"What time is it?  SHOW TIME!  What time is it?  SHOW TIME!!!  What time is it?  SHOW TIME!!  We aaaaaaaarrrrrrreeeee  THE CATS!!!!"

The Crivitz Ski Cats is a non-profit water ski show team that  performs water ski thrill shows on Lake Noquebay in Crivitz, WI.  Established in 1962, the Crivitz Ski Cats have been entertaining for 50 years providing fun for the entire family!

HISTORY OF THE CRIVITZ SKI CATS

Back around 1960, Grant Thompson, owner of Thompson Boats in Peshtigo, WI, sponsored the 1st exhibition on Lake Noquebay by a ski team from Kansas City, MO.  Then later, the Crivitz Lions Club sponsored the Minoqua Bats ski team to perform at Ahles Resort on Lake Noquebay in Crivitz, WI.  Plans to form a ski club began in 1961 when Peter and Dorothy Bugarsky began to talk about starting a ski club in the Crivitz area. 

At the time, Dorothy Burgarsky took her son Dan, and a friend Dennis Nelson, to a water ski tournament in Wisconsin.  After coming back from that event, there was enough enthusiasm for getting a water ski club started on Lake Noquebay in Marinette County.  With a lot of hard work and effort, the club was organized in 1962, the first water ski club in Marinette County. 

The Crivitz Lions Club decided to sponsor the team that started on Lake Noquebay.  The first officers were:  Jim Kresl - President, Dan Burgarsky - Vice President, Linda Glish - Secretary, Donelle Witt - Treasurer, Bruce Hunter and Dennis Nelson were in charge of Public Relations.  First boat drivers were Louis Bemis and Stuart Swanson, with Ralph Hunter announcing. 

In 1963, Peter Burgarsky invested money needed to help with the club. Mercury Motors were bought and sponsored by the Camlek Brothers.  Grant Thompson owned the boat factory in Peshtigo and Ski Factory in Crivitz and donated to the club.  The Crivitz Lions Club donated the first Ski Cat jump. 

The Water Ski Club began performing at the annual Lions Water Ski Show on Lake Noquebay and performed at various resorts including Ahles Resort, Holiday Resort, Timberline Resort, Pines Resort, and Kresl Resort.  Many road shows over the years have included The Neenah Show, Michigan Road Show, Wausaukee Club, Kelly Lake, Oconto River, on the Bay Menominee, Michigan, Marinette, Stephenson Island, Oconto Falls, Houghton Hancock, Michigan, Shawano Lake, by the famous Johnny Shaffer Chicken Supper Club on the Peshtigo River, and eventually on to Ladysmith, WI. 

The Ski Cat name came from the Crivitz Lion's Club, it was decided to use the Lion's Cat head and called it the Crivitz Ski Cats Water Ski Team.  Once the club was up and running, other businessmen, including Ralph Hunter and Al Zehender, contributed financially to the club.  The club eventually grew to 35 members from Crivitz, Marinette, Oconto, Manitowoc, Green Bay, and Chicago.  This group performed around Lake Noquebay and many road shows, including Ahles Resort, Holiday Resort, Timberline Resort, East End Resort, Pines Resort, Kresl Resort, at White Potato Lake, Buck's Ranch, and the Wausaukee Club.

The Ski Team slowed down during the Vietnam War because Dan Burgarsky went into the service.  After the war, the club reorganized and joined the Boy Scout Explorer Post #9058 to get each member insured and get cheaper hull insurance.  This was the first Explorer Water Ski Post in the midwest.

During this time in 1970, three friends got together, (Jim Gruszynski, Jack Scheels, and Dan Burgarsky), and pooled everything that had with friends and family.  They were able to get more skis donated to get regular shows going again.  Money was always the biggest issue and the club would panhandle for gas. 

The club would ski on Sundays at the local resorts on Lake Noquebay and continued to go from resort to resort until they were offered a permanent home at the Holiday Resort.  The Holiday provided a cabin to store skis, equipment and a pier.  We also had a small building in which we sold popcorn and candy to raise funds.  The local High School donated some used bleachers for our Audience to use.  This made it very easy to perform on a regular basis.  We operated on a very small budget and managed to have two regular shows a week, on Wednesday and Saturday.

In 1973, we recieved a call from Mercury, they had a truckload of boats they were going to destroy, these boats were retired from Sea World.  For $800.00, we bought 4 hydro-dynes and 3 jumping boats.

In the spring of 1985, we voted to become a tournament club.  This meant we needed new equipment, we had survived many years with the hydro-dynes from Mercury because the guys worked hard to keep them running.  Ski Cats bought 2 new hydro-dynes, and voted to buy new motors.  We had gone to a Coor's Tournament and heard about a deal with Yamaha sponsoring ski teams with equipment.  (We jumped in). 

All members comitted themselves to work for at least 3 years.  We took on a big raffle:  we bought a truck, 1,000 tickets were sold at $15.00 per ticket.  It was s huge success.  We held dances during the winter.  We also met once a month all winter to plan our show, booklet, and calendar.

We went to our first state tournament in 1986.  We took 5th place. Members started to work harder and some individual members started to take lessons. We met KT and Julie Tolzman and had them come and put on a clinic. Younger members started to take lessons from World Champion Mike Siepel.  Other skiers went to Florida and took lessons from famous skiers such as Carl Roberge, Ron Thompson, and Dave Briscoe.  We all started to attend Think Tank. 

We returned the following year to State Tournament in 1987 and we placed 2nd.  In 1988 we also took 2nd.  We were a much better team and club. Boats and motors were all paid for.  That year our plans were to go to the state and national tournaments.  In 1996 we achieved the ultimate and became State Champions. 

We now have a beginning group that puts on a pre-show.  They learn showmanship and begin to ski simple acts so they are ready when we need skiers for the big show.

At this time, the club chose to use Mercury Motors on our boats and we obtained a new sponsor in John and Sue KuKuk of Nest Egg Marine in Marinette.  John and Sue became dear friends to all of us.

We need a larger budget each year.  We meet our budget with ads in the booklet, memberships, donations, raffles, and for the past 12 years we have held a 3 on 3 basketball tournament in the spring.  This was started by Aaron Sikowski, and continued by Nick Witt.  This is a very successful 3 day event, is a lot of work, and takes the whole team to pitch in volunteer time. 

In 1996 we lost our site at Holiday Resort.  We relocated at Lake Noquebay Resort, formerly Kresl Resort.  For 4 years we performed our shows at Lake Noquebay Resort.  The summer of 2001 we moved our show to Lake Noquebay Park were we presently perform.  It took much cooperation between the Marinette County Board and the Department of Natural Resources, and adjacent property owners for our hopes and dreams of a permanent home to be realized. 

In 2001 the club purchased its first inboard boad, a 2001 MasterCraft partially sponsored by Stengl Marine in Minocqua.  Our current boats are a twin-rigged hydro-dyne, two MasterCraft inboards, two pick-up boats and one pontoon boat.  The club owns two water ski jumps.

We have been delighted that throughout the years, many hundreds of young people have passed through our ranks, and all have become better adults because of thier experiences.  Lifetime friendships have also been a result of being with "The Cats."

It was Peter and Dorothy Bugarsky's dream to have a water ski club in the area, and that legacy continues.  Currently we have approximately 65 members ranging from 1-60.  Many families belong to the club.  It serves as a family summer activity. It is very time consuming but enjoyable.  It is the only activity that some of the members do all summer.

Our club has grown and improved 100% since our beginning in 1962.  We are always looking for new members.  If you would be interested, please contact our President Jon Jossie at [email protected].