The Stuckey brothers dominate wakeboarding rankings

Wakeboarding has been a lifelong passion for Orlando native brothers Trent and Gavin Stuckey.

“I never really planned to have a career in wakeboarding,” Trent Stuckey, 19, said. “We just loved it, and we just always did it because we loved it, and we kept getting better and better. There would always be a local contest at a local park, and we would do that, and we just got really good. Then, we decided to keep going with it and just try to start riding professionally.” 

So, in 2019, both brothers began a career that today has catapulted them into being No. 1 and No. 2 in the Pro Men category. 

“(Because) last year was our first year of traveling, we weren’t quite on the scale we are now,” Gavin Stuckey, 17, said. “But now that we travel to all these competition experiences and we’ve participated in more and made the results we were looking for, now — over the last year — we came up to the top spot.” 

The brothers love to practice at Lake Ronix, which belongs to Alliance Wake — a company that designs wakeboarding gear — the Stuckeys’ sponsoring company. There, Trent Stuckey invented the “Double KGB” trick. 

“It’s a double front flip and then a backside 360,” he said. “So, we started doing just a straight double and then eventually took it to backside 180, and then I thought I could do it to 360. Then I tried it for a bunch of times, and eventually, I landed it.” 

The brothers got into wakeboarding through their parents, Shannon and Jason Stuckey — who also wakeboarded professionally. 

“We definitely got it from my parents,” Gavin Stuckey said. “(I remember) riding on the board in between my dad’s legs. He would hold me and ride.” 

“So that’s my favorite thing about this sport: We all chose wakeboarding as a passion organically ourselves,” Shannon Stuckey said. “I do compete competitively, obviously I’m a little older, so I don’t compete all the time anymore.” 

After COVID-19, the brothers began competing internationally and have traveled to many countries including Thailand, Lithuania, Singapore, Italy, Germany, France and London. 

Courtesy photo

“Luckily, most of the wakeboarding competition season happens in the summer,” Gavin Stuckey said. “Aside from a few events in early spring or in the fall, not many events or competitions in general happen during the winter time, so it’s a pretty good gap in the summer that gives us a break from school and we can fulfill wakeboarding and traveling completely.” 

Currently, Trent Stuckey is enrolled at Valencia College and has hopes to pursue a career as a pilot in the future. Gavin Stuckey continues his high school studies through  Florida Virtual School. Between classes, the boys are enjoying their time on the water and participating in different competitions around the world — together. 

“They definitely have persistence and desire to compete at a higher level and have an athlete mentality,” Shannon Stuckey said. “But, they also have a fun side to them where they can just let loose and just be kids.” 

And, when thinking about spending quality time together, competing in the same sport has allowed the brothers to create a deeper bond with each other.

“It’s the best thing possible for us, because we ride together all the time,” Trent Stuckey said. “We always push each other, and then we are super competitive with each other, so we are always trying to beat each other.”

Looking ahead, the brothers are excited to continue improving their wakeboarding skills and developing their own personalities when riding on a wakeboard. 

“I like to do my own thing, I like to do what I enjoy — not based on the competition,” Gavin Stuckey said. “I just go out there and do what I want and what I think is cool, and I just don’t think about the other people. I actually don’t even like to watch the other people compete in front of me, because I’m just going to go out there and do what I do no matter what they are doing on the water.” 

“I kind of view wakeboarding as an art form,” Trent Stuckey said. “No two people are ever going to ride the same. Everyone is going to be different, so I guess everyone is unique in that way.”