From Coach Jim.....

My own racing career spanned 1964-1979, peaking with the 1970 USA pre-worlds slalom and wildwater team. I also worked the adventure outdoors business when it was in it's infancy, and helped to get the USA canoe and kayak industry off the ground. Meanwhile I helped pioneer a bunch of river runs, including the Gauley, and kicked off river preservation efforts in the Appalachians. I organized more slalom and  wildwater races, trials, and camps than I can recall, some notable ones include the 1989 Savage Worlds and the 1996 Ocoee Olympics...and I'm and ICF judge.

I coached the development program in Washington, DC from 1968 through 1998. I built Cathy Hearn's first boat, and at some point along the way taught or supported most of the top athletes that came out of the Bethesda Center of Excellence program.

In the last years the "Z-Team" program grew to the point that I had 20 serious junior athletes working every weekend at the Dickerson Whitewater Course from October through April. Regular participants those years included Louis Geltman, Scotty Parsons, Josh Russell, Amy Brown, Ryan Bahn, Nick Kimmet, Jason Beakes, Kurt Braunlich, Sam Drevo, Danny Stock, Willy Pell, - and a dozen+ more - along with about as many adult "Z-Teamers." We also had regular

visitations from Ray McLean's and David Mitchell's junior trainees:

Megan Stahlheim, Rebecca Giddens, Sarah Leith, Brett Heyl, and many more.

As for the Central Texas program, all of the pieces are in place to develop a dominating Slalom Center of Excellence within just a few years.

You provide the passion...

... I'll provide the organization and technical know-how!