April 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 22
FUTURE LEADERS
Bringing Whitewater Kayaking to Your Community
By Brian Bevacqua, CPRP
I
n the parks and recreation field, we are always looking for that next new program: one that gets people outside, active and interacting with nature. A program
that not only provides fun and enjoyment, but also allows participants to learn to
respect nature and teaches them to be one with the environment instead of trying
to control it. For me, this next new program is whitewater kayaking. A sport that has
seen growth around the globe, from Olympic paddlers to world-champion freestyle
boaters, whitewater kayaking has grown into a worldwide phenomenon.
Getting Over the Initial Hurdles
Bringing this sport to our communities is
challenging to say the least. Hurdles such
as liability insurance, qualified instructors, equipment and finding good whitewater can stand in the way of providing
this amazing opportunity to our towns
and cities. The challenges, however, are
not insurmountable and, beyond them,
are the benefits of a solid whitewater
kayaking program.
Whitewater kayaking can be learned
by all ages, by individuals with disabilities and by those with no athletic background. The sport allows adults to get
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Parks & Recreation
outside and stay active in a new environment. It also teaches teens and youth
about respecting nature, cooperation and
self-reliance - skills that will help them
in the future. Most importantly, whitewater kayaking can give all of us a new program to help drive interest in our parks
and promote partnerships with local river stewardship organizations, guides and
outfitters, and youth organizations.
No Prior Experience Needed
To overcome the challenges and obstacles mentioned above, a programmer
must stay vigilant. Be prepared to fight
| A P R I L 2 0 1 7 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G
for your new program. I had a kayaking
background before starting my whitewater kayaking camp. I had been paddling
whitewater for more than five years and
had my own contacts in the field. However, no prior experience is necessary to
bring this program to your community.
To get the process started, doing some
research on your area is necessary:
Where is the closest whitewater to your
town or city? Is it good beginner water
(Class I/II) or is it more of an expert run
(Class III/IV/V)? Rivers are classified
I-V, with Class I being the easiest and
Class V being runs for experts only. A
good teaching river will have good Class
I/II water, but nothing higher.
A good resource for this research is
American Whitewater (ŚƩƉƐ͗ͬͬǁǁǁ͘ĂŵĞƌŝĐĂŶǁŚŝƚĞǁĂƚĞƌ͘ŽƌŐͬ), a nonprofit dedicated
to paddling and river stewardship. Their
website contains a list of every whitewater
river in the United States and beyond. Once
April 2017 - Parks & Recreation
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2017 - Parks & Recreation
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