At Kirby’s School of Wake, our mission has always been simple: provide the best coaching experience possible while helping people build confidence, make memories, and fall in love with life on the water.
That’s why I’m incredibly excited to officially share our partnership with MasterCraft Boats and Performance Marine Watersports.
This partnership isn’t just about having the newest or flashiest boats for our lessons. It’s about surrounding our students with the very best equipment, support, and people in the watersports industry. It’s about aligning ourselves with partners who share our passion for wakeboarding, wakesurfing, and serving families with excellence.
Raising the Standard for Our Lessons
Over the past few months, we’ve had the opportunity to teach behind the MasterCraft NXT23 and XT24 while also spending time riding, driving, and testing the all new X23, X24, XStar 23, and XStar 25.
As someone who has spent nearly three decades behind countless wake boats, I can honestly say I have been incredibly impressed by the performance, innovation, and versatility of the entire MasterCraft lineup.
Whether we’re introducing someone to their very first ride or coaching advanced athletes chasing new tricks, these boats create consistent, customizable wakes and waves that allow every student to progress more quickly. Being able to fine tune each setup for every rider has elevated the entire coaching experience, and we’re seeing some of the best student progression we’ve ever had.
When the equipment works this well, students spend less time fighting the conditions and more time building confidence, learning new skills, and simply enjoying being on the water.
More Than Incredible Boats
While the boats have exceeded every expectation, what has impressed me even more are the people behind the brand.
Everyone I’ve had the privilege of working with at MasterCraft, whether in engineering, product development, marketing, or sales, shares the same passion: building the best boats possible while helping families create unforgettable memories on the water.
That culture is evident in every conversation.
From day one, they’ve welcomed us like family and have continually looked for ways to help our school grow. One example is creating a dedicated Kirby’s School of Wake page on the MasterCraft website, making it easier for people to learn about our coaching philosophy, our lesson experiences, and discover our programs at both Lake of the Ozarks and our new location at Big Cedar Lodge on Table Rock Lake.
That level of support means more than I can put into words, and I’m incredibly grateful for their belief in what we’re building.
A Dealership That Lives the Wake Lifestyle
One of the things that makes this partnership so meaningful to me is that, for the first time, Kirby’s School of Wake is partnered with a dealership whose world revolves around wakeboarding and wakesurfing.
Performance Marine Watersports isn’t simply a dealership that happens to sell wake boats. They live the wake boat lifestyle. The people on their team understand early mornings chasing glass, afternoons teaching friends and family to ride, and the lifelong memories that are made every time the boat leaves the dock.
That shared passion changes everything.
When we talk about coaching, boat setup, wave shape, rider progression, or helping someone choose the right boat for their family, we’re speaking the same language. Everyone involved genuinely loves being on the water and wants to see more people experience the sport that has given us all so much.
That passion is also reflected in the incredible lineup of MasterCraft boats we now get to coach behind. From the versatile NXT23 and XT24 to the acess we have to show off the ALL NEW X23, X24, XStar 23, and XStar 25, we’re able to give our students and future boat owners firsthand experience in some of the best wake boats ever built. It’s an incredible opportunity, and one that simply wouldn’t be possible without this partnership.
I’ve worked with many dealerships throughout my career, and I can honestly say the team at Performance Marine Watersports is one of the most passionate and customer focused groups I’ve ever had the pleasure of working alongside.
Their goal isn’t simply to sell boats. It’s to help families experience everything that boating has to offer.
They provide a true white glove buying experience, walking customers through every step of the process and continuing to support them long after delivery. Their commitment to service, maintenance, and customer care ensures owners spend less time worrying about their boats and more time creating memories on the water.
That commitment to excellence mirrors exactly how we strive to serve our own students.
Performance Marine has also gone above and beyond in supporting our school by helping us establish an incredible meeting location at Lake of the Ozarks State Park. This allows us to get students on the water faster and reach pristine riding conditions more efficiently, maximizing lesson time instead of spending valuable minutes making long boat rides to calm water.
It’s a difference our students notice immediately, and one that has made every lesson even better.
An Exclusive Benefit for Our Students
One of the things I’m most excited about is that Performance Marine Watersports has generously extended an exclusive offer to our Kirby’s School of Wake family.
If you’ve been considering purchasing a new MasterCraft, our students and customers can receive $1,000 off a new boat purchase through Performance Marine Watersports.
Whether you’re looking for your family’s first wake boat or upgrading to your dream MasterCraft, I can’t recommend their team highly enough. They genuinely care about matching each family with the right boat and making ownership an incredible experience from day one.
If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to reach out to me or contact the team at Performance Marine Watersports. I’d be happy to help connect you with the right people.
Stay Connected with MasterCraft
MasterCraft is constantly introducing new boats, sharing educational content, announcing events, and highlighting incredible stories from the boating community.
If you’d like to stay up to date on everything happening with the brand, be sure to sign up for the MasterCraft Newsletter below.
It’s a great way to stay informed about new product releases, boating tips, special events, and everything happening within the MasterCraft family.
Join Us at the Midwest MasterCraft Reunion
If you’re around Lake of the Ozarks, I hope you’ll join us for the Midwest MasterCraft Reunion, hosted by Performance Marine Watersports on August 1–2.
This family friendly event is an incredible opportunity for MasterCraft owners, future owners, and boating enthusiasts to come together for a weekend celebrating life on the water. You’ll have the chance to meet MasterCraft Factory Pros Parks Bonifay and Jett Lambert, demo some of the newest MasterCraft models, enjoy the boat tie up, and spend time with an amazing community during the evening social gatherings.
Whether you’re a longtime MasterCraft owner or simply curious about the brand, we’d love to have you join us.
I hope to see many of our students and families there!
Looking Ahead
This partnership represents far more than new boats or new logos. It’s a shared vision of growing watersports, helping more people experience the joy of life on the water, and serving every customer with excellence.
I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity to work alongside both MasterCraft Boats and Performance Marine Watersports. I can’t wait for our students to experience these incredible boats firsthand and meet the amazing people behind them.
More than anything, I’m grateful that God has opened the door for us to partner with people who share the same passion for serving others, growing the sport of wakeboarding, and helping families create lifelong memories on the water. When everyone involved is rowing in the same direction, incredible things happen, and I truly believe we’re just getting started.
Thank you to everyone at MasterCraft and Performance Marine Watersports for believing in our mission. Most importantly, thank you to all of our students and families who have trusted us over the years. Because of your support, opportunities like this become possible.
The future is incredibly bright, and I can’t wait to continue sharing the water with all of you.
See you behind the boat!
Kirby Liesmann
Owner and Head Coach
Kirby’s School of Wake