Sally and Bill Montavon looked at their son, Zachary, with skepticism, trying to gauge if the excitement on the 11-year-old's face was genuine.

Zachary, for once on this August day in Florida, became a bit exasperated. He dragged Sally over to the final scoresheets and pointed at the top name. His parents' jaws dropped.

There, atop the final results at National Water Ski Championship, was Zachary Montavon.

"Zach's a jokester, so when he came and told us that he won, I said, 'No you didn't,' " Sally recalled.

"We just thought Zach was fooling around," Bill added. "Then he took us over and showed us, and it took a minute to sink in."

When it did sink in, the Montavons realized their son had matched the accomplishment of their daughter, 15-year-old Elizabeth, with a national title in the tricks division at the largest amateur water ski tournament in the United States, which annually draws up to 800 competitors.

'You have to be organized'

The Montavon children have been water skiing since they were 3 years old. Sally started when she was about the same age, and it became a way of life.

Cecil Monnier, Sally's father, was the first member of the family to take up the sport, when he was 30. One of the founding members of Sterling's Moonlight Bay Ski Club in the late 1950s, Monnier and his group would put on a show for the public every Wednesday evening throughout the summer.

Cecil met his wife, Sally's mother, through the sport, giving her lessons. Cecil bet his pupil dinner that he could teach her to ski on one leg, and that was the start of a beautiful relationship – with each other and the sport.

"It's a very consuming activity," Sally said. "It takes time and energy and effort and requires your full attention. You also can't do it alone, because there is so much going on."

Elizabeth and Zachary know first-hand how demanding it is. The two attend school at home in the Sauk Valley during the fall semester (Elizabeth at Newman Central Catholic High School in Sterling and Zachary at St. Mary's grade school in Dixon), then spend the rest of the school year in Florida.

The Sunshine State's climate and location make it an international hub for water skiing. When in Florida, Elizabeth and Zachary train during the day. At night, they do the school work they receive via e-mail or fax.

"You have to be organized," said Elizabeth, a sophomore. "Once in a while it gets hard. ... But I love the experience of meeting different people from all over the world. All the travel really broadens my opinions and gives me a different view than a lot of other kids."

Throughout the year, the Montavon children compete each weekend. With every score, every performance, Elizabeth and Zachary accrue regional ranking points. The top 8 percent of each age group qualifies for nationals, which both Montavons made it to this summer.

More than meets the eye

Water skiing looks like fun, but there is far more to it than the untrained eye can see. The skis are different length, width and weight. The water's temperature makes a difference in how the skis move through it. Each boat presents a unique wake and smoothness of ride. The length of rope behind the boat changes per event and talent level.

There are three different events: slalom, tricks and jumps; skiiers who do all three can also qualify for an overall medal. Elizabeth and Zachary compete in slalom and tricks; Elizabeth has never been interested in adding jumps; Zachary is just approaching the age when they are offered.

Zachary also came into the season recovering from a broken fibula bone in his shin, which has caused Sally more stress than anything he does in or out of the water.

"Every time Zach does a trick he hasn't done yet," Sally said, "I always feel like giving a big sigh of relief that he got through it and got it down and didn't get hurt."

Injuries are part of the deal, but the broken shin is the biggest one either Montavon child has suffered.

"I don't really even think about it anymore," Zachary said. "Whenever I do a new trick I haven't tried before and get through it, I'm less nervous about an injury."

"You always hurt when you're done competing," Elizabeth added. "Your muscles ache all over and your hands get ripped up from holding onto the rope. It's just something you deal with."

Neither Zachary nor Elizabeth can pick a favorite event; both love the adrenaline rush they get while performing on the water.

"It's that energy rush when you're out there, just you and the water," Zachary said as Elizabeth nodded. "I never really hear anything going on around me; I always have a song running through my head that gets me into rhythm as I ski."

"I use my iPod," Elizabeth added. "I get nervous, so I get over that by really concentrating on what I'm doing and tuning all the other competitors and fans out."

Pro potential

With Bill serving as "equipment doctor" for the various things that inevitably need patched up or adjusted, both kids realize how fortunate they are to have their parents with them.

"We're really glad we can rely on these two to help pay for everything and make out schedules and stuff for us," said Elizabeth, who is trying to learn how Bill and Sally do it so she can take over in a couple of years when she goes to college.

She already has interest from a few Southern schools with water skiing programs, but Elizabeth is right now leaning toward Washington University in St. Louis, which doesn't have a team.

But giving up the sport she loves isn't an option for Elizabeth.

"If she goes to Washington, she can just turn pro," her mom said. "She's got enough experience and can compete at that level now – but why deal with all the hassles that go along with it until she has to?"

The performances by both Montavons at nationals in West Palm Beach, Fla., is proof of their skill.

Elizabeth, seeded third before the tournament, assumed the top ranking when the top-seed skiers went to an international competition and the No. 2 seed dropped out with a broken foot. Zachary was seeded fourth in his division. Each sibling was at the youngest age of their division.

Zachary started with a dead-last finish in the slalom – "I missed my entry gate to the course and didn't get any points," he said, laughing it off – but obviously things got better from there.

Both kids performed well, and the hardest part came after the water settled and they were all dried off.

"The toughest part is waiting for the results to be announced," Elizabeth said. "Once you get done, there's 30 minutes there where you have nothing to do but worry about the mistakes you made. But the payoff at the end, when you find out you won, that makes it all totally worth it."

Zachary, who was as surprised any anyone to win his championship, couldn't agree with his sister more about the wait being worth it.

"I didn't think it was right, and I was so surprised I can't remember what I did," Zachary said with a laugh. "I think I let out a 'Whoo!' and ran back to tell everybody."

Water Skiing for Dummies

• Competitions involve three events: slalom (back and forth through buoys), tricks (spins, flips, etc.) and jumps (acrobatics off ramps).

• Skis vary in length, width and weight depending on what event and the skiier's preference.

• Water temperature plays a role; warmer water is softer and the ski rides lower and slower, while colder water is harder and keeps the ski higher on the surface and moving faster.

• Events are held on man-made lakes specifically designed for the sport; depth is crucial because the deeper the water, the lower the ski rides in the water; lakes also avoid dealing with river currents.

Who: Elizabeth (15) and Zachary (11) Montavon

Where: Dixon

What: Each won age-group title in August at National Water Ski Championship in West Palm Beach, Fla.

FYI: Grandfather, Cecil Monnier, took up sport in late 1950s. It's been family passion ever since.