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Alliston resident inducted to Water Ski and Wakeboard Hall of Fame

September 5, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The first time Betty Preece tried water skiing, she knew she had found her sport.

Betty was 14 years old when a neighbour at her family cottage on Sparrow Lake started teaching local kids what was then, a relatively new sport.

“A man who was staying at one of the hotels came up from States, he had a boat and he had skis,” Betty explained. “He enjoyed taking people out on the lake. My brother met up with him, and I saw my brother doing it and I thought, that looks kind of neat, I’ll try it. I tried it and liked it – I wanted more, but it was the end of the summer so I had to wait until the next year.”

At the time, the sport was so new, there was no place to buy water skis in the area.

After a couple of summers of learning, Betty and her older brother Jack entered a competition at the CNE in Toronto in the late 1940s.

“There was an ad in the paper that the CNE was going to hold a championship,” Betty said. “If you entered you got a free pass to the EX. That was a big deal. We entered to get the free pass, and didn’t think we would win – but we did win. We won the doubles. It was held at the waterfront at the Exhibition. They had a regular competition and an open competition which means anyone can enter, so you had people from other countries which really made it interesting.”

The sport was in its infancy at the time, and just staying upright and waving to the crowd was considered a big deal.

From there, Betty and Jack started experimenting with what they could do on the water.

“Once you won in your territory, you could move on and compete in other territories,” Betty explained. “We won for five years at the CNE.”

They progressed to having Betty ride on Jack’s shoulders – a feat that took some practice and they had a few wipe-outs, but Betty said they were ‘fearless’ at that age.

Betty progressed to slalom skiing using only one ski. At the time, you couldn’t buy a slalom ski in Ontario so her father made her one.

Betty was inducted to the Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington on Sunday, Aug. 18, where she was honoured for her achievements in the sport. 

“Betty played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of water skiing,” the Hall of Fame said of her contribution to the sport. “As a builder, she tirelessly advocated for rule changes, volunteered in ski shows, and worked to expand opportunities for athletes. Her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment laid the foundation for the growth and development of water skiing in Canada and beyond. Betty’s impact as a builder extends across various facets of the sport. From her involvement in organizing events to her efforts in coaching and mentorship, Betty’s passion and expertise touched the lives of countless athletes and enthusiasts. Her dedication to fostering a vibrant and inclusive water skiing community earned her the respect and admiration of her peers.” 

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