One hour northeast of Tempe, nestled in the Tonto National Forest, is a desert oasis that feels foreign to the bustling city life of many ASU students: Bartlett Lake. However, the lake is no stranger to the Wake Devils, ASU's club wakeboarding team.
With strong team bonds, carefree attitudes, and a love for "the thrill of the ride," the Wake Devils represent a small but significant part of the Sun Devil water sports community. The club first came to ASU in 2010, and in just fifteen short years, the Wake Devils have established a permanent presence on campus for lifelong wakeboarders and rookies alike.
For some students, the existence of the Wake Devils was enough to convince them to attend ASU.
"I've been wakeboarding since I was six years old," Nick Hoskins, a film and media production major currently taking a gap year, said. "I had a friend in high school whose older sister was on the Wake Devils, and I heard about it from them ... my parents really wanted me to go to college, so I went (to ASU) because of the Wake Devils."
Others happened upon the club and found their community among the waves and wakeboarders of Bartlett Lake.
"I transferred (to ASU), so I was looking for a group to be a part of, and I saw (Wake Devils) in the club rush where they had a table. It seemed like a lot of fun," Logan Ashamallah, a junior studying computer science and the Wake Devils' event coordinator, said. "I came out and tried (wakeboarding) and just had a blast."
Regardless of how one comes across the Wake Devils, the club encourages those from all levels of experience to join, with the option to compete on the competition team or to simply come out to the lake and ride alongside other wakeboarders.
With off-campus practices and out-of-state competitions, running the Wake Devils takes a significant amount of dedication and time.
"You've got to deal with the money, you've got to make sure you can pay for gas, and you've got to do logistics every week," Logan Gregor, a junior studying mechanical engineering and the club's president, said.
However, the students running the Wake Devils are not on their own in making sure the club stays afloat. Certain regulars at Bartlett Lake offer their boats, time and advice for the wakeboarding team — including Bryce Hendrickson, one of the Wake Devils' boat drivers.
After spotting a Wake Devils boat on the lake, Hendrickson reached out and asked if the team was looking for someone to take more members out to ride. Now eight years in, Hendrickson remains an integral part of the club's success and support system.
"Now that I've been doing it for so long, I have really enjoyed seeing freshmen come through all the way to senior year," Hendrickson said. "I get to be there their whole college career, which is amazing."
Alongside the strong bonds formed among team members, the Wake Devils also emphasize relationships between other club sports, including the Snow Devils and Sun Devil Waterski.
Like their club sport counterparts, the Wake Devils work hard to maintain a balance between the competitive side of wakeboarding and the pure enjoyment of a day out on the lake with your teammates.
"I can just go out (to the lake) when I want, when I'm free, and just spend the day on the lake away from everything," Ashamallah said.
However, the competitive aspect of wakeboarding is ever-present in the club's practices. Individuals like Hoskins, who is also a team captain, work with newer members to push them toward greatness.
"We have a list of riders, and then we will compete against each other to try to move up that list," Hoskins said.
Through the club's 15 years, they've maintained an emphasis on growth, passion and community-building as a way to ensure their presence for years to come.
Mentoring new members, hosting get-togethers with other clubs, dedicating countless hours to planning and executing trips and practices — these tenets are what define the Wake Devils and solidify their role in the ASU community.
"Even when you're coaching all day long, and you get super sunburnt, it's a great time," Gregor said. "Everyone has a great time out here."
Edited by Alan Deutschendorf, Henry Smardo and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at bcsmit41@asu.edu.
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Brooklyn Smith is a sports reporter for The State Press and an English student at ASU. She is in her 1st semester with The State Press.
