try something for the first time.  But the last time I checked, this is why we love slalom.  It is a never ending quest of the perfect run or the next buoy.  It can be as incredibly frustrating as it can be rewarding. 

Thus, if you are looking to pick up a buoy or too or to find a new style that will save your body, don't expect to go to a coach and have him/her wave a magic wand at you and fix all of your bad habits and improve your good ones in one set. Get real!  However,  due to the limited water time we get (as our bodies can only handle so much) there is little better than high quality water time with a quality coach. 

That's my 2 or 3 cents.  What I am really saying here is thank you for bringing it, Aryeh.  You and your family had the perfect attitude and this is why you got the most out of your experience!

Hey Corey, Are you the guy at Okeheelee in the winter with curly hair and a touque (beanie, knitted hat thing)?

Last edited by T-fromTO (Sat, Jun 12, 2010 3:30 AM)