Rowing Practice Is Half the Paddle
With the weather warming, interest in water activities is rising, and young outdoor enthusiasts’ fancies are turning to paddle sports. And whether you’re a tyro or a terror, the nonprofit Newport Aquatic Center on Newport Bay can help.
Sports include canoeing, kayaking and Olympic rowing, with skill levels ranging from recreational to very elite, said Sharon Attlesey, a coach at the center.
Attlesey assists Jim Terrell in coaching the junior kayaking program, which last year produced a team that won a U.S. title.
“This is the time of year we’re trying to recruit kids, teach them how to paddle and get them ready for the nationals,” Attlesey said, referring to the August championships.
The junior program is divided into three age groups: 17-18, 15-16, and 14 and under. No experience is necessary, but some athletic ability is a plus. Anyone interested in the program can drop in on one of the 9:30 a.m. practice sessions Saturdays and Sundays.
In summer, twice-daily practices begin (morning and afternoon). The style taught is Olympic flat-water kayaking. Though the sport is little-known by the public, Attlesey said it offers scholarship opportunities. (She paid for most of her schooling that way).
First-time paddlers should expect to get a little wet as they learn the techniques. The sport is performed in one-seat kayaks on the calm waters of bays and inlets such as Upper Newport Bay.
“It’s not the kind of thing where you can just get in and paddle away,” Attlesey said. “I had five kids in a class this morning. Collectively, they flipped about 20 times.”
The program is geared to producing competition-level kayakers. The coaching is funded by the U.S. Canoe and Kayak Team, which has designated Newport Beach as an area of high interest and potential.
Those who opt to join the junior program must pay a yearly fee of $175 (adult dues are higher), which includes the instruction and equipment along with use of a weight room, showers and locker facilities.
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Cook Park in San Juan Capistrano will host the 17th annual Follow the Swallow run Saturday. The 10K event includes two hills in its first mile and some rolling terrain as it passes the mission and other historic buildings. There will also be a 4K fun run, all of it flat.
The 10K starts at 7:30 a.m., and the entry fee is $20; the 4K starts at 8:30 a.m. and has a $13 fee. There will be registration before the events. Information: (714) 493-5911.
What: Junior kayaking program.
When: Practices every Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m.
Where: Newport Aquatic Center, 1 Whitecliffs Drive, Newport Beach.
Whereabouts: From Coast Highway, head north on Dover Drive and turn right on Westcliff Drive. At the end of the street, turn right and follow that street as it curves to the left and turns into Polaris Drive. Turn right on Whitecliffs Drive and follow it to the end.
Wherewithal: Annual fee is $175.
Where to call: (714) 646-7725.