MUCK teaches rowing basics
Published Sept. 12, 2006
Seventeen students attended the MU Canoe and Kayak Club's first pool session of the school year Sunday evening at the Student Recreation Complex's competitive pool.
Some had canoed before, like junior Omar Chaudhry, who took a canoeing class in Germany.
"I just want to keep on doing it because it's fun," he said.
Other students had no experience.
"My mom wants to learn, so I'm going to learn here and take it back to California to teach her," sophomore Alexandra Smith said.
MUCK Vice President John Holdmeier said the average kayak clinic off campus costs about $100 per day. MUCK provides instructional sessions and equipment for free. Three certified instructors teach basics such as safety procedures, how to get in and out of the boat and basic paddle strokes.
"I think it's a really cool resource for these kids," Holdmeier said.
Although the pool offers an environment different from the whitewater rapids that many students are eager to face, the skills are transferable, instructor Corey Hale said.
Students familiarized themselves with the boats and paddles while practicing "wet exits." A wet exit involves removing oneself from a kayak while in the water, an important skill in case the boat flips.
"The second time I rolled was a lot easier," Smith said. "The first time, I got water up my nose."
Sunday's pool session is the first step on the road to the Missouri Whitewater Championship on the St. Francis River. The group also plans to take several recreational trips. The Spring River in Arkansas offers experience on moving water, Holdmeier said.
"It's different in the pool than on a river," Chaudhry said.
After Arkansas, a trip to North Carolina will challenge students on whitewater rapids.
"It's just kind of like a stepping program," Holdmeier said, emphasizing that the rivers' increasing difficulty helps students hone their skills.
The club materialized from Wilderness Adventure, a program that existed before the Recreation Complex was built. Hale is a former Wilderness Adventure employee.
"They offered equipment rental and qualified instruction in a wide variety of outdoor pursuits," he said.
MUCK, a student-run organization, now offers those same resources.
"This year we've made it really organized," Holdmeier said.
Pool sessions take place every Sunday night at the competitive pool from 5-7 p.m.
MUCK will hold an informational meeting at 6 p.m. today at the Recreation Complex for interested students.