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of attractions to draw in kids," Jacobi said. And, reaching out to kids and newcomers is a major goal of USACK, he said. "We have five goals in our organization and the number two goal is to grow the base of the sport. For years, we were focused on the elite athletes, and now we want to work on the ground floor. We want
to get paddles in hands." Paramount to meeting this goal is
USACK's new Paddle Now! program, which combines innovative ideas, pro- grams and events to introduce more people to paddling. According to Jacobi, Paddle Now! is putting new resources, such as collateral materials and a low-cost base membership, in the
hands of clubs and is making it easier than ever to hold events. Paddle Now! offers "the opportunity
to drive cool, engaging event experi- ences and gives recreational paddlers more of a chance to compete," Jacobi said.
Pa Crystal clear and 72° year 'round. Paddle ut le out !
The San Marcos River bubbles to life from hundr of springs and winds its way thrf springs and winds its way thrro
ou
nsiti own
re
ough the center of eds
town. Peaceful flatwater and tranquil deep water pools ion into three fun whitewater d
ee fun whitewater drops at Rio V
ess t of
re Te
Falls, wher wh e olympic hopefuls train in the fall and winter. Miles of flowing river twist and turn under a canopy of trees making San Marcos, Texas a
river a place both veteran and beginner enthusiasts love. of the TEXAS WWAAT
me o r a p
ATER SAFARI - world's t FA ARI - world's toughest canoe race!
e fall and winterr. ista
exas and its crystal clear
Some Paddle Now! events seek to spark an interest in paddling in athletes of other sports. Jacobi described a recent event that targeted runners by combining running and paddling. "We'd like to try to get them to choose one of the 10 disciplines of canoe/kayak," he said. Those 10 are canoe/kayak, dragon boat, freestyle, marathon, paracanoe, wildwater, outrig- ger, polo, canoe sailing and stand up paddleboard. USACK currently has about 2,000 members, but Jacobi said that number is likely to rise this year, adding that social and unique media are expected to drive some growth. "We have twice the Facebook fans as members, so we take social media seri- ously," Jacobi said. "It's a great way to tell a story and to draw an audience." In August, the eyes of USACK will be on the Olympic Games in London. Jacobi said this year's seven-athlete Team USA has a lot of variety, some veterans and some first-time Olympians. The athletes will compete in Whitewater Slalom, which is racing on rapids around obstacles, and Flatwater Sprint, which is head-to-head racing on calm water. ■
Sport REPORT
USA Canoe/Kayak (USACK) A non-profit membership organization that promotes canoe and kayak racing in the United States. USACK is the national governing body for the Olympic sports of Flatwater Sprint and Whitewater Slalom.
www.T ourSanMarcos.com | 888.200.5620 www.facebook.com/TourSanMar cos @TourSanMar cos
32 July 2012 Contact: www.usack.org www.sportseventsmagazine.com
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S.P.O.R.T.S. 2012
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