Three Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak Racing Team leaders were honored with awards from USA Canoe/Kayak at its annual coaching and leadership conference Feb. 15-17 in Oklahoma City.
Gig Harbor head coach Alan Anderson earned the national organization’s 2012 Coach of the Year award. He is the first repeat winner, said Mac Hickox, USA Canoe/Kayak’s national sprint development director.
Last August, Gig Harbor won the Sprint National Championships at Green Lake in Seattle, the first national title in the club’s 10-year history.
Anderson also is in the process of making Gig Harbor a center for paracanoe and parakayak activities, and he serves on USA Canoe/Kayak’s paracanoe committee.
“Alan has a philosophy of gender equity and inclusion of athletes with disabilities in their program offerings,” Hickox said in a news release. “Gig Harbor has become a model club for the other clubs within USA Canoe/Kayak to follow.”
The club is working toward building a permanent boathouse for its athletes and equipment on Gig Harbor Bay.
“The support that we are getting from the community of Gig Harbor has been incredible lately, and we hope to find a home here so that we can continue to inspire young people to reach for their dreams,” Anderson said.
Gig Harbor’s Graham Ulmer took home the Development Coach of the Year Award. He is the second Gig Harbor coach to win the award in as many years. Canoe coach Jonathan Sousley was the 2011 recipient.
Sousley presented the award to Ulmer.
“Graham is the key reason why we continue to have a pipeline of talent,” Sousley said. “Whether covered in mud or soaking wet, Graham’s always-present, calm manner, instant smile and easy laugh encourages the young Gig Harbor athletes to constantly improve day to day through an environment that is stress-free.”
“The under-14 pipeline has been a steady stream of talent in this Northwest hotbed for the last five years,” Hickox added. “Graham does not like the spotlight, but at some point, his efforts had to be acknowledged on a national level.”
In accepting the award, Ulmer said: “This award is recognizing the team approach that Jon, Alan and I have implemented at Gig Harbor.”
Missy Hill earned the Volunteer of the Year award. Her daughter, Katy, graduated from the Gig Harbor racing team and now competes at Oklahoma City University.
Missy said she got involved as a paddling official as a way to channel her nerves during Katy’s competitions.
“I want to be sure that Gig Harbor youth continue to enjoy a healthy lifestyle associated with the program offered by coach Anderson,” she said.
Hill serves as chairperson for the USA Canoe/Kayak sprint events committee, is a member of its paracanoe committee, and is an official for the national championships, U.S. Olympic Trials and the Lake Placid (N.Y.) International Regatta.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.