HHP holds its first Steering Clinic
A very successful on-water steering clinic was held this season, with 6 participants from our club signing up for the two Sunday afternoon sessions on July 30th and August 13th. The clinic was conducted by two of our coaches, Lois Deacon and Scotty Boyd. Other members of our club supported the steering clinic by coming out to paddle for the two sessions.
Not content with sitting in Susanna Foo to paddle, these 6 brave new steerspersons had the opportunity to stand up in the back of the boat and learn to steer her, while coping with other boats, waves, and Scotty and Lois instructing them on what to do!
The purpose of the steering clinic was to give members of the Haliburton Highlands Paddlers an opportunity to increase their dragon boating skills and knowledge, beyond paddling. In addition, having a number of steerspersons in our club is a huge advantage as it gives coaches the opportunity to move to the bow (that’s the front of the boat!) to better focus on paddlers’ skill and syncronization improvements, instead of always viewing them from the stern (that’s the back!), whilst they are themselves steering.
The Haliburton Highlands Paddlers thanks the Coaches who organized and ran this clinic, the 6 new steerspersons each of whom took a deep breath and stepped forward to participate (& were very happy they did so … afterwards!), and the ‘strong’ HHP paddlers who came out on a Sunday to paddle the boat (with reduced numbers since the steerspersons used up 6 paddling seats!). Without those willing member paddlers, there would have been no clinic!
As our club continues to grow in strength, skills and dragon boat knowledge, such volunteerism is greatly appreciated!
Paddles up!
