kids of all ages, and the coolest sport you've never heard of

I started karate this year. It's a relatively small school, with one large beginners class with students of all ages. I call it the under10's vs the over 10's. Those of us over ten are still children but realize that the farther away from ten that we get the less flexible we will be, the more important stretching is, that sort of thing. But we're all still kids. Life, and your ability to be active at any age, can be a lot more fun if you look at things like way.

It's important for this blog that I tell you that I just turned 50. I don't feel 50, whatever that means. I actually feel wonderful. I kind of just fell into this world of kayak and now it is a very large part of who I am. I consider myself an ambassador to the sport...if you know me you've already been in a boat or you're on my radar. I coached a middle school team for a number of years; it's the feeder program here for our high performance program. I've seen chubby kids with no other place to go compete with others and themselves on a daily basis emerge into self-assured, healthy young men and women,. It's wonderful to see. It's the sport for non-athletes as well as athletes. For those who don't quite belong, for the kid who rides the pine.

At some point I was asked to begin teaching the "Adult Learn to Kayak" classes. This is where the over 10 mentality is key. I have coached paddlers between the ages of 8 and 80 and there are more similarities than there are differences. The over tens might present more of a challenge getting into the boats, what with knee and hip replacments, or never having been out on a lake. But once my students are in the boat, making it move, gliding over the water, hearing nothing but fish jumping, water dripping off of the paddle, and the beat of their own hearts....the feeling of the awesomeness of the moment is the same no matter the age.

This feeling, this spiritually cleansed (on a cellular level) moment, is what I love to bring to people. It is addictive. When you realize you have the power to make yourself feel so good and be so healthy, the moment is huge.

This is what I want to do for people.