Why Georgia? Why with teenagers (when mine are thankfully past that)? Easy - there's open water, and a great host club. We're going to spring break paddling camp!
It's a great thing when a group of high school kids pick going kayaking and canoeing for a week, doing 3/day workouts, sleeping on someone's floor that they've never met, and driving 20 hours each way wedged in the back of a Suburban named Kermit.
This group of athletes may, or may not win medals at Nationals and may never make a national team. But then again they might just do it all. In the big picture, it's more important to provide the opportunity and see where the spark catches fire than to worry about things that may not be controllable. One thing is for sure - everyone who makes this trip, coach, parent chaperons, host families and athletes will take away memories and friendships. These friendships turn into reunions at every major event, reciprocal visits, families becoming friends with people half a continent away who would otherwise never met. And the common bond is a kid who decided to paddle.
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