A family of professional skiers skims the waters of America's Dairyland
story by Jennifer Chesak o photos by Robert Brusseau

We choose our heroes when someone's bold exploits, courage and strength strike us with awe. Samantha, Brady and Catrina McCoy look no further than their parents, Al and Maureen, to get gob-smacked with wonder. After all, mom and dad can walk on water. Literally.

The McCoy parents perform feats on skis skimming across Wisconsin's Black River that many would scarcely attempt on stable, dry land. Both Al and Maureen have a background in professional water-skiing and have entertained visitors from around the world with performances at Wisconsin Dells and Florida's Sea World.

"I would know the shows by heart," says Samantha (10), who spent her earliest summers watching Dad ski for the Tommy Bartlett Show in the Dells when he was on hiatus from being a real estate developer. Samantha learned a trick or two from watching him pop out of the water in those days. Now she's got some big skis to fill, but slips on a pair nonetheless, hanging on to her father for balance.

The McCoys live on the Black River in La Crosse, a tributary of the Mighty Mississippi. A Sea Ray 390 Sundancer, Hi Water II, allows them the perfect vantage point for taking in the tall, tree-covered bluffs that line the glassy waterways of western Wisconsin. But today, the 390 serves as a grandstand for watching family acrobatics, and a Sea Ray 220 Select, courtesy of the McCoys' Sea Ray dealership, American Marine, serves as the powerhouse for towing every watersport apparatus imaginable.

Samantha sinks back in the river, letting her life jacket cradle her, and dad takes the helm of the 220 Select where American Marine's Eric Mysliwiec awaits as spotter. The points of her skis rise above her head and cast long shadows on the sunlit surface. The shadows move with her until she stomps them out as the 220 Select yanks her small frame out of the water. Maureen, Catrina (2) and Brady (7) cheer from the swim platform of the 390. Samantha's tiny legs stand slowly from an imaginary chair, expertly balancing the force of the Sea Ray with her body weight.

Al beams from the helm when Samantha manages a turn through the cove. "My earliest memories are of my parents putting me in a boat and me just falling asleep," he says. Both of them having come from boating backgrounds, it was a given that when he and Maureen started a family of their own, they'd spend their summers on the water. "We used to head out all the time in just a ski boat," he adds. "Now with the 390 we can overnight on all the beaches."

With three kids in tow rather than just themselves and a ski or two, Al and Maureen really enjoy the amenities of their new Sea Ray. "There are some things on the boat that I wish I had in the house," laughs Maureen. "I love the leather on the seats." Before they bought their current Sundancer, the family cruised around on a 340. "We started spending more and more time on the water and decided to buy something bigger," Maureen adds. "We stuck with Sea Ray because of the quality of the brand and the service of American Marine. They make their customers a priority."

That's easy to see. The dealership has provided the McCoys a full day of testing the 220 Select's prowess at towing the family. Maureen slips into the water, ready for a spin all her own. She began her professional skiing career at the Dells when she turned 18 after watching the show for years from her summer job at the snack bar. She and Al met skiing side by side there. Today, the river is her stage once again; and she, an aqua ballerina pirouetting on the swivel ski. Her grace captivates Samantha and Brady, who face aft in the Select and watch mom extend one leg to the side with toes pointed perfectly. "This boat is great for the swivel," says Al, marveling at his wife and the 220's handling.

Al relinquishes the Select's helm when it's time for his dad-the-almighty move. Eric waits for the channel to clear of boats before cranking the throttle for Al to glide on one ski. Within seconds, Al releases the only barrier between him and the water and takes a barefoot stroll across the river. But wait, folks, that's not all. He lifts one leg in the air as he passes his audience-mom, Samantha, Brady and even Catrina, waving from the 390. "No matter how many times I do it, it feels like I'm doing something that shouldn't be done," says Al, climbing back into the boat. "It's exhilarating."

Not to be outdone by the rest of his family, Brady channels his inner pilot and prepares to seek some air. Al takes the helm of the Select once again, and Maureen helps Brady position himself on the wakeboard near the sandy shore. He leans back hard, letting the boat pull him up on plane, then smiles mischievously as he carves toward the Select's wake. "Brady, you the man!" Al shouts.

As much as the McCoy family enjoys being the action, they like simply taking in the action, too. And in Wisconsin, that's nature. A short jaunt down the Mississippi in their 390 finds them in a protected wilderness area made up of rocky cliffs that rise to a cloudless sky and dip into a sea of flowering lily pads. "It's nice that we have all the natural surroundings," says Maureen, holding Catrina in her lap. "It's not all developed. You can make it a place of your own for the day."

Al finds a quiet spot to anchor so the kids can swim and cool off. "Let's see who can make the biggest splash," Brady challenges, giving the Sundancer a once-over in search of the best place to jump ship.

Al fastens lines to the kids' life jackets so the current doesn't pull them away. Then he spots Brady in a somersault off the swim platform. He hands Brady's line to Maureen, who fishes in her son, and dad watches Samantha do a toe-touching jump into the Mississippi. Al smiles at his children and the fun they've created for themselves. Suddenly, they've become his heroes with their giant innocent grins, their dripping little bodies and their fearlessness. He laughs and follows suit with a freestyle flop into the refreshing water.