MISSION
TO CONTINUOUSLY RAISE THE BAR FOR WAKEBOARD AND WAKESURF INSTRUCTION BY PROVIDING THE SAFEST, MOST FUN, AND HIGHEST QUALITY EXPERIENCE AT THE GREATEST VALUE.

Core Values

Our Values: Experience

Experience

Owned by former professional wakeboarder Brandon Lee and Jay McKibben, Georgia Wake Lessons, accompanied by a handpicked group of premier instructors, consistently elevates wakeboard and wakesurf instruction standards. The focus remains on delivering unparalleled safety, top-tier guidance, and exceptional value.
Our Values: Safety

Safety

We take all necessary precautions to ensure our students are having fun while being safe. Our instructors are at the minimum USCG certified boat drivers, certified instructors, and certified American Red Cross in Lifeguard, First Aid, CPR and AED. Safety is our #1 priority.
Our Values: Skills

Skills

Experience has taught us the significance of proper technique. We deconstruct tricks into digestible building blocks, allowing us to emphasize correct technique before introducing advanced skills. The belief that mastering the basics paves the way for greater achievements resonates deeply in our instructional approach.
Our Values: Flexibility

Flexibility

Adaptability is central to our teaching approach. Regardless of age, gender, or skill level, each student is unique. When you're with us on the boat, our singular focus is on you.

Instructors

Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee

Jay McKibben

Jay McKibben

Brett Lee

Brett Lee

Blake Grimsley

Blake Grimsley

Tyler Urrutia

Tyler Urrutia

Sam Henry

Sam Henry

Henry Arvanites

Henry Arvanites

Drawing from over twenty years of on-water experience, Brandon's coaching techniques are a testament to his dedication. As a rider deeply committed to refining style and technique, his coaching embodies creativity, precision, and purpose.

Brandon's last decade was marked by professional competition and recognition across various media outlets. Magazines, product reviews, and multiple media platforms have featured his prowess. He's also been a trusted evaluator of wakeboard wakes and surf waves for Wakeboarding Magazine. Moreover, his role as a judge and official driver for esteemed events like The Masters, the Pro Wakeboard Tour, and the World Wakeboard Championship underscores his authority.

In his capacity as the General Manager of WaterSports Central at Oconee, Brandon's influence goes beyond coaching. Spearheading the production of Georgia's grassroots wakeboard and wakesurf tournaments, he fuels the very passion that ignited his own watersport journey. This commitment provides emerging talents with the chance to flourish today, cultivating the stars of tomorrow.

Brandon's unparalleled expertise and unbridled enthusiasm position Georgia Wake Lessons as a world-leading institution.

  • Chairman - Watersports Industry Association - Camps & Schools
  • General Sales Manager - Oconee, WaterSports Central
  • 2023 - 1st Place, WWA Wakeboard Nationals - Masters Men
  • 2023 - Boat Driver - WWA Wakesurf National Championship
  • 2016 - Present: Boat Driver or Official - US Masters Water Ski and Wakeboard Tournament
  • 2020 - 2022: Boat Driver - Wakesurf Masters and Wakeboard World Championship
  • 2016: Official, WWA US Nationals
  • 2016 - Present: Director/Partner, Georgia Wake Series / Action Event Group
  • 2016 - 2017 Boat Evaluator, Wakeboarding Magazine
  • 2015 - Present: Official, Pro Wakeboard Tour
  • 2018: 1st Place, GA Wake Series State Champion - Open/Pro Boat
  • 2012: 1st Place, INT Georgia State Championship, Open
  • 2009: Exclusive instructor at "Ambush School of Wake"
  • 2008: Alliance Wake Magazine "Coming Up" Interview
  • 2008: Opening video section: Godspeed
Brandon LeeBrandon LeeBrandon LeeBrandon Lee

  • NASBLA certified boat driver
  • Certified American Red Cross - First Aid, CPR, AED
  • Certified American Red Cross - Lifeguard
  • 2023: Boat Driver - Nautique Wakesurf Masters
  • 2022: Official - Pro Wakeboard Tour
  • 2016 - 2020: Vice President - Wake For Warriors
  • 2014-2019: Boat Driver - Nautique Boats Events
  • 2013-2017: Callaway Gardens Resort and Spa - Watersports Manager & Instructor
Jay McKibbenJay McKibbenJay McKibbenJay McKibbenJay McKibbenJay McKibbenJay McKibben

Brett's coaching is an embodiment of his 20+ years in wakeboarding, blending competition, free-riding, coaching, rigorous training, and unwavering passion. His coaching is unparalleled.

Brett boasts an impressive track record, ranking 7th nationwide in the Pro Men's division and securing numerous victories including a Pro Wakeboard Tour win in the Jr. Men's division. Fitness and nutrition hold a central role in Brett's approach; his disciplined training and nutritional dedication predate the trend. His expertise in human physiology culminated in a degree in Exercise and Health Science, personal training certifications, and a career evolution from firefighter/paramedic to nursing.

Known as "The Machine" for his unswerving riding consistency and gym dedication, Brett's textbook technique and exceptional physical prowess underscore the value of a strong foundation. Beyond this, his role as an RN and background as a first responder has steered Georgia Wake Lessons toward becoming one of the world's most prepared wakeboarding and wakesurfing schools.

  • Licensed Paramedic
  • Certified personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise (ACE)
  • 2016: 1st Place, GA Wake Series Stop 1, Rome - Open/Pro
  • 2016: 1st Place, GA Wake Series Stop 4, Lake Lanier - Open/Pro
  • 2013: 23rd place: Pro Wakeboard Tour; Pro Men; Acworth, GA
  • 2008: Section in Scratch Films' wakeboard video, Godspeed
  • 2008: 1st place: Buffalo Wild Wings Rail Jam; TN
  • 2007: 16th place, Pro Wakeboard Tour; Acworth, GA
  • 2006: 7th place, WWA US Wakeboard Nationals; Pro Men
  • 2006 Collegiate Nationals; Pro/Open; 1st place
  • 2006: 6th place o/a; Pro Wakeboard Tour; Jr. Pro Men
  • 2006 Collegiate Nationals/Team 4th place
  • 2005: 10th place o/a; Pro Wakeboard Tour; Jr. Pro Men
  • 2004: 3rd place o/a; Pro Wakeboard Tour; Jr. Pro Men
  • 2004: 1st Place; Pro Wakeboard Tour; Jr. Pro Men; Kelowna, B.C.
Brett LeeBrett LeeBrett LeeBrett LeeBrett Lee

Off the water, Blake embodies a laid-back persona, but a few moments of observing his riding reveal his mastery of precise technique and explosiveness. His adeptness on the board is an outcome of training at The Boarding School, guided by the esteemed Shaun Murray, and further refined here at GA Wake.

Blake's impeccable riding is the culmination of hours invested, absorbing knowledge as a student, and skillfully enhancing his coaching aptitude at Callaway Gardens. There, he bestowed his expertise to over 200 riders, covering wakeboarding, wakesurfing, and waterskiing. After sharpening his coaching acumen at Callaway, we were fortunate to welcome him to the GA Wake team.

Having spent time with WaterSports Central in South Carolina, Blake now calls Lake Oconee his home. While crisscrossing the nation as one of Oakley's marketing representatives, Blake's coaching passion remains unwavering, frequently taking to the boat to assist riders in their progression.

  • Certified American Red Cross - First Aid, CPR, AED
  • Certified American Red Cross - Lifeguard
  • 2020: 1st Place - WWA World Wakeboard Championship - Mens 2
  • 2018 - Present: Nautique Specialist - WaterSports Central @ Seneca
  • 2018-Present: Georgia Wake Series Announcer
  • 2016-2017: Georgia Wake Series Official
  • 2016: 5th place - Georgia Wake Series Stop 1
  • 2016: 5th place - Georgia Wake Series Stop 2
  • 2015: Wakeboard & Waterski Manager, Callaway Gardens
  • 2013-2014: Instructor, Callaway Gardens
  • 2014: 2nd place - Ambush Classic
Blake GrimsleyBlake GrimsleyBlake GrimsleyBlake GrimsleyBlake GrimsleyBlake GrimsleyBlake GrimsleyBlake Grimsley

  • Certified American Red Cross - First Aid, CPR, AED
  • Certified American Red Cross - Lifeguard
  • 2021: 2nd Place - Nautique Wakesurf Masters - Jr. Men

Sam Henry, a commanding force on the water and personable on land, is an extraordinary instructor. His accolade as Terminus Wake Park's 2014 Coach Of The Year underscores his abilities. Sam excels in effectively communicating techniques to riders of all levels, a skill honed through tutelage from esteemed mentors.

Whether guiding a 9-year-old novice or facilitating team bonding for corporate executives, Sam adapts seamlessly. His expertise as a wakeboarder is cultivated through mentorship from veteran instructors like Glenn Fletcher of O-Town Watersports, Travis Moye from The Boarding School, world-renowned wakeboarder Shaun Murray, and the Hansen brothers at The World Wakeboard Center.

Beyond the water, Sam's role as a sales consultant at WaterSports Central, Georgia's premier Nautique dealership, is equally impactful. His innate understanding of Lake Oconee and its residents' distinct preferences underscores his commitment to his community's needs.

  • Certified American Red Cross - First Aid, CPR, AED
  • 2018 - Present: Sales Consultant - WaterSports Central
  • 2016 - Present: Official, GA Wake Series
  • 2018: 3rd Place O/A, GA Wake Series - Open/Pro-Am Boat
  • 2018: 3rd Place, GA Wake Series Stop 4, Wakefest - Open/Pro Am
  • 2017: 2nd Place O/A, GA Wake Series - Open/Pro Am
  • 2017: 2nd Place, GA Wake Series Stop 8, Acworth - Open/Pro Am
  • 2016: 4th Place O/A - GA Wake Series; Open/Pro-Am Division
  • 2014: Coach Of The Year award - Terminus Wake Park
  • 2013: 6th place: WWA Wake Games; Mens 1; Orlando, FL
  • 2008: Cover Photo in Lake Oconee Navigator
Sam HenrySam HenrySam HenrySam Henry

  • Certified American Red Cross - First Aid, CPR, AED
  • Certified American Red Cross - Lifeguard
  • 2020: 3rd Place - World Wakeboard Championship - Mens 1
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