In the past few weekends, kids have been rocking the race world! The weekend of March 27th Team Popp styled it up during the US Open Wildwater Event. As reported on the TeamPopp Facebook page: Haley qualified for the 2010 US National Wildwater Team in women’s kayak....
Kids Outdoors
Team Popp Heads for US Open
March 27 – 28 is the 9th annual Nantahala Double header and US Open event on the Nantahala River. The US Open is the biggest race in slalom before the US Team Trials. There will be two days of competition, which will include races for both slalom and wildwater....
The Little Girl That Goes Kayak Fast
Sixteen year old Haley Popp is no typical southern girl. While her friends spent the Chattanooga summer shopping at Target and Forever 21, Haley was either throwing down at Hell Hole on the Ocoee River in her play boat or bombing down the Nantahala River with her...
The Eagle Scouts of Troop 779
Troop 779 is one of oldest Boy Scout troops in the state of North Carolina. They hold the longest continuing charter in the state. Spending a day with us whitewater rafting, we had a chance to get to know this outstanding group of boys. What stood out the most was...
Wet Exits are Funb. Prove It!
by Juliet I have always coached parents on patience when it comes to their kids’ comfort level in being upside down. That “comfort level” for many kids does not really happen until they reach 10-12 years old. Not making sense considering that they are super stars...
Reviving a tradition: the Camp Cup Challenge
A long-standing tradition has been revived here on the Nantahala River: the Camp Cup Challenge. This annual event was originally held to gather together all the regional summer camps spread throughout western North Carolina for a day of fun non-competitive whitewater...
Day one of Kids Rule! week begins with a legacy
It was no coincidence that two-time olympic C-1 racer Adam Clawson was at ERA this morning...he was in to join his step-father for a day of paddling with Craig on the Ocoee. Craig's famous "giggle" was heard as he chortled that he would be "teaching Adam" on the...
KIDS SAY “NO WAY” TO LATEX
If you ever want to torture your child, try putting them into a dry top with a latex gasket. The response typically ranges from tears… to screaming… to panic… to not wanting to go kayaking….and definitely to never wanting to put on a latex-necked jacket–no matter how...
Advice from James: Kids Know Best
James has been paddling since he was five. He is the royal prince of the Tuck Gorge, commandeering river comings-and-goings from the put in at Dillsboro Rafting Company–his family’s rafting company. While kayaking just keeps getting more fun, being upside down and...
The Story of the Ovett Brothers
At the 2008 Camp Cup Challenge, I ran into the Ovett Brothers–Max and Sam, whitewater kayakers, alums of summer camp–and now enterprising entrepeneurs already giving back to the sport with their support of the Camp Cup Challenge. Read more »
There Really is Such Thing as Do Over in Kayaking
by Erin Dodge One of the things that our annual Kids Camp teaches all the adult milling about is how much we can learn from our “shorter” kayakers. Future ERA staff member, Erin–a veteran Camp participant set us all straight this year about being able to deal with...
SEVEN YEAR OLD SEU JACOBI SHARES SOME RIVER ADVICE FOR THE KIDS DON’T FLOAT PROGRAM
Norman Cousins once said "Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences." That is especially true when children are involved in the consequences. Seven year old Seu Jacobi, whitewater kayaking daughter of olympic paddler Joe Jacobi, recently helped her father at...
2008 FREESTYLE NATIONALS AND THE JUNIORS ROCKED!
Salida Colorado is winding down after a big double billing this past week. The whitewater park hosted both FIBArk�the oldest whitewater festival in the United States (this year celebrating their 60th anniversary), and the 2008 National Freestyle Kayaking...
FATHER’S DAY/FATHER’S ADVICE
by Grant Green and his kids Maisy and Seth For many kayaking fathers, their dream fathers day present would be to share a day on the river with their kids. We were visited by a good number of dads on Fathers Day whose dream came true. For those waiting for the magical...
Keeping the Young Kayak Team Warm on the River
Advice from Horace Holden, Haley & Bryson, James If you ask our young team what is the greatest deterrent to having a great time on the river, getting cold is probably it. Going out in the field and tracking down some of our team (not all that easy this time of...
KAYAKING BUILDS BOND WITHIN FAMILIES
Kayaking builds a bond within families, says ERA, and to encourage this, our 2008 paddling season will focus on family involvement in kayaking.� �Our goal has always been to make our program accessible to families,promises Juliet Kastorff, one of ERA's instructors,...
Kayaking Builds Confidence in Kids
If there was ever a sport that helps kids build confidence, it is kayaking says the Endless River Adventures team. Kayaking is an individual sport that requires an awareness of group responsibility. Kayaking allows kids to focus on individual goals, improvement, and...
There are two really great memories we have of Marlow. The first is when we became aware of Marlow and some of his friends getting into kayakingand being so enthusiastic that they even had their own team name (the name escapes me). Then a few years later Marlow showed...
KELLEHER: FROM WHITEWATER KAYAKER TO OLYMPIC SKIER
ERA note: We have known Keely Kelleher since she was seven or eight years old. She and her sister, Brenna, came out from Montana and spent a week kayaking with us. After their week here, they sent a letter to the editor of the local newspaper about how beautiful...
Taylor Cote’s Thoughts on the Wave Sport Fuse 35
by Taylor Cote I paddle the Fuse for a number of reasons.� Number 1 reason: it is one of the few boats I really fit into. I am so glad Wave Sport decided to make this boat because it is amazing.� It is very comfortable to be in especially if I am on the water for a...