When world class professional water skier and water-skiing coach Corey Vaughn wakes up every day, the need to protect the environment and make a difference on climate change now stares him directly in the face.

“My wife Amelia, eight-month-old son Seth and I live on a 315-acre farm with a lake for water skiing in Bumpass, Virginia,” Vaughn related. “The natural beauty surrounding me has compelled me to maintain the natural order and work with the land to improve the health of the flora and fauna. ­My surroundings have compelled ­me to live with a much lighter footprint. I would like to use my platform to share the ways in which living with the land has inspired me to be a better steward of the planet. The lessons the land has taught me have improved the quality of my life and hope that becoming an EcoAthletes Champion allows me to pass this inspiration to even more people, especially those who don’t find nature right out their back door.”

The family’s water-skiing camp and training center on the property has seen several examples of extreme weather in recent years.

“Storms have become stronger,” noted Vaughn. “A tree fell just in front of the lodge we built on the property for out-of-town guests; luckily no one was hurt. We had a very extreme storm this winter. These events make me think of the broader climate crisis.”

Vaughn grew up in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. – not a waterskiing hotbed. But a strong family history with the sport drew him in at an early age.

“My grandfather got into it while he was in the Air Force,” Vaughn recalled. “Eventually he bought a property on a lake in Gaston, North Carolina, taught my mom to water ski and then, when I came along, they put me on skis when I was three. It became something all three generations did together as a family.”

Vaughn won the first novice competition he entered when he was eight. From there, he advanced from local tournaments in Virginia, to regional and national competitions, beginning when he was nine. This was all the more impressive since he was only water skiing during the summers, whereas many of his competitors were able to do so year-round. While he skied with the club team at Clemson — it was not a varsity sport there — he never imagined that he would make a living doing it.

“It was my favorite sport and I always imagined it as a part of my life, but never let myself really indulge in the childhood fantasy that it would become my profession,” Vaughn said. “After graduating in 2008, I got a job as a septic system maintenance tech. To say that I wasn’t passionate about this line of work is an understatement.”

What was he passionate about?

Water skiing.

So, he pivoted, deciding to pursue it professionally.

Vaughn had a lot of catching up to do and so went on a serious training and fitness regimen, while also overhauling his diet. It paid off as he qualified for the ­global pro tour the next summer.

“There are about 30 men and around 15 women at most pro slalom events,” shared Vaughn. “There are three disciplines — slalom, trick skiing and jumping. My tall and lean physique is perfect for the first.”

During his 13-year (and counting) career on tour, the 36-year-old Vaughn has earned several 2nd, 3rd and 4th place results and is still working hard to get his first top-of-the-podium stop — and to make a living.

“There’s not a lot of money on the pro water-skiing tour,” he acknowledged. “One male slalom skier and one male jumper make their livings solely from prize money and sponsorships. The rest of us have other jobs.”

For Vaughn, that job is his waterski school. And part of that job is imbuing the school and his guests with an ethos that includes appreciation for the environment and the need for climate action.

“There’s a beautiful half-mile driveway leading from the entrance of our property to the lake and school,” he offered. “It gives you the feeling that you’ve entered a sacred space where nature is revered.”

This spectacular setting provides Vaughn with a powerful backdrop from which he can easily share his environmental and climate perspective with his guests. The whole scene affirms humanity’s connection to nature, making the guests open and receptive to his message.­

Now, Vaughn looks forward to expanding the reach of his environmental messaging as an EcoAthletes Champion.

“Living where I do has endowed me with a completely new and compelling perspective,” Vaughn asserted. “I hope to share some of the fundamental, yet simple, lifestyle changes that I’ve made. When done in mass, these changes can help mitigate our ecological burden and remind us that we can, in many cases, actually be of service to the earth that sustains us.

EcoAthletes CEO and founder Lew Blaustein believes that Vaughn will offer a unique voice on behalf of the #ClimateComeback.

“Corey brings several unique perspectives to the Champions roster and to the climate fight,” Blaustein said. “Water-skier. Entrepreneur. Young Father. ­Leader. We look forward to working with him to advance climate action in the waterskiing world.”

You can follow Corey on Instagram