Keeners Teen Freestyle Kayak Camp on the Ottawa River
If you want to be the best junior kayaker in the world then your best bet is to become a Keener and later apply to be a student at New River Academy. The Keeners have the best property on the world’s best play training features. Owner Joe Kowalski made the Keeners his personal passion as his children, Joel and Katie, grew and developed. The results are endless. Most recently Keeners produced 3 world champions: Nick Troutman, Jason Craig, and Emily Jackson.
Keeners employ the best freestyle instructors in the world with names like: Stephen Wright, Willie Kern, Joel Kowalski, Eric Jackson, David Hughes, Clay Wright, Tino Specht, Billy Harris, and Nick Troutman. Yes, it is obvious this is a great freestyle list. Actually, it is so much more as it is packed full of safety experience, leadership, video and photo instruction, and life skills.
Below are details of the Keeners Kids and Youth Kayak Camps
WHAT IS THE KEENER PROGRAM?
The Keener Program is WT’s top “youth development through kayaking” program focusing (in order of priority) on:
- Graduating fine young men and women
- Producing world class junior paddlers with the ability to compete and win internationally (the 2005 World Championships held at the Sydney Olympic site saw 7 Keeners compete with 4 making the top 10 in the junior category); Keeners took 5 out of the 6 top spots at the North American Championships
- Providing Keeners with the skills (first aid, CPR, Swiftwater Rescue) to paddle safely
- Prepare Keeners for future work in the whitewater industry as river guides, kayak instructors, video boaters etc.
- Providing senior Keeners with an opportunity to earn compensation working part time within Wilderness Tours as they train
- Personal Demeanor, Attitude, Work Ethic, Conduct, Youth and Character Development
- Leadership
- Public speaking - ice breaker speeches on Sunday night and formal speeches every Monday
- Written communication - keeners must post at least weekly to web log www.okskeener.blogspot.com
- Skill Development
- Competitive Training - Keeners compete weekly
- Cross training
- Kayak Swiftwater Rescue Training
- First Aid, CPR Certification
- All aspects of becoming a PRO Boater
- Movie making - Keeners have access to movie making equipment and cameras
- Travel to other rivers (at extra cost)
KEENER HISTORY
WT’s keener program was founded in the late 1980’s by paddling legend Jerry Marquis. Jerry was a high school teacher in Tupper Lake, New York (near Lake Placid). Jerry managed WT’s nearby Hudson River operation and spent his summers with WT as River Manager. Jerry loved kayaking and he would hand pick his best students to come to the Ottawa as “Jerry’s Kids” or “keeners” (for keen and enthusiastic). Originally, Keeners were Jerry’s students but the program expanded to include other applicants. Some of the best paddlers and skiers in the world were keeners - World kayak champion Ken Whiting, WT’s Kayak School Director James Roddick, extreme skiers extraordinaire Scott and Robb Gaffney and more. It was a great program but ended with Jerry’s death in 1994.
Because the legend of the Keeners still lived on, several years ago, parents of children in our Teen Resident Camp asked if we would bring back the program. In response to their request, we resurrected the program a few years ago. The program was a tremendous success in regard to youth development through kayaking. It is also a success on the river with Keeners dominating junior kayaking. In 2004, the top Canadian, American and Mexican junior kayakers were keeners. In 2005 7 Keeners competed in the World Championships in Sydney, Australia and 5 of the top 6 positions in the North American Championships went to Keeners. The goal of the program is to turn out fine young men and women. That they just happen to dominate junior paddling is just a bonus.
WHO CAN AND SHOULD BECOME KEENERS
Keeners are young people between the age of 12 and 17 who are “keen” about kayaking and have a positive attitude about life. Younger paddlers (age 12 and 13) are welcome provided they are mature and physically able to kayak. A strong whitewater kayak roll is required. Parents who are not sure their teens are “keen” on kayaking can put their child into WT’s Teen Resident Camp which is a week long kayak program starting Sunday evening and ending late Friday afternoon. Parents can then decide at that time whether to enroll their son or daughter into the Keener Program.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Keener Program focuses on the following:
New River Academy Kayak School
4632 Beckwith Rd
Fayetteville, WV 25840
(304)- 574-0403
Fax: (304) 513-2247
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