It’s time to bring out the wetsuits, water skis and wakeboards for the fall semester.

Students who are looking to get out on the water and meet some new friends are encouraged to join San Diego State University’s Waterski & Wakesports Club.

The club is all-inclusive for those with skiing experience and those who have never skied before. SDSU’s Waterski & Wakesports Club welcomes anyone who has a passion for competition and fun. This club aims to offer the same perks that come with joining a fraternity and then some.

Just like a fraternity, the club has a great community that can produce long-lasting friendships and create memories.

“There’s something to say about having a common interest when forming a group,” said David Granucci, president of the SDSU Waterski & Wakesports Club.

Besides the common interest in waterskiing, members have expressed how the club is much more. The team has put together many social events that bonded members together, such as soccer games on the ENS field, trips to Big Bear and study sessions.

Eliot Berman, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, joined the club as a freshman in fall 2022.

As an experienced wakeboarder, Berman sought a club that shared his interests but also offered friendship and acceptance. Since joining the club, Berman has been grateful to the senior members of the team.

“I spend most of my time with these guys,” Berman said. “They’re probably my closest friends in college now.”

The club also attends and participates in tournaments throughout the semester. In these tournaments, they compete against other schools, such as Arizona State and UCLA.

Although the tournaments are competitive, there are also opportunities for skiers to have fun on the water.

SDSU’s Waterski & Wakesports Club also provides opportunities for team members to foster relationships and memories with people from other universities. Tournament destinations can range from Bakersfield to Sacramento, but members — regardless of distance — are willing to attend.

The club is assisted by the Mission Bay Aquatics Center (MBAC). The strong relationship between the club and MBAC has enabled the team to use their resources for practices and waterski lessons.

“They can use the boats that we store here,” said Rhys Duffy, a team member and employee at MBAC. “So they pay us a certain amount of money for the team to be able to like the wakeboard boat and the ski boat.”

MBAC allows the club to use boats such as the Ski Nautique 200 and the Super Air Nautique GS20. MBAC also offers lessons to newer members of the club who are eager to learn at a more advanced level and faster pace.

The SDSU watersports club offers once-a-week practice for every member and even a free day for potential new volunteers to test the equipment.

More information about the club and the tournaments can be found on the team’s Instagram, @sdsuwaterskiwakeboard.