This whitewater has a little chlorine
 

by Meredith Hooker
The Gazette

Staff Writer

January 23, 2002

Youngsters learn to paddle kayaks from Olympians

Every Friday night, gates are erected in Piney Branch Pool, kayaks are placed in the water and Takoma Park youths can use their imaginations to turn the placid chlorinated water into a whitewater kayaking wonderland.

But the youngsters don't do it alone. They're instructed by Olympic kayaker Davey Hearn, 42, and his wife Jennifer, 39, who spend their Friday evenings teaching Takoma Park children the basics of kayaking through the Bethesda Center of Excellence, a nonprofit whitewater racing program.

Davey has been a member of the United States Whitewater Team for 28 years and participated in the last three Summer Olympic Games. Jennifer was a 2000 Olympics whitewater kayaking coach and past United States Whitewater Team member. The couple also owns Maximum Whitewater Performance, a paddling gear business that features whitewater canoes and kayaks, paddles, helmets and accessories.

Davey first coaches the BCE Cadets, who are kayakers under age 15, and then the Bethesda couple and some of the Cadets teach local Takoma Park youth the basics of kayaking.

Steven Golob, whose 12-year-old son Paul is a BCE Cadet, said youth are recommended for the program by Takoma Park Recreation Department staff and staff at Piney Branch Elementary School. The program began in November of 2001 and is fully paid for by the Dreyfuss Foundation, which gives BCE a grant for community service projects, said Steve Seeber, treasurer of the BCE.

"You don't want to put kids in a river right away," Golob said. "You have to show them how to get in and out of a kayak first."

This is why the Hearns use Piney Branch Pool, which is affiliated with the Montgomery County Recreation Department. The county supplies the kayaks, Davey said.

"We're fortunate the county had boats and didn't need them right now," Davey said.

Davey and Jennifer hang five gates in the pool, made up of two poles each that are 1.2 meters apart, and create a course in the water, with two gates at each end of the pool and one in the middle. The gates are suspended by the backstroke flags at either end of the pool and a rope strung across the middle of the pool between two lifeguard chairs.

The only requirement for youths who participate is that they feel comfortable in the water and comfortable with getting their faces wet. Both the Hearns and the youngsters wear life jackets, so it is not required that children be exceptionally strong swimmers.

Jennifer said she and Davey don't want the youths to panic when the kayaks capsize, which is why the pool is a good place for them to learn, because "the water's clean and there are no currents."

"The kids are really psyched to learn," Jennifer said.

"These kids learn to get in and out [of the kayak] first," said Will Seeber, 13, a BCE Cadet who helps the Hearns teach the Takoma Park youths after he's done practicing. He began kayaking when he was 7. "We teach them what the different parts of the equipment are and the basics. Then once they're good at that, we show them rolls," maneuvers to upright a kayak when it turns over.

Steve, Will's father, said that the Takoma Park youths are "very receptive" when they attend the program.

"If this program is successful," Steve said, "we'll start taking the [Takoma Park] kids to the Potomac [River] in the spring."

And so far, Jennifer said, the program has been successful, initially attracting about 15 children, and attendants have been enthusiastic, especially Takoma Park resident Quentin Lee, 10.

Lee, an energetic boy with a big smile, said he enjoys going to the pool every Friday night and has attended almost every week since the program began in November.

"I'm learning something new that I haven't done before," Lee said. "When this is over, I think I'd like to try it some more."

Lee said his favorite part of the night is when he gets to flip the kayak over and do a "wet exit," when you get out of the kayak from under the water, Lee said.

"Davey and Jennifer are nice," Lee said. "Whenever I can't get something done, they're right beside me."

Golob said the Hearns do their best to make sure the Takoma Park youth have a good time while they're learning to kayak He said at the end of practice, they often do something fun, such as have relay races or play on the pool's two slides.