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.

Trick: Tantrum to Revert

Description: A Tantrum with 180-degrees rotation, landing switch.


How to perform this trick: Start this trick by cutting out as wide as you can; the wider you cut out, the easier and less work you'll have to do. Although, just because you're out wide, it doesn't mean that you should cut into the wake any harder. The width just allows you to generate speed without trying too hard, and enables you to lock into position in order to execute the trick. Cut into the wake with a medium to hard edge. Hold this edge all the way into the base of the wake. At this point, there are two components that make this trick possible. If you combine these two, you will be able to do the Tantrum. (1) At the base of the wake, quickly change your edge from your heels to your toes, as if you were going to Surf the Wake aggressively. This will cause you to trip backwards over the wake. At the same time you're changing your edge, let go with your back arm so you can square up your back and shoulders to the wake (so they are parallel to the wake or shoreline). The faster you change your edge, the faster you will flip. (2) Rise (push with your legs) all the way up the wake and take your head straight up (not back) towards the sky. This is what gives you the height to complete the trick. It is important to keep your head squared up with your body; do not turn your head and look away from the boat. If you do these two things properly, you will do the Tantrum and be able to spot your landing on the last half of the trick. The rest is all up to you. If you have access to a trampoline, hop on and practice some back flips before taking to the water. That way, you'll be more accustomed to the Tantrum, and able to learn it faster.

Trick: Tantrum

Description: Edging in hellside and throwing the true Back Hip.
Before attempting the Tantrum to Revert, you need to know how to do a Tantrum. They are the same trick, except you're adding a 180.

How to perform this trick: Approach this trick the same way that you would from the time that you turn toward the wakes until the time you get to the wake (exactly the same approach as with the Tantrum). The key to this trick is to switch hands and grab the handle with your back hand immediately after you leave the wake. If you try to rotate the 180 on the way down from the Tantrum, you will have a difficult time finishing the 180 rotation in time. The earlier you switch hands, the more time you will have to rotate the board to revert. On your landing, you may experience the board slipping out on you, and you may feel as if your body is falling back toward the wake. This just means you're under-rotating the flip. When you add the 180 to the Tantrum, it will slow down your rotation. Try to over-rotate the flip. This will help give you the proper rotation you need to land over your board and complete the trick in time.

Trick: Toeside Front Roll

Description: Edging in toeside and rolling forward.
It is strongly advised that you learn a Tantrum before you learn this trick. The Tantrum is easier and will give you an understanding of how the Front Roll works. It is the same trick except on a Tantrum, you edge in heelside, and with a Toeside Front Roll, you edge in toeside.

How to perform this trick: Start by edging out half the distance that you would on a Tantrum (15 to 20 feet). Turn slowly and cut into the wake with a medium to hard edge. Then, at the base of the wake, start to rise and change your edge from your toes to your heels. Like the Tantrum, changing your edge will give you your rotation (ability to flip). At the peak of the wake, throw your head down and between your legs. This will ensure that your body is moving in the right direction, and will help you compact your body to make it easier to roll. At the same time that you're throwing your head down, let go with your back hand. This will allow you to land in the same position as your take off. At this point, all you have to do is spot your landing. Remember to keep the tip of the board pointing in the direction that you are traveling. If you find yourself coming up short on your rotation and landing on your rear, it means one of two things. You're either edging through the wakes and not changing your edge, or your edge change is too slow. Don't forget, the faster you change your edge, the faster you will flip.

Trick: Toeside Back Roll to Revert

Description: Toeside Back Roll with 180-degree rotation, landing switch.
The Toeside Back Roll is the root of this trick, so you must learn it first. The difference between the two is that you have to start wider and м edge in harder when approaching the wakes.

How to perform this trick: Start 20 to 25 feet outside of the wake, turn slowly and lock yourself into a reasonably hard edge all the way into the base of the wake. At the base of the wake, start to rise (pushing with your legs), just as you would with the Toeside Back Roll. Once you leave the wake, you will feel pressure on your back arm. Using that pressure, pull the handle into your trailing (back) hip with your back arm. You may find it easier to rotate this trick if you let go with your front hand and pull yourself to revert using only your back arm. Either way, this will help you to initiate the 180 and allow you to land switch. You will be able to spot your landing easily with this trick. Remember that you're landing switch and to keep your momentum moving out, away from the wake.