LAFAYETTE, La. — On a quiet lake in Lafayette, a powerhouse continues to build. The University of Louisiana water ski team isn't just built on wins—it's built on people.
For Alana Jones, the sport is more than a competition. It's a way of life she grew up around.
"Just being able to be a part of this legacy and to be able to see what my grandfather started, to see what my parents built and helped contribute to, and then now I'm able to help contribute to that as well for the next generation, it's so cool to see," Jones said.
The sport has shaped her in ways that go far beyond the water.
"I've gotten to make amazing friends. My best friend came through the sport. My boyfriend met him through the sport. Just getting to see my family connect over this over the years, getting to grow up," she said. "I'm so close to my parents, and I think a lot of that is due to the sport."
Long before the championships, the Jones family was already helping lay the groundwork.
"I grew up skiing out here. This is before the university skied out here, before the team was here," Lynda Jones said. "Back in the late 80s, my dad worked out something to turn over the lease of the lake to the university, and that was when the ski team was born."
What began as a program quickly became a dynasty. The team has claimed 12 championships, including six straight years of dominance on the water.
But for those who have been here from the beginning, the trophies only tell part of the story.
"The people that I met 35 years ago here that we still meet up with, that's what forms that bond and those relationships that seem to last forever," Jones said.
For Jones, some of the biggest moments in her journey can't be measured by wins and losses.
"There's obviously many wins where I'm so grateful, and I'm able to give the glory and honor to the Lord through that," she said. "How you handle yourself on and off the water, that's really where true character is shown."
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