Research paper on wakeboarding

Hey everyone,
I need some help with a research paper I am doing for my english class. I am doing it on wakeboarding but the thing is that its on the creative side of it not on the history. So if you guys could help me out by giving me some things i could use or lead me to a couple websites that would be awesome!

thanks,
Parker

What exactly do you need? You might want to be more specific. What do you want to know on the "creative" side of wakeboarding?

Well my teacher told me to emphasize creativity not the history when i wrote what i wanted my paper to be about. So i was thinking he means more along the trick side or possibly the shaping and technology of the boards.

One quick thought I had for creativity would to show the style differences of riders. For example, you could show how the mechanics of a certain trick work and then how people add in different variations to make the trick look different.

Ya that's actually a very good thought. That wouldn't have even crossed my mind. I went by to talk to my teacher to get better clarification and of course he wasn't there he's very lazy.

I think you should focus your paper on the fluid dynamics of wakeboard design. I am a certified engineer in aerospace design and I could probably hook you up with some great data points. If you wait until the last minute, I'll help you write it.


Information on fluid dynamics can be found at

www.theinternetistheleastreliablesourceanddon'task strangerstodoyourworkforyou.com

I applaud your efforts at quality research by soliciting input from anonymous users in a chat forum. A+++ for research.

I like Eubanks idea, take a single trick and show how different each rider does them, sho the creativity and idividuality of the sport. Like maybe a toe back 1?

Ya thanks for the internet sarcasm Matt G. just so you know I am not down to the last minute at all. I still have plenty of time to write this which is why I'm still looking around for sources and not writing it just yet.

So your saying clay to look at how each rider makes there run different to make it stand out from anothers?

Yeah, I was even thinking of a HS 3. Show what is necessary for this trick...the edge, pop, handle pass, etc. Then you can talk about the variations people do such as different grabs, wrapped, off-axis, shify, etc. Obviously this is easier to do with video rather than words!

a look at how creativity has evolved would be kool i think, though it would be boarder-line "history"... like the judging formats of contests through the years. how:
1.) it first started out as a pre-script given to the judges that had to be followed to the "T" or no points were awarded if you missed 180 degrees of rotation or missed a grab, etc.
2.) then moved to doing whatever you like and was awarded points for technicality/ difficulty alone,
3.) to the inclusion of rails,
4.)then lastly to the modern day where style makes up for a big portion, and how a BIG, stalled out 180 now equals more points than a wake-to-wake 180. there is an older article somewhere about the format in more detail somewhere for reference...

even free-riding and general riding has kind of followed this line of creativity evolve-ment above (or similar to it rather, and faster in progression).

you could mention specific individuals such as Scott Byerly and how he, because of his style and creativity is the "God Father" of wake, or Randall Harris or...

winches have opened up a whole new legit avenue for creativity, the ShredTown crew is a good example of that.

even writing about board graphics (and the artists) specifically (maybe too narrowed a topic?), but hey, if you want to mention the art on boards, there is some info here http://deckxhibit.blogspot.com/ on this subject

(Message edited by wakerider111 on April 29, 2009)

I wrote an essay on wakeboarding once, for an anthropology class, a while ago. I wrote about creativity a bit. Having the rope, and all the physics involved, allow for a whole plethora of tricks that many other boardsports don't have; but all that gets kind of boring if you are simply reciting it.

What's interesting to read about it is the culture of it. Style, why people ride, what they get out of it; so many people bring personal things into their riding. When one brings all those personal things into their riding, the whole process can be interpreted on a much more interesting level. When you look at it from one extreme, wakeboarding is just a monkey simply rehearsing flips back and forth; wakeboarding becomes pointless when seen that way. When a wakeboarder interacts with his riding on a personal level, it becomes meaningful and important, and worth doing.

When wakeboarders ride for some time, they start to call themselves 'wakeboarders'; it becomes the main way they identify themselves. The 'Why' of it would be a good question to answer in your essay.

I would focus heavily on interviews. You'd be surprised who'd be willing to offer their 2 cents. Hope this helps.

(Message edited by la_mancha on May 01, 2009)

Can we talk about the evolution of short boardshorts, into wakepants, into long boardshorts?

Wetsuits and early clothing fads still clinging to the ultra neon looks of the late 80's to what they are now?

And lets us please discuss the evolution of hairstyles while we're at it! We can even bring some of the facial hair do's and don'ts of pro riders!