the history of skiing on
puslinch lake

1950-1962: Where It All Begins

Water skiing first began on Puslinch Lake in 1950 and quickly became a beloved recreational past time on the lake for cottagers and local residents alike. By 1952 there were already two slalom courses (North and South) and a jump course on the lake.

1962-1968: Puslinch Lake Water Ski Club

In 1962 the Puslinch Lake Water Ski Club formed and the third slalom course was put on the West side of the lake to accommodate the growing community. With the guidance of a few parental figures in the community (Steve O’Krafka, “Doc” and Joyce McClintock, Gord Klager, Ward Ray, and Tom McArthur) five young men formed the first official water ski club on the lake.

The original clubhouse was located on the Big Island and the club would go on to be one of the largest in Canada and hosted a variety of tournaments and ski shows on the lake, including fundraisers for community initiatives such as building the first ever tennis courts for the Hespeler Tennis Club.

The Puslinch Lake Water Ski Club continued to operate and maintain the courses on the lake until 1968 when the club was transformed into Cam-Ann Water Ski School.

1968-1978: Cam-Ann Water Ski School

In 1968 the Puslinch Lake Water Ski Club transformed into Cam-Ann Water Ski School and was owned and operated by local residents Ann Klager and Cam McArthur.

Cam first began skiing on Puslinch Lake in 1954 when he came to visit his grandmother who owned a cottage on the lake. As a founding member of the Puslinch Lake Water Ski Club Cam McArthur paved the way for many Canadians in the sport. The 1975 Canadian champion was inducted into the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

Ann Klager, a native of Hespeler, became Canadian Women’s Overall Water Ski Champion at the age of 20. Her first entry at the national level — the first Canada Summer Games in 1969 in Halifax — saw her win gold medals in slalom and tricks and earn a silver in jump. She continued on to win multiple overall Canadian Women’s Championship titles, break numerous Canadian records, and represent Canada on the International stage. Her success would be short-lived when she was forced to retire in August 1971 after suffering an injury during training for the World Team Trials. Ann was inducted into the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

The McClintock siblings (John, Joel, Jim, Jeff, and Judy) went from skiers to employees of Cam-Ann Ski School, and when Cam retired in 1978, the McClintock family bought the ski school, and renamed it McClintock’s Water Ski School, which remains its proud name today.

1978-1993: McClintock’s Water Ski School & Club

THE FIRST GENERATION

In the early 1960s, “Doc” and Joyce McClintock fell in love with water skiing when their young kids (from oldest to youngest: John (not a skier), Jim, Joel, Jeff and Judy) started skiing during their cottage vacations. As part of the founding members of the Puslinch Lake Water Ski Club it was only natural that when it transitioned to Cam-Ann Water Ski School this would be where their children would begin to spend all of their summers.

They loved the lake so much that in 1972 they purchased Puslinch Beach and Marine (now McClintock’s Trailer Resort) so that their kids could stay nearby and water ski all summer long. As a result, most of the McClintock kids went on to become award-winning competitive skiers, and every one of them worked for Cam at the ski school. 

In 1978 the ski school was officially renamed to McClintock’s Water Ski School which proudly remains a multi-generational family owned and operated business. Founded under the guidance of “Doc” and Joyce McClintock, the school was first owned and operated by all of the first generation siblings - Jim, Joel, Jeff and Judy McClintock - from 1978–1987 and then went on to be owned exclusively by siblings Jeff and Judy McClintock from 1987-1993.

Among that first generation of McClintock skiers; Joel and Jeff became Ontario Team coaches and National Team coaches.

1993-2013: McClintock’s Water Ski School & Club

THE SECOND GENERATION

In 1986 Jeff married Sherron McClintock (Beck), a former competitive US skier, who today is involved as a judge with Pan Am judging status – the highest-ranking accreditation in the ski world. 

In 1993 the school was taken over exclusively by Jeff and Sherron and became the home training site for the second generations of champions, Jason and Whitney McClintock.

Jeff and Sherron’s children, Jason (the current ski school co-owner) and Whitney, are both champion water skiers, and boast a long list of accomplishments:

Today, Jeff is Canada’s highest-ranked technical controller for water ski courses and tournaments; he handles the technical officiating at all Ontario as well as some Quebec water skiing events, he use to handle all the water work at the annual US Masters in Georgia, and is responsible for almost all of the “tournament ready” slalom course installations in Eastern Canada. He has been an avid volunteer with Water Ski Wakeboard Ontario (WSWO) for over 40 years.

2013-current: McClintock’s Water Ski School & Club

THE THIRD GENERATION

In 2013, Jason bought the ski school with his wife, Jaime, who manages the Ontario Team, sits on the Water Ski Wakeboard Canada (WSWC) Board of Directors, is an active volunteer with Water Ski Wakeboard Ontario (WSWO), and sits on the Water Ski Advocacy Committee for WSWC. 

Jason and Jaime are deeply committed to continuing to build McClintock’s reputation as a fun, safe, community-oriented destination for recreational and competitive water skiers alike.