If you grew up in Janesville, you probably have a Rock Aqua Jays memory.
A warm summer night. A blanket on the hill at Traxler Park. The sun going down over the Rock River while a pyramid of skiers rises out of the water like it's no big deal.
It is a big deal. And the story behind it is even better.
It started at Parker Pen
Back in 1953, about 30 locals got together at Parker Pen and formed the Rock River Boat Association. It was a casual group of people who just loved being on the water.
The City of Janesville let the club use the clubhouse at Traxler Park, a spot that used to be called Goose Island. By the early 1960s, that boating club had turned into something new. A water ski show team. The Rock Aqua Jays.
Then they started winning. A lot.
In 1975, two longtime members, Duane Snow and J.R. Wilson, had a big idea. What if there was a national tournament just for show skiing?
So they started one. Today it's the sport's top competition.
The Aqua Jays won their first national title in 1979. They were the first amateur team to pull off a four-tier pyramid in 1981, then a five-tier pyramid in 1993.
In 2025, Janesville hosted the 50th Show Ski Nationals right here at Traxler Park. The hometown team won. That made 24 national titles, more than any show ski team in history. The next closest team has 11.
There's a reason people in the sport call them the New York Yankees of show skiing.
Why they matter so much
Here's the part that gets us. The Aqua Jays are volunteers.
The team has more than 80 skiers, from 4-year-olds to people in their 60s. Whole families join. Parents drive boats, build props and work the concession stand. Some volunteers have given decades. One longtime boat driver spent 39 years pulling skiers before he retired.
And the shows are FREE on Wednesday and Sunday evenings throughout the summer season.
Think about that. One of the most decorated teams in the world performs in our backyard, for free, twice a week.
Skiers from Janesville travel and hear, "Oh, you're from Janesville? The Aqua Jays!" They've put our city on the map in places most of us will never visit.
Go see them
If you've never been, make it happen next summer. Bring a blanket. Grab something from concessions. Cheer like you mean it.
Because this is what Janesville looks like at its best. Neighbors showing up for each other, one ski show at a time.
and then