About Regina Jaquess:

• Where I live: During the school year I live in Monroe, Louisiana. During the summer I live and train in Destin, Florida.
• Where I'm from: Atlanta, Georgia

How I got started in sports: My older sister (3 years older) was a big influence for me.  She was always playing basketball, swimming, etc. and I thought that I needed to do everything she did.  My parents let us try out as many sports as we wanted.  Growing up it seemed like every night our parents were taking us to some practice, either basketball, gymnastics, swimming, and of course driving us to the lake after school and/or on the weekends.  I began water skiing at the age of three--before I had even learned to swim. Watching my older sister compete in tournaments sparked my own competitive edge. I began competing myself at the age of five, and by age eight, set my first national record in slalom.

Athletic achievements: Five-time Elite World Champion, US Open Champion, 40 USA National Records, World University Records, USA National Collegiate Records, Jr. World Records

Athletic goals:  Continue to develop into the best water skier in the world

Inspiration:  Michael Jordan, Kristi Overton, Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Cory Pickos, Javier Julio, Patrice Martin and a lot more!

Philosophy:  Work hard, play hard, and go for the gold

Favorite spot to water ski: Destin, Floridaat Pickos< World Ski Center at Shortline< Lakes

Favorite Girls4Sport wear: Boardshorts

What I do when I’m not in the water: Study, run, mountain bike, and workout at the gym

Job/Education: I'm in my second year of pharmacy school, candidate for Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Louisiana< at Monroe.  During the summer months, I am a water ski instructor at the Pickos< Ski< Center.

Interesting/unusual facts about me:  My nickname is “Cheese”

More in my own words:  I began competing at the age of five and by the time I was eight had set my first USA National Record in slalom.  At the age of 16, I captured the World Trick title, and at the following World Championships, I was crowned World Overall Champion, while setting the World Championship tournament record.  At the 2005 World Championships, I again captured the World Overall title and the World Slalom title.  I was named 2005 Athlete of the Year by both the International Water Ski Federation and USA Water Ski.  I have won 70 medals in international competition, including 52 gold medals.  I was recently voted 2006 Amateur Athlete of the Year by the Atlanta Sports Council.  I have been nominated six times for the James Sullivan AAU Award for outstanding amateur athlete.

I have also won a number of professional events, including back to back US Open Overall titles and a number of trick titles along the way (Moomba, Malibu).  On my 14th birthday, as part of the Women of Water Sports Tour, I skied under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay.  The following year, I skied around the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor.  I was selected a finalist for "Sportwoman of the Year" by the Women's Sports Foundation in 2004 and 2005.  I am a four time Captain of the Women's Collegiate All American Team and hold collegiate National & World University records in all three events of competition. 

www.reginajaquess.com