GOAL: To get all motivated kids and teenagers into kayaking, regardless of income.
The Junior Kayak League is becoming a non profit organization. Our goal is to make kayaking available to all kids who are stoked about the sport. We are currently accepting community and industry sponsors and donations to help grow this valuable program and make it affordable to everyone.
The Junior Kayak League is a great way for kids and teens to get involved in kayaking. It provides a fun after-school and summer activity that promotes friendship, fitness, outdoor education, leadership, and just enjoying the river. We offer great continuous kayaking programs for kids and teens throughout the year as well as hosting summer camps and international trips. We love taking kids kayaking and showing them the beautiful rivers and canyons of the rocky mountains. All of our coaches strive to spread their love for the outdoors into every young kayaker we meet.
Programs for 2012
This year’s programs are going to be very exciting. We have programs for kayakers of all ability levels. The advanced freestyle team will attend and compete in the majority of the Colorado whitewater events including FibARK, Teva Games, Lyons Outdoor Games, Yampa River Festival, and more. A professional freestyle coach will work with the group for a full day prior to the competition, as well as the day of the competition. Kids will work on perfecting their routine for the competition so they are well prepared, and probably with a few new tricks up their sleeves.
Our beginner and intermmediate clinics will be held in local playparks, and the group will attend local whitewater competitions to learn about freestyle paddling. The river running groups will focus on running rivers and whitewater rescue and safety knowledge.
The goal of our youth kayaking program is to develop young paddlers into safe and confident kayakers, as well as mature and responsible adults. All aspects of kayaking are taught in the youth program including paddling skills, safety and rescue skills, on-river communication, leadership and organization, teamwork, fitness, logistics, and of course FUN. Kayaking is an individual sport that is always done with a group of others. It develops personal decision making skills and judgement, and also requires working as a team and depending on your friends to watch out for each other. The decision making and risk assessment learned when kayaking really transcends into everyday life. Young kayakers tend to be more mature than their peers because they have had to make challenging decisions on the river. It amazes us to see these kids growing up so much every year. It’s also amazing to see the valuable lessons one can learn from a single day on the river.
