Trick: Scarecrow

Description: A laid out toeside Front Roll with 180-degrees rotation.


How to perform this trick: It is very important to have a strong toeside edge with your weight evenly distributed on both feet as you approach the wake. The Scarecrow requires more speed than most rolls do, so be sure to edge out wide. Turn slowly and aim your front hip at the wake so that you are able to build on your edge. The most common mistake on the Scarecrow is aiming your front hip at the boat and twisting at your waist. If you do this, it will take the weight off your front foot and prohibit you from having a good, strong edge. Timing is a key element with this trick since you will be approaching the wakes with lots of speed. At the base of the wake you must rise, in order to give yourself maximum lift. As you start to rise, ease off your edge and let the boat pull you forward into the trick. At the same time, throw your back shoulder down and into the second wake. This will help ensure that your body position is correct. Keep your arms straight throughout this trick to give you a quicker snap (rotation) off the top of the wake. At this point, hang on to the handle with two hands and let the boat do the rest of the work. The tension from the rope should pull you around and allow you to complete the Scarecrow. When you come down out of the trick, you should be able to spot and prepare yourself for the landing. On your landing, use your knees and continue to edge out.

Trick: Switch Heelside Back Roll

Description: Heelside Back Roll, starting switch and landing switch.
Since you will be starting and landing this trick from the switch position, it is important to have learned how to do a switch Heelside Wake Jump with sufficient pop. It is also important to have learned the Half Cab Roll before you attempt this trick. The Half Cab Roll is easier and will set you up for the Switch Heelside Back Roll. The challenging part of this trick is to edge up the wake and to land in the switch position. This trick is a mirror image of the Heelside Back Roll.

How to perform this trick: Approach the wake the same way you would if you were going to do a switch Heelside Wake Jump — about 15 feet outside the wake. As you rise up the wake, throw your head toward the tail of your board, the same as you'd do on a Heelside Back Roll. Put your ear to the shoulder that is farthest away from the wake (trailing shoulder). This will help ensure that you have the proper end-over-end rotation. Try to keep the handle close to your body off the top of the wake and throughout the rotation. This makes the rotation and the landing happen with less effort.

Trick: Half Cab Roll

Description: A switch Heelside Roll to Revert.
It's important to know how to control the switch heelside edge before doing this trick. It will also help to practice some Half Cab 180 (wake-to-wake) so that you are comfortable and have sufficient pop. Once you can do this easily the trick will become simple. It is a mirror image of the Heelside Back Roll to Revert.

How to perform this trick: Cut outside the wake 10 to 15 feet. Turn slowly and be sure to build on your edge as you go in toward the wake. As you rise up the wake, throw the tail of your board (which is now the tip) up and away from the boat, and turn your head in the same direction. This will help you initiate your spin so you can land forward. However, it's also important to emphasize that you need to stay in the switch position as you edge up the wake, in order to maximize your height. One common mistake with the Half Cab Roll is being impatient and rotating the board to the forward position while edging up the wake. As you rotate the last half of the roll, let go with your back hand and push the handle down toward your front hip. This will help you to completely finish the 180-degree rotation. Now you should be able to spot your landing. Remember to keep the tip of the board pointing in the direction that you are traveling.