SAM DECKER

Founder, President, Director of Fun
WakeFX - 2014 - Present

Wakesurfing Experience:

Lucky for me, my mom shared her exhilaration for water & had me swimming in pools, lakes, and rivers at just 6 weeks old. Needless to say, my love for board sports and water sports developed at an early age.

We lived in Galveston Texas and began competitive swimming at the age of 5 (which I continued through high school). It was a young boys dream; we had a backyard pool and kept our 17’ i/o boat across the street at the lake on the island. My older brothers were early influencers of my passion for watersports as both water-skied for a local show and worked at marinas & surf shops on the beach. I began water skiing also at the age of 5 and long boarding in the Gulf of Mexico at age 7.

When we moved to the desert - El Paso, TX, we still had a pool, but the rest of the water sports were “on-hold”.  I vowed to make lakes or the ocean part of my life again as soon as it was feasible.  In the meantime, I found a new passion in skateboarding (street and ramp riding), snow skiing and eventually snowboarding in ’89.

In the early 90’s at the University of Oklahoma, I met a group of friends that had access to a boat and were getting involved in wakeboarding.  I was quickly hooked!

After graduation, I moved to Minneapolis, MN and swiftly found my way to Lake Minnetonka.  I bought my first boat in 1994, a ‘92 19’ i/o.  In 1996 found my way to the inboards now being modified from waterskiing to wakeboarding.  My friends and I wakeboarded until around 2000 when we decided our age and professional responsibilities were counter to the ability to avoid injury while trying harder and harder tricks.

In 2007 another friend introduced me to wakesurfing and took me several times for a few years until I pulled the trigger on my own inboard in 2010.  Since then, we have put 125 hours a year and several hundred more on friends’ boats enjoying the sport and this lifestyle. The pleasure wouldn’t be complete without my wife (Tiffany) and two sons (Jack, 19 & Blake, 16).  We have “PASSED THE HANDLE” and shared our wakesurfing stoke with hundreds of people over the years. We began to meet and host the competitive community in 2011 at the 10K Lakes Open.What a great group of people 

Tiffany and I attended the World Wakesurfing event in Lake Las Vegas 2013 & 14 which helped us meet and develop wonderful relationships with niche product vendors, athletes, and their families.  My son also likes to compete at the Amateur level whenever he can fit it in his busy sports schedule. I’ve been privileged to help judge the Pro Men and Women’s Skim and Surf divisions at several MN comps over the years. 

As soon as the new “Surf Gate®” technology was introduced, I set out to develop aftermarket surf tabs for all boats. WakeFX was officially born in 2014 when I developed a few different systems in my garage “lab”. Although I wasn't ever comfortable releasing any of them commercially after hours of riding and testing, I wouldn’t trade in any of those hours on the water with my family. I know all too well that failure happens as a business owner and entrepreneur.  Simultaneous to giving birth to WakeFx, I was in the process of the sale of my main business which, at the time, I deemed more important. Who knew 15+ “surf tab” companies would appear in an instant and make such an impact?! Rad, but bittersweet.

I’ve since spent several years working on various projects in the medical device space and other areas. I’ve also wanted to make this rope reel, well… REAL! We’ve finally found a great solution and we are so excited to share it with the Wakesurfing community 

This venture is a “comeback” for me. I’ve been everything from a “busboy” to CEO and in between. I’ve cofounded and sold two companies. I know what it takes to be great; it isn’t easy and can’t be done alone. I’ve surrounded myself with caring and capable people to put this all together.

“You're either on the wave or under it”

“The human condition is imperfection. And that's how it's supposed to be.”
 - Katherine Center

“Mental Health Awareness” seems to be everywhere but what are we, as a society, becoming “aware” about? 

I can only speak for myself. Life for my brain is like life with waves; constantly anticipating that next BIG ride. For me some BIG waves included thoughts of impending doom, terror and life-threatening feelings of flight or fight, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, feeling of a heart attack, shortness of breath, etc... (panic attacks) Time between these panic waves is spent trying to prevent, avoid and anticipate the next wave – will it be hours, days or weeks? The compounding effects make it difficult to catch any useful breath or be yourself.

For me, the wave of panic wouldn’t happen when one would expect. More often, episodes occur when no threats or storms are present or predicted; like a flat water day. I believe this is truly “leftover” early human survival traits. We needed to be aware of our surroundings and sense immediate danger. Our world is still dangerous, but not usually in that way anymore. I believe some of us have this normally lifesaving trait that gets activated, without prompt, is confusing and feels life threatening.

Other than, “hmmm, would I hurt myself?, Nah, not into pain…” I personally don’t have suicidal thoughts but comprehend how one could get there, easily. Please seek help if you or anyone you know is struggling suicidal or not! Mental Health Hotline - Free & Confidential - 24/7

Knowledge of the problem alone is a big help. Trying to be “in the moment” helps, although it is difficult not to get too far back or ahead of myself. Medications have solved the intense fear and cycles, however there are side effects like fatigue and buffing out of the “highs” and “lows”. These side effects do impact my daily life; however, this result is better than irrational thoughts and physiological response by an otherwise rational being! More work to be done here!

I am so thankful for the help from my wife, family and friends. My father and previous generations kept their brain health “inside”. I feel their sense of “carry on”, but believe knowing about and discussing mental health has helped me. I hope to continue to learn “tips and tricks” and help anyone else along the way. We all need to move forward regardless of the various challenges we face.

I am grateful for the opportunity and support!

Sam

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.”

– Jon Kabat-Zinn