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Barefoot Central had a chance to catch up with former World and National
Barefoot Champ and instructor
Steve Merritt. Here is what he had to say:
 BFC:
Tell us what you've been up to for over the last
several years.
Steve: Well with out a doubt the best thing that ever
happened to me was meeting my wife Gina.
The footers of my era remember her as an awesome catch. She still
is as beautiful inside and out as she was then. I have had a complete
blast with her in my life from the time we met 19 years ago. We were
engaged in three months and have been married for 18 years. Gina is a
Flight Attendant with Delta for 19 years and is without a doubt the most
interesting gal you will ever meet. She has is so outgoing and it is an
experience just meeting her. The enthusiasm that pours out of this gal
has encouraged myself, my kids as well as anyone who comes in contact
with her over the years.
Gina was the one who encouraged me to start The Barefoot
Company and helped me take it to a successful company. Today we live
with our four kids in South Florida on Lake Osborne where I started
training at age 17. I have to pinch myself when I am sitting in our
dream house looking out at a glass calm sunset over the palm trees on
the far side of the lake. The kids are home schooled so they train in
the afternoons with Gina or one of their coaches. Of course I get out
there with them in the evenings and weekends.
BFC: What are you up to these days as far as a career?
Steve: Today I provide consulting and Business Development
work for a company called Brandmovers, which specializes in underwriting
and managing sales promotions for companies. I've been working with them
for a few years now and really enjoy the atmosphere as well as where the
company is going. I hit it off with the owner who is from England. He
reminds me of another great mate 9-time European Barefoot Champion Chris
Harris. We had some great times together. I’d like to know what he's
up to as well. Anyway, it’s been a great opportunity and I look
forward to building the business up.
BFC: What do you miss about the sport?
Steve: You know I have been so blessed to be around water
ever since I started foot'n at 15.My parents taught me how to ski at 4
and I've had a passion for the sport ever since.
I really miss everyone from my training center and the
tournaments. Barefooting was such a big part of my life for a good 15
years. I had to work my entire barefooting career to support myself; I
did not have my own boat so I had to work at schools or my own training
center. To hang out with a new group of students every week who were so
excited to learn new stunts and tricks was a real rush.
Today because I live on the lake I'm on the water pretty much
every day skiing and pulling my kids, which makes up for that void.
Going to tournaments with them reminds me of old times too.
BFC: Do you still actively foot?
Steve: Yes I was barefooting once or twice a week before I
had to have hip surgery last November. Because of so many groin pulls I
wore out my hip and had to have it replaced. The doctor said I could get
back to footing by June. I've been wakeskating recently and can't even
tell it's been replaced.
BFC: When
you think back, what accomplishment sticks out the most?
Steve: I would have to say winning the National Open Mens
Trick Title in New York in 1987 by 20 points over Mike Seipel. As a side
note, before skiing, earlier that morning I had to rush my wife Gina to
the hospital because of stomach cramps only to find out she was pregnant
with our 1st child Mia!
Secondly starting up my own company, The Barefoot Company and
taking it from nothing to one of the biggest names in the sport was at
the time a daily rush for me.
BFC: Why did you sell The Barefoot Company?
Steve: I actually was not thinking about selling it until a
foreign student offered to buy it at a price I could not pass up. Even
so, having owned it for 10 years, traveling the world and barefooting
everyday for a living would be any barefooter’s dream. I was so into
it and I do miss it from time; mainly being around footers on a daily
basis.
 BFC:
What was your favorite event and why?
Steve: The tricks event by far is my favorite. There is just
so many tricks to learn and it such an amazing event to watch. As I was
just coming into the sport, I used to watch footers on the show ski team
I was on practice. Three of them were on the US Barefoot Team I might
add. I couldn’t believe that John Strausser, Roger Pickart, Randy
Filter, Mike Seipel and myself were all on the same ski team at the
time. Needless to say I was not on the footing roster in the ski show. I
would wind these guys’ ropes and skied on the flag line if you know
what I mean. But they really inspired me which led to myself eventually
being on the US Barefoot Team as well.
BFC: What was your favorite trick and why?
Steve: I have a few favorites. The line tricks are amazing to
watch especially performed feet to feet of course. I had a bit of
advantage with those tricks at the time, I was one of the few to do them
clean both front and back because of training with a famous trick coach
and long time friend Mike Ferrao early on.
Also as one of the innovators of the Front Flip it is
definitely is one of my favorite
tricks as well. There's
nothing like seeing the crowd’s face after nailing one of those.
BFC: Who would be your biggest competitor if you were
competing today?
Steve: Ron Scarpa
BFC: And who was your biggest competitor back in the day?
Steve: Ron Scarpa of course at that time and many others, I
find it intriguing though how long Ron has been able to stay on top.
Ron’s consistency kept him on top then and even now.
BFC: Are you still actively providing barefoot instruction?
Steve: Not for a living anymore but of course I teach
my kids who all foot, even my 7 year old. I love teaching someone for
the first time and seeing the big smile on their face when they're
standing on their feet with water spraying everywhere. Not to mention
seeing them stand taller than before once they get back to the dock.
Something about footing brings out the ego in everyone.
BFC: Do you still sell you instructional tapes?
Steve: I have not sold any tapes for a long time. I guess I
should have kept up with that as I spent a lot of time and money to
produce it myself. The tape has a wealth of knowledge and it was before
its time as far as tricks so it could still be useful today. I would not
want to go through all that work again though. I wrote the entire 2-hour
script you know. After trying without a script and getting up to take 52
on the first trick I new I had to go a different route. I also will
never forget the camera guy while shooting the film, backing up on the
dock to get a better angle and falling into the water. Shooting the film
was a blast when I look back
Barefoot
Central has received permission from Steve to re-master his original
instructional tape and output it in DVD format. We will be
offering the tape exclusively to BFC Members Only. So keep your eyes open for
it. It's one of the most complete instructional videos ever
produced, and still stands the test of time.
BFC: Do you ever think about competing again?
Steve: No not after my hip surgery. Just want to have fun and
push the limit slightly!
BFC: Are your children interested in barefooting?
Steve: Yes I have 4 active kids, Mia 16, Chloe 13, Raimi 11,
and Blake 7. They all barefoot even the 7 year old who's been skiing
since he was 3.
Even though they do love to foot we foot about once a week in
the summer. Their passion is wakeboarding and they compete regularly
locally. They want me to take them to the Nationals this year so we'll
give that a shot since they have been competing in the local tournaments
and winning fairly easily. Fly High and Tommy’s Ski Shop currently
sponsor them.
BFC: What made you stop competing in the sport?
Steve: I love the sport of barefooting. Even made a living
from it. My life evolved around the sport for years. My family,
including in-laws traveled around the world with me to tournaments. When
the US Team coach would not allow me to be distracted by running a
company booth at the worlds I would bring my Father and Mother-in-law to
run it for me. This sport was my life for a good 15 years.
I had to stop competing though because I started getting
hurt, mostly neck and back injuries. Not to the point that I could not
foot, I just could not train at the level I needed to in order to
compete. I have always enjoyed footing since retiring from competition.
BFC: When did you really feel this sport was for you?
Steve: When I was 16 my grandfather dropped off my brother,
cousin and I at the Wisconsin State Barefoot Championships in Manitowish
waters. If you're from Wisconsin you know this is the real deal.
Barefooting is as big as cheese there. Anyway this was the very first
tournament I ever skied in. The biggest names at the time were there
competing. At the end of the day I walked away with 1st Place across the
board in the Boys Division. This is where it all started for me. You
should have seen my grandfather’s face when he picked us up that
afternoon carrying 4 trophies bigger than me. My head could hardly fit
in the car, if you know what I mean.
BFC: Who would you like to see as the next "Where are
they now?"
Steve: I really would like to see my old friend Roger Pickart,
a former member of the US Barefoot team. He and I really hit it off when
we first met back when I was 16. He lived on the lake and we would hang
out and foot. I made my first trip to Florida at 17 with him and never
really returned to Wisconsin, which is where I grew up. He went home
after 3 weeks and I stayed believe it or not as young as I was.
After Roger went home I hooked up with a guy we met while
down in South Florida actually on Lake Osborne in Lantana where I still
live and ski today 23 years later. This guy turned out to be the now
famous wakeboard coach Mike Ferraro, who introduced me to his boss Russ
Stifler, both Icons in the Trick Ski world. We asked Russ if I could get
a job at the ski school. He said I could work and live there if I drove
students all day paid him $300
a month AND paid for my own gas! Even though I only had $150 at the
time, I took Russ up on his offer and got another job washing dishes to
pay to work at the school. It might sound like I got the raw end of the
deal but I believe it was the best deal. These guys taught me from only
being able to go backwards at the time to within 3 months of eating
breathing and sleeping barefooting to doing Front-to-Backs. I made my
first one Christmas day 1981 (can you believe we were skiing on
Christmas Day). I even had to work on that Christmas washing dishes for
double pay to make rent. I learned clean Toe Turns, Line Tricks, 360's
you name it. That summer of 1982 I was asked to try out for the US
Barefoot Team. Paying to work at Russ Stifler's Ski School turned out to
be the best investment I could have ever made.
Throughout my barefooting career I had so many people help me
along the way; I could never remember to thank them all. It's all about
opportunity along the way. Such as, if my parents did not teach and give
me a passion for the sport, or if I they did not give me the opportunity
to go to Florida I would never have had the unbelievable experience I
had in the sport. Not to mention a chance to ski on the show team with
Mike Seipel and four other barefoot team members, my grandfather
dropping me off at my first tournament, Russ giving me a shot to work at
his school, Mike Seipel sponsoring me for years, my wife encouraging me
to start my own business, a friend helping me design the famous Barefoot
Company logo, my brother and sister helping me out at my ski school and
shop when I first started, a very good friend, former student and my
brother’s father-in-law, Carrey Barnes helping me out when just
starting my company, My good friend Ruben Dahl who helped run my
training center, my mother and father-in-law’s support, Mastercraft
who believed in me and sponsored me for years and all the footers who
were fans and friends that encouraged me along the way. The stories and
memories are endless. Life is all about opportunity and taking a chance.
I have been so blessed to have been a part of this sport and appreciate
the opportunity to tell about it.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like at smskier@bellsouth.net.
Keep Your Toes UP!
Steve Merritt
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