First water skied at the age of five years (1950) and entered her first sanctioned tournament at the age of ten and began competing in the Nationals the following year. She represented the U.S.A Water Ski Team as an alternate in 1959 and was a member of the team in 1961 in Long Beach, CA where she won the Slalom Gold Medal. She entered St Vincent School of Nursing in 1961 and graduate in 1964.