Currently Browsing: Photos / Sports / Top Stories
Doggie Paddlers
Doggie paddlers in action.
Dedicated paddlers rejoice as Le Jardin Academy premieres it’s first High School paddling team featuring a Varsity and Junior Varsity boy’s crew and a Female varsity crew. It seems remarkable that the birth of paddling at Le Jardin was conceived by two avid paddlers with only a piece of paper, a pencil, and a dream.
Junior high school students Mike Dowsett and Joey Kiser combined forces and began what could be considered a delightful scheme to prove to the faculty and administration of Le Jardin the demand of paddling through student signatures. “Its important for Le Jardin to have paddling,” notes Kiser, “because there are many talented paddlers at this school and year after year their talent is wasted due to LJA not providing a paddling team.”
Soon after receiving the list, Mr. Reid Ollaso, Sports Director of Le Jardin, gave the O.K. for the first paddling to begin in the winter of 2009. Thus began what would be Le Jardin’s first ever paddling season.
However, after such creation came an important question. Who would coach the paddling team? Only one man seemed to have the proper past experience and passion for the job. – Mr. Thomas Vinigas (or more commonly known as “Uncle Tommy” to students). He is an experienced paddler with 30 years under his belt and is a certified lifeguard. It has been with his structured practices and his guidance that has lead novice and veteran paddlers alike to improve their skills greatly for regattas.
Since Paddling is a new sport, it is important that the student body show school pride and support for the teams by showing up and cheering for them during the races. As coach Tommy has stated in one of his many inspirational speeches, “by attending a great school such as Le Jardin, it is necessary that we show support for not only our paddling team, but for other LJA sports teams as well. We are one ohana and it is important that we have pride in that fact”.
For more information on the paddling team and times for their races, check out the paddling website at http://lejardinpaddling.weebly.com/
Email This Post
Print This Post
Leave a Reply