Its Easy to Apply to New River Academy
Everyday we practice river safety at NRA. We alternate morning workouts to work on perfecting our throw ropes skills. Last week we had the privilege of showing off our skills to Mr. Muck, when he boldly took on the upper Tracura. I have to give him some credit; he stuck with it and did not give up. Rarely do we run into problems on the river, but when we do its good to know that there is a group of well trained boaters that have your back.
Hayley Stuart and Alex Muck warm up with some throwbag catch
Safety is every thing. You never know when you may need it on a run so it is best to always be ready for it.
Accuracy test: Can you get the rope over the cockpit ?
The question is, how can you be ready for “it?” Some of the skills we have been practicing during morning workouts are designed to give us greater proficiency with our ropes. We want to be able to accurately throw our throwbag both near and far, with the rope still coiled in the bag, and also with it out.
Galen Volkhausen does pushups after missing a throw.
It is equally important to practice a “double throw” in case of missing your first throw.
To work on accuracy and distance, we start off our morning workout by playing catch with our ropes. This is a great way to familiarize yourself with your throw rope- because the more you use it, the more you will know how it throws, and gain greater accuracy with each toss.
Alex Zegart Repacks his Rope.
After warming up our throwing muscles, we set up boats at different distances away from us. The goal: to get the rope across the cockpit, or if we are being nice, with-in the grab handles. Miss a toss? 5 push-ups ! If you make your toss, congratulations. Move your boat even further away.
We practice under “pressure” situations, doing a 20 yard sprint to our throw bags and back before tossing, or having simulated swimmers in safe spots on the river.
Galen holds the record for the fastest recoil, or repacking his rope into his bag for his next throw. Currently, his fastest time is around 40 seconds. This is a great skill to practice because on the river, every second counts if you need to rescue someone.
Alex Zegart was surprising good, having some of the most accurate tosses under pressure. The girls have been getting better at throwing the ropes, and have gotten really good at throwing the rope once it is out of the bag. Seth, Myself and Galen are still competing for furthest throw.
One of the most shocking mistakes? Forgetting to hold onto the rope when you throw it ! Remember, you need to hold onto something to tow someone back to shore.
Practicing skills like throw ropes and general safety- knots and pins and z drags, can make your group more efficient on the water, and brings the group together because you begin to trust each other. It makes everyone feel safer to know that we have the skills we need to support each other on and off the water.
* All photos Thanks to Anna Bruno
