Free water ski shows
Sundays and Wednesdays at 6:30pm
from Memorial Day to Labor Day
Support Us
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and rely solely on the support and funding from the community and fans to perform our free ski shows. None of our members receive pay to perform. We do it because we love it!
Advertise
We provide free souvenir programs to the 30,000 people in attendance at our shows annually. You can place a full color ad in our program for $50!
2025 Backwater Gamblers are presented by:
Make Waves with Us
Do you love sun, water, meeting new people from around the world, trying new things, and pushing your limitations?
We are always accepting new members of all ages! No ability to ski necessary ~ the only requirements are a positive attitude and desire to help and learn!
Sharing our Love of Skiing
Each summer we host multiple ski clinics to share our love of skiing with members of the Quad City community.
Our Access to Waves program is held twice a summer and gives individuals with various disabilities the opportunity to ski on specially designed water skis.
45 Years of Show Skiing
The Backwater Gamblers Water Ski Club was founded in 1980 with just 14 members and got our name because we used to gamble with our lives by water skiing on the backwaters of the Mississippi River. Our mission is to:
- Provide free, quality water ski entertainment to the Quad City area.
- Become a nationally recognized show competition water ski team.
45 years later, the Backwater Gamblers now ski at the beautiful Ben Williamson Park in Rock Island, IL and have consistently been among the top five show ski teams at the National Water Ski Show Tournament. We are a family-oriented organization with families making up the majority of the club’s 120 members who range in age from 0 to 75. Club members consist of both skiers and non-skiers, all of whom are important to presenting the best water ski show possible.
