In 2011, a group of former professional Cypress Gardens skiers reunited to perform a ski show honoring USA Waterski Hall of Fame inductee and former Gardens skier, Don Thompson. The ski show was performed on Lake Silver in downtown Winter haven and the show's success provided the inspiration to bring show skiing to downtown Winter Haven. In January of 2012, Mark Voisard submitted a proposal to the City of Winter Haven to utilize Martin Luther King, Jr. Park as the home site for the Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team. The former Gardens skiers, their friends, and their families began the lengthy process of forming a USAWS sectioned ski team, negotiating an Agreement with the City of Winter Haven, incorporating a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, securing the necessary governmental permits, and soliciting sponsors to purchase boats, equipment, insurance and costumes. Seven short years later, the team has achieved all of their original goals and exceeded their own expectations. The Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team is an incredible example of how a vision can become a reality with the dedication of countless volunteers, the support of a city who believed in the vision and the generous sponsors who made it all possible