Leaving Her Mark on BGSU
2018 seems to have been a big year for Bowling Green State University (BGSU) skier, Ali Mollet. She not only graduated in December of 2018, but she also was nominated for NCWSA Outstanding Leader for the second straight year, and this year she was voted the NCWSA’s Female Outstanding Leader of the Year!
Ali Mollet is originally from Canal Fulton, Ohio and chose BGSU for two reasons: the water ski team and for their Tourism, Leisure, and Event Planning. Even though she has moved on from being a collegiate skier and now has a full-time job at the Village Catering Company in Smithville, OH; skiing will still be a part of her life. Her “forever goal” is to be featured on the cover of The Water Skier magazine.
Ali has skied since she was born, but she didn’t start competing until Middle School. Throughout her career she has shown great skills, and earned her fair share of medals. In 2012, she was recognized as the Girls 3 Most Improved in the Nation for slalom skiing.
Ali has given a lot to collegiate skiing. In turn, we are glad to be recognizing her as an Outstanding Leader. She joined the BGSU ski team her Freshman year (Fall 2014) when BGSU had a recreational wakeboarder base. Ali and her brother Trace (2018 Male Outstanding Leader), with the help of their fellow teammates and officers, built this team up to what it is today. While she always had the vision to be a BGSU teammate, she never foresaw having this big of an influence in the collegiate community. The following year, Ali decided to become more involved by holding the Secretary position (Fall 2015 – Spring 2016). She then stepped up to be BGSU’s Ski Team President (Spring 2016 – Spring 2018). During this time, BGSU qualified for their first Midwestern Regionals (Fall 2016). She was also nominated as the Outstanding Female Leader for 2017 during her tenure as President. Ending her collegiate skiing career, she was the Girls Captain for Fall 2018 before graduating.
What makes a great leader?
Usually, we do not get to a know a great leader while he or she is ascending and making newfound waves. Most often, we get to know our greatest leaders from the stories they leave behind. Here are some of Ali’s stories…
Motherly encouragement can always help.
[I am] so proud of Ali’s accomplishments. She is beautiful on the inside and out. One of my fondest memories of Ali’s collegiate ski season: the very first tournament her freshman year, she didn’t want to go. I convinced her to go, reminding her that her brother [Trace] would be there for support. She was so worried that she wouldn’t run her first pass and let her team down. The team had not ever watched her ski, so she was feeling the pressure. There were very few slalom skiers and no one started at their maximum speed [34 mph]. She not only skied into 35 off, but came within a half buoy of tying the Midwest record! From that moment, her team was up for the challenge [of] getting to Regionals. The BGSU Team is a wonderful group! So proud of all of them.
Dian Mollet (Ali’s Mother)
Helping you believe that you can be better.
Ali’s goal, akin to the goal of many great leaders, was to leave the BGSU team better than when she entered. This mindset helped her in her decision making and goal setting for the team. She pushed her teammates to realize the best of themselves.
[As a freshman], Ali came to our usual 3 tournament season and observed the way we did things. It did not take her long to realize a change was necessary if we were ever going to excel in the collegiate skiing world. Ali, along with her twin brother Trace, taught everyone everything they needed to know about skiing and showed each person how crucial they are to the team. This lit a passion in everyone to do their best and get the team to do the best that it can, and man, did she succeed.
Erik Paulson
The most challenging part was helping my teammates realize that we do in fact deserve what we have, and that if we do not believe in ourselves then we will not succeed.
Ali Mollet
With Ali’s help, not only our equipment looked better, but so did our skiers. Ali lead our team on a path to regionals last year with her encouraging words, and she gave us our best shot at nationals this year with her actions. She is the most talented, humble slalomer I have ever witnessed, but at the first real tournament in Van Wert, she was not able to complete her first pass. Although it may have greatly upset her at the time, I’ve never seen someone bounce back from a mistake so quickly. The rest of the day she was so calm and continued to encourage others to do their best, and she proved her worth at the next tournament. She constantly reminds us all that it is ok to make mistakes, whether it be skiing or school or life because we can always do better in the future. Ali is a shining light in all aspects of all of our lives, and there is no one who has worked harder for her accomplishments.
Rachel Long
Speaking from her lifetime of experience that I have been so blessed to be part of. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious, her smile can brighten any room and she is the daughter that father’s dream of having.
Brian Mollet (Ali’s “unbiased” loving Father)
Thankfully everything clicked this past season! Everyone had the same mind set and goal. This enabled them to grow as individuals and as teammates, and it allowed new leaders to ascend.
[Ali] left a legacy that will forever change how Bowling Green State University and everyone involved views collegiate waterskiing. I’m just honored that I got to witness!
Erik Paulson
Her name is Veronika.
Throughout Ali’s Officers positions, she has devoted a lot of time in building the BGSU team from recruitment and fundraising to team morale and apparel. She will be leaving behind her mark with one of her more challenging tasks for the team. Ali put in all the behind the scene work of fundraising, researching, and organizing to gain an equipment trailer for the BGSU team. To the team “she” (the trailer) is known as “Veronika”: V for her nose and “k” instead of “c” for her sexiness. Veronika is by far the team’s greatest asset.
I wanted to share the story of the day we finally found out we were going to get our water ski equipment trailer and the excitement she had… Ali had been putting in months of hard work in order to purchase an equipment trailer that the Bowling Green State University Water ski team so badly needed and had dreamed of one day getting. After working so hard to convince the school to allow us to have the trailer she was able to raise funding to make this dream a reality. Since I was the treasurer for the team at the time, I had some involvement in acquiring the proper paperwork and license needed for the trailer and I was the first one to receive the phone call. They told me we were approved and the trailer was ready to be picked up in a nearby town. I immediately picked up the phone and called Ali to tell her the good news and her enthusiasm was indescribable. I picked her up so we could go get the trailer and her smile was bigger than I had ever seen before. The whole ride too and from she just couldn’t get over the fact that we had finally got our very own equipment trailer. At that moment I realized how important this was to Ali and that it would not have been possible if it were not for all of her hard work and dedication to leaving the team in a better situation than she found it! This is just one of the countless selfless acts that she performed for BGSU’s water ski team not only as president but as an important member on and off the water. Ali Mollet is the epitome of what each and every ski team president should strive to replicate and I am happy to say I have the opportunity to call her my teammate and more importantly my friend!
Luke Nugent
Ali fund-raised and contacted all the right people to get the most beautifully decked out trailer for our team so that we could arrive at tournaments in style and in order. She wanted our team to have everything possible.
Rachel Long
When all of the hard work for Veronika paid off, and the end was in sight, Island (Luke Nugent) called me and said “ALI, we got the trailer!” so Island, Touch (Erik Paulson), and I drove to go pick her up and Trace stayed back to gather the rest of the team at the ski house. My favorite moment was driving up to the ski house with our brand new 2018 trailer and just basking in the moment with my teammates that yes, we do in fact deserve this and the hard work was sitting in our driveway.
Ali Mollet
So it was love at first sight, and the story of Veronika cemented itself as one of Ali’s most memorable moments with the BGSU team.
What is “38′ off”?
In addition to holding office and helping keep the team running, Ali competes in all 3 events in AWSA as well as NCWSA tournaments. Slalom is her specialty with a personal best of 4.5 @ 38′ off, and it seems to have been handed down as the favorite event from her parents.
On August 20th, 2014 Ali walked into Olscamp Hall Room 221 as a shy, little, baby freshman not really sure what she was getting herself into. I introduced myself as the captain of the team at the time and asked about her skiing experience. Saying she had slalom experience, I asked for her PB, “2 buoys at 38′ off” she replied. I asked “Wait isn’t max speed for woman 34MPH?” She replied, “Yes, that’s at 34MPH.” I said “WHAT, YOU CAN RUN YOUR MAX SPEED?” and basically ended the conversation there, as I was too embarrassed to admit that I had no clue what 38′ off even meant.
Erik Paulson
Happiness from unexpected places.
We were at a tournament in Van Wert and Ali was being the boat scorer for a cold, morning slalom set. I was watching the tournament from the starting dock and the next skier tossed their handle to her. The toss was a bit short but Ali committed, stuck her hand out there, and caught the handle. She realized how far forward she had leaned when she, in her nice warm outfit, fell right out of the boat into the lake. She emerges a few seconds later, soaking wet, holding the handle in the air and says, “I caught it!”
Erik Paulson
At [BGSU’s] very first collegiate regionals (2016) after I ran my opening pass (22′ off), the boat judge said to me “WHERE ARE YOU FROM?!?” and I knew at that point that BGSU was legitimate and worthy competitors, because my team got us there.
Fast forward to 2018 where we were known and loved by other teams so much that they were supporting and encouraging us all they could for us to make it to Nationals. Throughout our collegiate experiences I never anticipated that other schools would support us like they did this past season.
Ali Mollet
It was ski prom night in Van Wert, OH everyone was getting dressed in their dresses and “nice clothing” we wanted to prepare for the evening by setting up the jenga game we had brought. Ali asked me to grab it out of the van, I went to grab it, not realizing how heavy this box filled with 2’x4′ jenga pieces is I turn and the weight pulls me right to the ground. Not injured whatsoever, I look up to see Ali laughing her eyes out and calling the whole team to hurry up and come look at this guy laying on top of a smashed box with jenga pieces laying all around. She had a heyday with this.
Erik Paulson
Inspiring with passion and knowledge across generations.
Ali is the most caring, selfless person with a true love of waterskiing. Last year, she represented our team as President and accomplished more than anyone could have imagined, and she was not even able to compete because of a badly broken ankle.
Rachel Long
Ali’s (and Trace’s) father Brian had several wise thoughts, and I am wondering how many of these were passed along as Ali and Trace became the coaches.
89% of completing a slalom pass is over as you enter the starting gates
the buoy marks the finish of the turn
Brian Mollet
When I was reaching out to people for this article, Morgan Miller was kind enough to reach out to some of Ali’s teammates to get some quotes. Here are the team’s favorite quotes of Ali’s that kept them going to accomplish their goals. Do they seem similar to her father’s wisdom?
One ball at a time
Yes, Bowling Green does have a waterski team
Nationals isn’t a dream this year. It’s a goal!
Take in every moment in these coordinates. You deserve to be here.
Ali Mollet
Ali put it best crediting her teammates for the team’s success as Trace and her helped provide the teaching,
Trace and I grew up with the knowledge of competitive waterskiing, and I am beyond thankful and humbled that we could teach so many of our closest friends to become regional-level waterskiiers. Trace and I would not be accepting these awards if it weren’t for our teammates. Our vision was to compete regionally. Our wakeboarders that turned 3-eventers made it a reality.
Ali Mollet
This just goes to show that both Ali and Trace truly do deserve this recognition for all they have done in our sport.
These habits may not be for everyone.
Leaders can have some interesting habits that may not be for everyone, but sometimes you have to wonder, “she’s really good, could this help me too?”
She helped provide our team with our iconic neon orange hats, and she could always be caught covered in orange paint at tournaments.
Rachel Long
While the majority of people and skiers need some help waking up in the morning, and their go to is coffee, Ali used a bit different of stimulant for the mornings: “I love the smell of tournament tow-boat exhaust in the morning” and “lake water hair.”
Congratulations and good luck!
Ali, I wish you luck in your upcoming adventures. I hope everyone reading through this article realizes just how much you deserve this award as I have come to see while writing it. Thank you for everything you have done not only for your own team but also for the NCWSA as a whole. Keep skiing, keep smiling, keep reaching for the stars just one buoy at a time, and hopefully we will see you soon on the front of The Water Skier magazine.
- 2019 Reflections: South Central Edition - January 10, 2020
- 2019 Reflections: Western Edition - January 9, 2020
- 2019 Reflections: Midwestern Edition - January 8, 2020
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