Why It Is Important To Make An Effort To Be Positive And Happy On The Water - Sophie Gilfillan

I believe that positivity on the water is vital because not only will it help you have a more fun time, but it will also show other kayakers who are new to the sport that kayaking is fun and is always a good time. When I am on the water, whether that be at a competition or just running the river with my friends, I always make an effort to smile and look happy with my rides even if they were bad or not what I wanted. This will show other kayakers two things. The first being that kayaking is fun and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Second, laughing at your mistakes is okay and makes learning a lot easier.

Another way that you can be positive on the water is by cheering on other people even if you don’t know them. When I am on the water and I see someone do a cool trick or get out of a sticky situation, I make sure to cheer for them because I know that if that were me in that situation I would want someone cheering me on. Finally, kayaking is a fun sport but can be easily ruined by a bad attitude or being too serious. On the river your attitude not only effects your fun but it can also heavily impact others fun or outlook on kayaking.

To summarize, try to always be the happiest most stoked version of you that you can be.

Highlight - Marshall

 My last week of keeners is starting and I’m sad to see my time as a keener coming to a close. In the last two years I have spent almost three months up here in Ottawa. But keeners always makes me want more of this beautiful river. Keeners has been the highlight of my year both times. Keeners will always be a highlight of my life as I am sure many other former and current keeners will agree. Even though I am probably not coming back as a keener next year or in the years later keeners will always be my foundation as a kayaker teaching me how to talk In front of people, how to freestyle and how to be a good person. Keeners is the best place for kayakers even if you only come once.

Learning to Have Fun Failing - Hannah West

I am a competitive person and don't like failing. In any other sport I have played it has been a team game and has been sorted into level and age but on the Ottawa River there are people of all levels all the time. This keener session I have tried to make an effort to focus on fun. For me it is easy to compare myself to other keeners or people on the river and get frustrated with my progress. I know that I have improved a lot in the two weeks but it is hard for me to see sometimes. Remembering why I kayak has helped me keep everything in perspective. If you are comparing yourself to others or frustrated because you can't achieve your goals, remembering the reason you love the sport and why you do it can be a great strategy. Even if I could never be as good as one of my peers or never achieve the freestyle trick it would not change the fact that I love kayaking, being on the river, and hanging out with good people. I also try to remind myself that me getting frustrated when something is coming hard to me is not only going to prevent me from improving but also stops me from having fun on the river. It remedies me that nothing comes from that frustration. The ability to remind myself to have fun and let loose has really helped me have all of the fun that I am having this year at keeners. 

Why you should go to keeners! Elijah

 Keeners was lots of fun this year!  I leaned a lot about kayaking like how to do a better forward stroke and cleaner tricks. I also learned how to do tricks like loops and air screws which I can’t do yet but I bet by next summer I will get.  The coaching sticks in your brain and you can accomplish a lot in the three weeks of keeners.  I will definitely want to come back next year so I can continue be guided to doing new tricks and river running skills.  The advice that the coaches will give you is not really advice but more what you should be doing to improve.  You also learn really good river safety skills like how to rescue swimmers safely and effectively.  As well as how to treat injuries on the river and in your daily lives.  I would recommend keeners to anyone with a whitewater roll and who wants to learn important life and kayaking skills

Keener Hygiene Sasha

At Keeners you are sharing a living space with your friends and it is important you take care of yourself. You are also on the river every day and you are working hard building up a sweat, so it is important to wash off all that dirty river water and all that sweat. You should shower every day at keeners because you don't want to be the smelly roommate. It is also important to brush your teeth and floss so that while you're talking with your friends your breath doesn't stink. Hygiene is not only important to keep yourself from smelling bad but it is also very important to keep yourself clean from bacteria. If you get a cut or poison ivy while you are on the river you should wash it off very thoroughly. Please keep good hygiene at keeners and shower more than 3 times a week.

The Best Day Of The Week! - Elijah

 Big Water Beat Down Thursday is the best day of the week!  Every Thursday you get to enjoy being beat down in Sattlers or Phil’s.  You don’t have to be nervous thought because almost everyone swims.  If your nervous start with left side Phil’s because all that will happen is it flips you over and surfs you upside down for a couple of seconds.  In your second week though I definitely recommend trying right side Phil’s.  When you find Narnia in right side Phil’s you will have a fun beat down but pull your skirt and it is all over.  Narnia when a while flips you repeatedly on your bow and stern.  Narnia is lots of fun so I always look forward to beat down Thursday.  

The Importance of Good Leadership Hannah West

 To be a good leader is very hard to achieve but is very important in and out of the sport of kayaking. In the sport of kayaking, some situations could be very dangerous, and having the ability to be a strong leader to help guide a group of less experienced kayakers down a rapid safely is a very important skill to have. The first key to being a good leader is good communication. This is often said but it is important to talk about especially on the river in a kayaking situation. The ability to communicate what is going on to the group and how to get to safety in an emergency is key so that everyone has a good time. Some important things for good communication especially on the river is to speak clearly and loudly without yelling because yelling can in some situations cause panic. Another thing that makes a good leader is being able to listen to your group, be approachable, and earn their respect. You want the people you paddle with to feel comfortable to approach you if they are worried about anything because if they do something they are not comfortable with, it could put them in danger. Therefore it is very important to make it clear that people should feel comfortable talking to you and that you listen to their worry and what they have to say. Another important quality of a leader is being able to make the final decision. If you know what people are capable of doing and they want to do more than what they are capable of doing you are in charge of their safety so you need to be able to make the final decision to keep them safe whether that is telling them that they must walk a rapid. However, to the contrary, you also want to push the people you paddle with to achieve their full potential. Finally, leadership has nothing to do with age. To be a good leader you need to be responsible and have the appropriate ability to keep people safe but just because you are the oldest or the most experience does not mean that you are the fittest to lead a group of people down the river. The people most fit to be leaders are the ones who can command the respect of the group and be able to help everyone keep everyone safe and help everyone achieve the best of their potential. This knowledge can help you not only develop as a kayaker but to help me help others get into the sport I love so much.