Congratulations Collin, on becoming the FOURTH Backwater Gambler member to be selected as a Team USA member, and to become a World Champion 👏
03/21/2025
🇺🇸‼️FANS‼️🇺🇸
Our very own Collin Ridgley announces TONIGHT at 4:30 for Team USA, and we cannot be more proud to call him a Backwater Gambler✨
Click on the link below to watch Collin and the rest of the USA Water Ski Team take on Belgium, Canada and Australia in the World Water Ski Championships🇺🇸
Friday Show Time - 4:30 PM Central time
Saturday Show Time - 10:30 PM Central time
T-68 days until we hit the water for our first show of the 2025 season🤯
03/16/2025
In less than 6 days, our very own Collin Ridgley will be representing the USA Water Ski Show Team at the world tournament in Australia‼️🙌
Collin, we are so excited to watch you entertain the crowd on the worlds biggest stage next Friday✨
We will post the livestream link at the end of the week if any of our fans want to watch Collin and Team USA perform next Friday and Saturday in Australia🌏
03/08/2025
‼️FANS‼️
We are just over 24 hours away from our first bowling fundraiser🙌
Check in starts at 6:30 tomorrow where you’ll pay and receive what lane you’re on. You’ll also be able to buy tickets for our raffles there as well🤝
- Raffle basket tickets are $10 for 25, 50/50 tickets are $5, $10, or $20
- Liquor wagon tickets are $15
All raffles will be drawn March 8th at Leisure Lanes
Bowling costs $20 per person, including shoe rental and three games, so join us for a great time, and a chance to win some raffle drawings✨
03/07/2025
🛡️⚔️‼️THEME REVEAL THURSDAY‼️⚔️🛡️
Backwater Kingdom: Quest for the Holy Grail
It was just another day in the glorious Backwater Kingdom when the King threatened to remove water skiing, unless his most trusted Knights embark on a quest for the Holy Grail. The Knights encounter trials along the way to prove they are worthy, and overcome adversity to save the sport that their kingdom has grown to love✨
We are only 80 DAYS away from our first show May 25th, and we can’t wait to see you, our fans, for another season of FREE water ski shows to the Quad Cities‼️🙌
03/04/2025
‼️FANS‼️
The countdown begins, as we are less than ☝️ week away from our first bowling fundraiser🙌
Registration for bowling ends on the 5th, so hurry up and sign up✅
- Raffle basket tickets are $10 for 25, 50/50 tickets are $5, $10, or $20
- Liquor wagon tickets are $15
All raffles will be drawn March 8th at Leisure Lanes
Bowling costs $20 per person, including shoe rental and three games, so join us for a great time, and a chance to win some raffle drawings✨
02/17/2025
🗣️🎳 FANS 🎳🗣️
We have another GREAT way to support us as we inch closer and closer to the end of the off-season🙌
Our first ever 9 pin bowling fundraiser will be held on March 8th at Leisure Lanes🎳
Bowling starts at 7:30, but come early to meet some of our members, learn more about our team, and enter into our raffle baskets, including the liquor wagon✨
Full lanes of 5 are preferred at time of sign up, but not needed to reserve your spot. Message us TODAY or contact one of our members, Kristen, at 309-721-6770, for more information and to reserve your spot for this amazing night❗️
Bowling spots are limited and registration deadline is March 5th, so hurry while you still can🏆
Picture of liquor wagon in comments below👇
02/13/2025
Come see us at the FISHING, HUNTING & OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SHOW!!! Located at QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4th Ave. Rock Island, Illinois.
We will have a booth with our Sponsor, Ted's Boatarama and will be providing information on our upcoming season, upcoming events, as well as information on how to become a member of our team!
FEBRUARY 13-16, 2025
Thursday: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
(Friday is Veterans & Seniors Day - All Veterans and anyone over age 65 enters for $6.00 )
Saturday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Adults: $8
Kids 6-15: $1
Kids under 6 FREE
02/10/2025
🏆🏈 FINAL SCORE WINNER🏈🏆
Brandi Gonzalez, you are the winner of the final score of our Super Bowl Fundraiser❗️
Thank you to everyone that participated in this fundraiser, it was a HUGE success, and we couldn’t have done it without each and everyone of you🙌
02/10/2025
🏆🏈 3RD QUARTER WINNER🏈🏆
Laurie Stuart-Pilla, you are the winner of the 3rd quarter of our Super Bowl Fundraiser❗️
Stay tuned as the game is nearing the end!🤩
02/10/2025
🏆🏈 2ND QUARTER WINNER🏈🏆
Roger Sutton Jr, you are the winner of the 2nd quarter of our Super Bowl Fundraiser❗️
Stay tuned as the game continues🤩
02/10/2025
🏆🏈 1ST QUARTER WINNER🏈🏆
Maria Clauss, you are the winner of the 1st quarter for our Super Bowl Fundraiser❗️
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Contact The Business
Send a message to Backwater Gamblers Water Ski Show Team:
The Backwater Gamblers Water Ski Show Team was formed in July of 1980 in Andalusia, IL by John and Deanna Orr with fourteen members. Since its creation, our team has grown to over 150 members. We are now located in Rock Island, IL in Ben Williamson Park on the Rock River. We perform shows Wednesdays and Sundays at 6:30p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
We have competed in water ski tournaments since 1984. At these tournaments, each participating team has exactly one hour to complete their best show. Scoring is based on things such as ex*****on, difficulty, and showmanship. During these tournaments, there are also individual competitions. These competitions include strap doubles couples, swivel, team jump, and individual jump.
In the strap doubles competition, one skier is attached to a harness while their partner performs acrobatic moves . This competition is judged based on ex*****on, difficulty, showmanship, and creativity.
In the swivel competition, a single ski with a rotating binding is used. The skier uses this to perform tricks such as 360° turns and other impressive spins. This competition is also judged based on ex*****on, difficulty, showmanship, and creativity.
In the team jump competition, a group of jumpers perform multi-person tricks off of a 5.5 foot jump. The goal of this competition is to stick the landing of as many tricks as possible. There is a chance for extra points if the jumper lands past a distance buoy. This competition is judged based on difficulty, amount of tricks landed, and crowd appeal.
The individual jump competition is very similar to the team jump competition. Instead of a whole team performing tricks, only one skier jumps at a time and each person is competing against each other.
Over the years the Backwater Gamblers have won 11 regional tournaments. Our highest ranking in the national tournament was second place in 2014 with our show titled “Choppy Water: My Life as a Water Ski Show Skier”.
Every year, we hold an event called Access to Waves. This program is an adaptive water ski clinic which began in 2005. Due to the popularity of the event, starting in 2015, we began to hold 2 adaptive water ski clinics every year.
Our team also holds water ski lessons for anyone in our community who would like to learn how to water ski. For more information about adaptive water ski clinics and water ski lessons please visit our website at http://backwatergamblers.com/skiing-Events
The Backwater Gamblers put on FREE water ski shows every Wednesday and Sunday starting Memorial Day 2023 Backwater Gamblers are presented by Culver's
