Kamloops Canoe and Kayak Club aiming to replenish numbers, find coaching stability

“It was pretty difficult for a couple of years because we were basically getting a new coach every single year,” said Damian Hickey, an 18-year-old kayaker who recently cracked the Canoe Kayak Canada junior national team. “I think I’ve had probably five coaches throughout my high school, which hasn’t been amazing. But, we’ve really been able to make it work, especially with the support the province has given us.”

Club board member Bjoern Ossenbrink said there is a strong contingent of paddlers such as Hickey in their later teenage years, but depth is thin behind them in younger age groups.

That generational gap likely has something to do with the coaching carousel, which has been spinning since the pandemic, according to Ossenbrink.

“But we are building the base with young athletes again, which I think is a great opportunity right now,” Ossenbrink said.

The club is aiming to attract paddlers through school field trips and summer camps. Those who enjoy their time on the water at Shumway Lake might be convinced to join the club.

Ossenbrink said there are about 15 KCKC members who paddle competitively, noting there were, at times, between 30 and 40 during some peak membership years in the past.

“I think Ozturk is here to stay,” Hickey said. “So, we’re looking forward to building a program with some stability and working to develop the junior program, as well, and then also maintaining our excellence at the highest level.”

Leilani Vanderydt, 16, is a club proponent, a paddler with national team aspirations who is also an assistant coach.

“It’s hard to keep coaches in Kamloops,” she said. “It’s been a lot for our athletes and has helped us be resilient. This club is super fun. It’s honestly been a huge part of my life. It’s just such a great community.”

Vanderydt is encouraging more girls to try the sport.

“I really want to try and help push women in sport because I know it’s very difficult for women to be in a male-dominated sport,” she said. “That’s a huge push for me to be able to succeed, to help show women you can do everything.”

by Marty Hastings

Kamloops Canoe and Kayak Club aiming to replenish numbers, find coaching stability

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