Making some waves on Diamond Lake in Mundelein

A visitor isn't exactly sure what the soon to be 11-year-old competitor just did on Diamond Lake in Mundelein but it sounds like something best left to the experts.

"My newest trick is a wake to wake 180 grab," explains Quinn Rundall, flanked by his two wakeboarding buds, Neal Tailor and Kuva Antos, after their runs Saturday.

Rundall is the third generation living on Diamond Lake and took an early interest (at age 5) in the sport, which riders describe as a combination of water skiing and snowboarding.

Equal parts friendly competition and exhibition, Rundall and friends were among about 15 or so who participated in the free event hosted by the Mundelein Park and Recreation District.

The idea is to boost the profile of the district-owned and -operated lake, beach, picnic grove, boat launch and other amenities.

"Our hope is to grow this and fold in other programming with it," said Mary Priller, marketing specialist for the district.

First-timer John Keyzer of Lake Zurich saw a preview and decided to bring his 8-year-old daughter and two wakeboarding nieces to check it out.

"We were here in 10 minutes. It's nice and close," said Keyzer, who admitted to not having visited the beach in his own community. "There's the whole, 'Never tried it,' kind of thing. Weekends are busy."

Wakeboarding isn't new but has become more sophisticated than the early days when riders secured their feet with stretchy cords to a modified skateboard. Special ski boats equipped with ballast tanks are used by serious competitors.

"It's like physics. The deeper the boat sits in the water, the higher the wake," says Pierce Homsey, who also lives on Diamond Lake.

Homsey, who will be a senior at Mundelein High School, is a veteran of the sport he became familiar with by looking out the window.

He began competing at age 8. He currently is ranked 9th in the junior men's division of the Pro Wakeboard Tour and hopes to make his avocation a profession.

That means frequent trips for competitions and to train with well known coach Glen Fletcher in Florida.

"I was the driver for many years, taking him around the lake for hours and hours and hours," says his mother, Susan. "We were really lucky this weekend was between tournaments."

As the pair spoke with a visitor, Homsey's first-grade teacher, Lisa Burkart of Grayslake, walked past. Homsey was mentioned in a preview of the event and Burkart remembered him.

"I've got three boys. I thought they'd love to watch this," she said. "It's a great beach. We should come here more often."

The next event is a free community picnic, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 17, featuring a Venetian boat parade.

"We're still growing and learning," Priller said. "The site is kind of coming into its own."