Austin Paddling Club's (APC’s) will host our third kids kayak polo program for kids age 12 - 16 this spring and summer. The program will include free use of club equipment and free instruction by local players who have competed on the US national team.

Two players who started playing in this program in 2004 will be competing this year on the US Under 21 team at the 2008 world championships in Edmonton, Canada.

Kayak polo is the perfect Austin summer sport; cool and wierd!  Kayak polo is an official international sport best described as a mix between basketball and water polo. It's an exciting game played in ten-minute halves on a 35x23 meter court, with goals raised 6 feet above the water at each end.  The object of the game is to use your hands or paddle to score the most goals against the opposing team. Each team consists of 5 players with a kayak, helmet with facemask, paddle and lifejacket. 

It's good exercise for both the body and mind, and a great sport for building strength, courage and teamwork.

 
Sessions will be held once a week this summer on Sundays at 4:00 PM. Anyone who would like to participate must contact us in advance so that we know how much gear to bring.  Participation is limited to 10 kids per week.

We require that kids be comfortable swimming in the water with a life jacket on. Instruction will begin with basic kayaking

and will continue at the pace of the participants.

Kids who learn the game will be invited to play on the Austin Under 21 Team at the 2008 National Championship tournament to be hosted by APC at San Marcos on October 31-Nov 2nd. We will have a fund raising program (optional) whereby kids can raise money to pay for their registration fee at this tournament.

We are excited to be able to offer this opportunity to area youths and look forward to hearing from any interested parties. We invite anyone interested to come and meet the Austin kayak polo players and observe a game at the usual venue (under the north side of the MoPac pedestrian bridge on Town Lake) at 6:30pm PM on Wednesdays or 2pm on Sundays.

For additional information, please contact:

Adrian Nye at (512) 585-1015 or Adrian_nye@yahoo.com

Carolyn Peterson at (512) 335-7970 or carolyncanoe@yahoo.com.

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