By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News
Long-time Steiner Ranch resident Chase Philip Randazzo started the area’s first company offering hands-on boat driving and water sport instruction. 
“I’ve always enjoyed skiing over my lifetime and wanted to do something closer to the lake and closer to my home office,” said Randazzo, who has lived in Steiner for nearly two decades. “It’s been one of my passions for a long time.”
Water Ski Lake Austin offers a variety of instructional classes including the Texas Parks and Wildlife Boat Safety Course, hands-on private boat driving instruction and waterski and wakeboarding instruction. Randazzo has 45 years of driving and competitive skiing experience.
Randazzo said water ski instruction has come a long way since the days when a new skier had to be repeatedly pulled behind a boat before he or she was able to ski. Water Ski Lake Austin uses the latest technology, including an aluminum boom that extends from the side of the boat and allows the new skier to hold on and learn how to get out of the water easier.
“It’s much easier, safer and more efficient,” he said. “Everybody learns the first day.”
The classes are valuable for those who already have experience with water sports as well.
“We’re working with 2014 technology — the boat, gear and teaching technologies,” he said. “We have different levels of teachers who have different things they can share with you to excel your learning or accelerate the level at which you’re participating.”
Randazzo said he incorporates teachings of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP, which he said helps to identify and address limiting belief systems. He is now a master change practitioner of NLP.
“I learned about NLP 20 years ago when I was wanting to inspire guys to work hard,” he said. “We’re all looking for skill sets to interact well and communicate well. I addressed a couple limiting beliefs in one weekend with a practitioner and saw such a change that I decided to check it out.”
Randazzo said he has 35 years of expertise in team-building, physical training, boating instruction and water sports; assisting adults and youth, alike, to overcome limiting beliefs and behaviors.
He holds certifications with the State of Texas Parks and Wildlife Boat Safety Training Course Instructor and the U.S. Auxiliary Coast Guard Instruction Course.
For more information, visit www.Waterskilakeaustin.com