Fike brothers finding success on the water

Next year, 15-year-old Hayden Fike will become a professional wakeboarder. 

The Spain Park linebacker has completed the top wakeboarding trick in the highest level amateur division, which consists of a forward flip while spinning 360 degrees in the air. He won first place in multiple events within the division, most recently at a regional championship event in Hot Springs, Ark., last September.

Hayden has had the goal to become a pro wakeboarder since he was very young. With the ultimate goal now in his sights, Hayden couldn’t be happier. 

“I haven’t thought about it too much, but when I do it’s something I can just picture in my mind so clearly,” he said. “I feel like it’s there, and I just have to step up and take it.”

The growth of Hayden’s skill hasn’t been easy. His father, Gregory, described waking up at 6 a.m. many mornings to find his oldest son practicing flips and turns on the trampoline. 

“That’s commitment right there,” Gregory said.

Hayden’s brother, 14-year-old Hunter, who plays on Spain Park’s lacrosse team, placed second in a lower division at the Hot Springs wakeboarding event. He has learned much of his craft from his older brother, as well as his parents.

“Having Hayden as an older brother who’s better than me is always good,” Hunter said. “He’s always pushing me to step it up and do some new tricks.”

In fact, water sports are a family pastime for all the Fikes. Dad Gregory drives the boat for both boys. Mom Kim is a national champion in the women’s beginner division. Sisters Savannah, 13, and Lilli-Ann, 11, enjoy wakeboarding and being on the water with Hayden and Hunter. The entire family except for Lilli-Ann rides competitively.

“All of the kids do different things,” Gregory said. “Wakeboarding is the one thing that really pulls us all together. I can count on one hand the number of times we were at the lake together in the entire year, just our family. That makes it special.”

The Fike brothers have two different approaches to wakeboarding. Hayden, the consummate competitor, is constantly working on improving his already honed skills. Hunter, though also very talented, is more into the social aspect of wakeboarding.

“For Hayden, it’s more about competing and winning,” Gregory said. “Hunter loves to bring buddies and enjoys wakeboarding for the fun of it.”

When both brothers placed at the Hot Springs competition last fall, it was a momentous occasion. 

“That was the first time that’s happened,” Hayden said. “It was pretty cool to watch [Hunter] excel at what he does and get second.”

The Fike family has also traveled across the nation to locations such as Orlando and Bakersfield, Calif., for competitions. The family enjoys the travel, but once there the boys’ full attention is given to the event.

“They get the chance to go site-seeing, and a lot of the families do,” Gregory said. “But when we’re there, they don’t want to leave the site. They work the booth for the board company that sponsors them the whole time when they’re not riding. You couldn’t peel them away from that. There’s no place that they’d rather be besides there.”

It’s a labor of love for the Fike teens, and the Fike family, as they work in their potential to be among the best in their sport.