Graduating as NCWSA Leader of the Year
From a great field of nominees, the 2018 NCWSA Male Outstanding Leader of the Year is Bowling Green State University’s Trace Mollet. Trace has been a part of the collegiate community and BGSU’s team for the past five years. Since his first year at BGSU, Trace was extremely involved in the leadership of his team, holding the positions of treasurer and later co-captain with his twin sister Ali, a position that they added to the team’s leadership during their tenure. Members of BGSU’s team speak to Trace’s natural ease to lead as well as his strong presence within both BGSU’s team as well as the collegiate community. Teammate, Sam Kronour, echoes what everyone else in the Midwest thinks; when it comes to Trace, he was a natural leader of BG’s team, and “you always knew [Trace] wanted the team to succeed, bringing a high level of competitiveness to the BGSU Water Ski Team.”
Trace, along with his sister Ali – the winner of NCWSA Female Leader of the Year – has helped advance and better position the team for success this past season as well as foster continued success in the future.
BGSU used to be the best of the worst; then, we were able to become the worst of the best.
Trace Mollet
As a captain, Trace made great decisions on creating a solid team that utilizes everyone’s talents to maximize team points, pushing them to a 5th place finish at the Great Lakes Conference and only 110 points from a Wildcard placement at Regionals. Although the season came to a sad end, Trace continues to share his love for the atmosphere of the Midwest Waterski Community, commenting that “my last collegiate tournament was just as good as my first.” Trace’s love for the community goes far beyond just his own team.
Trace has been surrounded by the sport of waterskiing since his childhood, growing up on a ski lake in Canal Fulton, Ohio. Trace’s dad, Brian Mollet, skied with Florida Southern College, which drove Trace to pursue collegiate skiing and apply the extra effort to build up BGSU’s program while he was there. Due to a heart condition, doctors had advised Trace not to waterski. When Trace was a senior in high school, he decided that his passion for waterskiing was too strong to stop; therefore, he decided to start three-event skiing and joined the team as soon as he arrived on campus.
Since that moment, Trace along with the rest of his family, helped to transition Bowling Green State’s team from primarily a social wakeboarding team to one that manages to have a lot of fun while still competing. He helped to find a three-event lake near campus so that the team could practice more often. Additionally, his parents provided continued support at all tournaments and allow the team to practice with their personal Mastercraft. Teammate Rachel Long says, “Trace has taken care of all of the background needs of the team without being asked.”
It is clear that over the past five years, Trace Mollet has shown passion and drive while also motivating the people around him. I have never been at a tournament where Trace was not at some point helping at the start dock, coaching BGSU skiers, and even wishing me good luck before a run. Trace is a constant source of fun and laughs but he definitely knows when it is time to compete, culminating in a final season that showcased his best year of collegiate skiing.
Trace graduated this fall from BGSU and he will surely be missed from the community. As Rachel put it, “he has inspired countless people to be the best they can be.”
Congratulations and good luck!
Trace, we thank you for everything you have done in our community, and look forward to your continued volunteer work in the future. Congratulations on winning the 2018 NCWSA Outstanding Leader of the Year award!
Accountancy | Sports Management
Chairwomen | Great Lakes Conference
Women's Captain | Miami Club Waterski
- 2018 Award Winner: Outstanding Leader – Trace Mollet - January 21, 2019
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