Inductees

She spent her summers at her grandparents’ place by Lake of the Ozarks and usually could be found out on the water. Fishing? No, try water skiing.

In fact, for Erin Kalkbrenner, it was more than just a hobby. After all, her granddad, Harold Hill, was so good at it that he landed in the Water Ski Hall of Fame. Of course, he and Francile’s five kids all water skied, too.

And so it was probably no surprise that, when Kalkbrenner went off to college in Virginia, she started a water ski team – and soon moved overseas to chase her dream.

Since then, she has become one of the best water skiers in the United States, and it’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted Kalkbrenner with the Class of 2021.

Her track record now features 14 national titles in the U.S. Water Ski National Championships, and she also holds two Missouri state water ski records.

Specifically, the Kansas City native won national titles in 2009 in Womens 1, and the Women 2 Division in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. She holds the Women 1 Division record (ages 18-24 inclusive) jump of 119 feet, set in 2009. She also established the Women 2 trick record in the 25-34 inclusive age category with 3,890 points, set in 2012.

Call it quite an accomplishment considering individuals must be in the top 10 percent of their age group to qualify for nationals.

“My grandparents taught me at the Lake of the Ozarks behind their Ski Nautique with the help of my parents and my aunts and uncles,” said Kalkbrenner, a graduate of St. Teresa’s Academy in Kansas City. “They taught all of the grandkids to ski at the Lake; we started on trainers and a big blue sled.”

Kalkbrenner has enjoyed a series of big since graduating from the College of William and Mary, where she and  friend Kevin Kennedy had started a water ski team. After graduation, she moved to Australia to train and coach at Stoney Park Water Ski School. That led to a scholarship at Arizona State University while she was pursuing a master’s degree.

“Our team at ASU consisted of several professional water skiers where we were able to train and travel together to competitions,” Kalkbrenner said. “They were able to help me build a consistent training regiment and equip me with innovative techniques in mental toughness, strength, and focus.”

She soon met her husband, Cole, while training at Isaiah’s Run Waterski School in Owensville, Missouri while she was working on her doctorate at Lindenwood University.

In 2015, the couple moved to Australia and became full-time water skiers. That year, she and Cole became the first husband and wife to win national titles.

“We trained with and trained skiers from all over the world. It was an amazing experience,” Kalkbrenner said. “I met some of my best friends while skiing abroad, and I was able to coach skiers who are now professionally skiing themselves.”

Kalkbrenner began competing at nationals at age 10. But it wasn’t until 2009 when she won her first national title, in West Palm Beach, doing so on her last jump of the competition.

From there, the Kalkbrenners began training almost daily on the Mississippi River, and then bought a motorhome, traveling across the country to tournaments.

“I was very fortunate to be able ski with many different levels of skiers who helped me become a better competitor, mentally and physically,” said Kalkbrenner, whose versatility in tricks, jumps and slalom are impressive. “Through traveling to tournaments, I was able to ski at several unique sites, which is helpful to be able to adapt to tournament conditions,” Kalkbrenner said.

She thanks many for her success: grandparents, parents Butch and Jackay Kueser, as well as Aunt Kelley, Uncle Mark and cousins Christian and Cheryl.

Rich (boat driver) and Therese Greene (sage advice) have played important roles, too.

These days, Kalkbrenner still competes and gives back. In 2019, she was the Volunteer Coach of the Year by USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

That award came as she and Cole joined Mystic Lakes Ski Club near Wichita, Kan., with the site hosting several major events.

Kalkbrenner is the coach of the U.S. U21 World Waterski Team and the U.S. Pan-American Waterski Team and will compete in the 2021 Senior World Waterski Championships.

“I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to travel the world, meet amazing people, and waterski for a living,” Kalkbrenner said.