In the Middle Group, the training gets harder and this is often when we see the “bug” bite and the desire to get better and better takes hold.  As a parent you’ll have to be aware of this and be mindful that your child may want lifts to Marathon races around the South East Region and in the summer possibly to Nottingham for the Sprint regattas. Often your child’s first milestone is our Easter ½ marathon held from Guildford to Weybridge, it’s truly amazing to see your child complete a ½ marathon and it’s a good excuse to eat Easter eggs afterwards!

Training sessions are run during the summer months on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5.30pm-6.45pm, and throughout the year on Saturdays at 9.00am-10.15am and Sundays at 10am-11.00am.

During the Winter months, the two weekday sessions are indoors and consist of basic fitness exercises and canoe specific exercises. There is an element of competition here but no pressure or judgment.  We often tally scores or pair groups up to match strengths and weaknesses to help everyone progress.  You’ll be surprised at what your child can achieve especially when they see someone else doing what they thought was impossible!

Water sessions: Winter on the river can be beautiful; the river can flow or freeze (not so often in these warm times!) and it’s a great time to learn water skills for life and build some will power. As a parent you might look at the conditions and be concerned but we will only ever take the paddlers out if it’s safe to do so and often outside the club is the worse part of the river anyway!

There is no need for expensive specialist clothing or equipment, light thermals (like skiing) and a water proof top can be very cheaply bought from places like Decathlon but flipflops/sliders are a must as you don’t want to walk to the river bare footed!

Skills learnt: To paddle the boat! To steer, race, understand the river and the best place to be, to balance, to work hard and push yourself, to be responsible for yourself and your kit (although we are there as a backup!) and use independent thought and self-motivation.

International racing: Both disciplines of sprint & marathon have junior teams which they (the British squad systems) develop over time with training camps and development trips to ever increasingly stiff competitions.  There is a cost involved but they are sometimes subsidised and there are local grants around which we as a club are quite successful in gaining.

What would you need to know as a parent of a top performing junior?

We, like you, want the best for your child and sometimes that might be at odds with what the Junior system offers.  We may encourage some paddlers to take part in a training camp and others not to, it’s not favouritism but looking out for each individual’s needs, and the best bang for buck not only financially but time wise too.

It is going to take up time (a bit more money) and a lot of dedication if they want to compete at the elite end of any sport.  Also, like everything at this point in life, communication between coach and parents (like teachers and parents) is key.  They (the athlete, and now an independent teenager) may not communicate as well as they used to!!  We have dedicated coaches who have led Olympic GB teams with a wealth of experience who can be there to support your child twice a day, every day.  We have good contacts with equipment manufacturers and the GB system.  But we need your input too. It’s easier to be successful with an involved parent (rather than a pushy one).