Biography

Vital Statistics

Birth date: January 5, 1958            Birth place:  Temple, Texas

Current Residence:                      Wilsonville, Alabama

Height:  5'7"                                 Weight:  150 lbs

Occupation:                                 Systems Analyst

Began Skiing: 24                           Began Competing: 27  

Events:  Slalom, Tricks, Jump     

Division:   MP2 (Multi-Plegic Level 2, mid chest level of injury, unable to stand to ski) uses sit ski

Sponsors: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Lakeshore Foundation

Hobbies:   Music DJ

Career Highlights  

• Gold Medal as US TEAM Member at ’03 World Championships in Florida (USA)
• Individual Gold Medal for Overall '03 Worlds
• Individual Gold Medal for Slalom ’03 Worlds )outer course)
• Individual Silver Medal for Tricks '03 Worlds
• 2003 National Overall Champion
• 2003 National Tricks Champion
• 2003 National Slalom Champion
• Set a World Record in Slalom 2 @ 18.25' off at 37kmp (outer course)
• Set a World Record in Slalom '01 Worlds
• Feature article The WaterSkier July 2001
• Set Pending World Record 06/17/01 at an Able Bodied Tournament in Mississippi 3 1/2 @ 41 off 36 mps (inner course)
• Silver Medal as US TEAM Member at ’01 World Championships in Australia
• Individual Bronze Medal for Overall '01 Worlds
• Individual Gold Medal for Slalom ’01 Worlds
• Set a World Record in Slalom '01 Worlds
• Silver Overall at 2000 Nationals
• Silver in Slalom 2000 Nationals 
• Silver in Tricks 2000 Nationals 
• Bronze in Jump 2000 Nationals
• Silver in Slalom 1999 Nationals
• Bronze in Slalom 1998 Nationals
• Operates ski school specializing in skiers with disabilities
• Serves on WaterSkiers with Disabilities Association (WSDA) Board of Directors as Co-Director of the Southern region
• Serves on WSDA's Training/clinic committee
• Involved in the Roll (role) Model program at Spain Rehab in Birmingham
• Visits spinal cord injured patients at Healthsouth Lakeshore Rehabiliation Hospital 
• Injured in auto accident at age of 20

Best Performance  Slalom 3 1/2 @ 41 off 36mph (inner course)  Jump 50'

Records  World Record (Slalom)  2001 World Championships, Melton, Australia

              Pending World Record (Slalom) 06/17/01

               MP2 Slalom 3 1/2 @ 36mph @ 41' off, mid buoy course

Ski Club Affiliation

Magic City Water Ski Club

Future Career Plans

Most fun skiing experience

Teaching new skiers

People I look up to or who have helped me   

Phil Martin                                 

In addition to being a Gold Medalist at the '01 Worlds and working for Blue Cross Blue Shield as a systems analyst, Joe runs a non profit organization called Adaptive Aquatics, teaching kids and adults with disabilities how to ski. This is Joe's first year on the TEAM.

He is one cool guy as Spanky  would say.  Joe's wife couldn't join him at the '01 Worlds so she made him a CD with music from the Olympics.  Joe listened to the song about the nations converging for World competition over and over, and he rose to the occasion.  He dedicated his Gold to his Dad, who'd passed away just months before the competition.

And if that wasn't enough, he won a National Basketball Championship two weeks after returning from Australia!

HE SET A WORLD RECORD AT THE 2001 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS! And let me tell you the water conditions were ugly:(  Most skiers were having a tough time just making a complete pass, Joe went out and ripped it up.

That's him behind the PWC saluting the crowd after his world record performance:)

Joe's World Record also earned him a Gold Medal in the Slalom event.

WAY TO GO JOE:)

Joe's also a great dancer!  About ten of us from the US TEAM converged on a bar down the street from our hotel in Geelong, Australia.  We formed a big circle and basically took over the dance floor for hours.  It was absolutely awesome and lots of fun!  Only thing is that dancing to techno music can kill you . . . there's no pause between songs, they just blend into the next one.  You're tired, you think "Ok, I'll just finish this dance and then I'll rest."  HA!  You're minutes into the next song without realizing it, whew I'm glad we survived the dancing, we aren't youngsters anymore!

Joe also serves on the WaterSkiers with Disabilities Association (WSDA) Board of Directors as Co-Director of the Southern region in addition to serving on WSDA's Training/clinic committee.

You may email Joe directly by clicking on the icon