This past Sunday was my first pool session of the new year and it was a great time! The pool was a perfect 80 degrees and paddlers were all eager to work on rolling and other skills during the two hour time span we had in the pool. I have been going to pool sessions with the Boy Scouts of America for four years now and they have helped me tremendously in my development as a paddler. At first I used the sessions to work on my roll, that four years ago was almost nonexistent. Now I work almost exclusively on flat water freestyle when I make it to the occasional session in Appleton, WI.
Enjoying a little pool session in the middle of the Wisconsin Winter.
The Bay Lakes Council puts on Rolling Classes at the Appleton YMCA off of College Avenue every Sunday from January through March, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. It is the perfect opportunity to dust of the kayak and hop in the pool. One of my favorite parts of rolling classes is getting the opportunity to teach Scouts and Scouters how to perform the “eskimo roll.” “The roll is the most sought after skill by beginning kayakers,” said Chris Wing in a rolling instructional video he released last month.
I definitely enjoyed my first pool session this year and look forward to more good times in the pool with my friends who faithfully attend the rolling classes more often than I do. The more time I spend in my boat before my Spring Break trip to North Carolina the better. I want to be in decent shape when I hit the beautiful play spots around the Southeast!
Until we meet again!
Working on skills to get ready for Spring.
I helped some of my friends work on their confidence by flipping them over unexpectedly to simulate a “real life” situation.
Chris O’Brien
C.O.B Kayak 