Athletic Director Rich Hannan (l) shows student Ethan Hall the proper launching technique, while Miss Laspina helps Jake Petote land his kayak.The Byron-Bergen Central School District pool became a paddler’s training facility as part of a physical education class that taught students the sport of kayaking. The pilot program was part of larger effort within the school to teach students lifelong skills and hobbies that can keep them physically active.
Twenty-two high school students participated in the unit as part of their regular physical education program coordinated by Athletic Director Rich Hannan. The students spent one day in the gym going through safety training and then spent five class periods with paddling the kayaks in the pool.
“Most were excited to try something new and a few were excited because they had previous experience as paddlers,” said Hannan. “To be honest a few were a little apprehensive or nervous which is understandable because getting into a boat was completely foreign. Overall it was a huge hit with the students. I had a lot of positive feedback. It was nice to see them excited about a PE unit.”
Hannan explained that running the kayaking unit required the assistance of several people, “Drew Doll, the B-B Transportation Coordinator, is a local professional paddling guide in the summer and helped out with the unit in the pool. Eric Van Patten, a coach, and Stan Sherwood, retired B-B teacher, served as lifeguards, and I also had student teacher Mariah Laspina as a helper.”
Paddling was only a part of this unit. Students also learned about backpacking and camping. They had to develop a plan for a paddling trip that would include a three night stay outdoors. Among the many skills the students learned were how to purify water in the wilderness and how to choose a good location to set up a camp.
The district is applying for a grant in physical education that could expand the kayaking unit to make available to more students in the future. Hannan also hopes to add a fleet of mountain bikes to the district’s equipment list if the grant application is successful.
