Forward Stroke Class was well worth it!

[PatE]

I'm very glad I participated in this class last night. Karen Knight and Bob Foote are great instructors and I, without question, noticed improvement in my stroke over the course of the evening.

I'm already writing my notes on the points we covered so I don't forget to use each of them in future paddles.

Of course, Bob graciously offered to continue to teach the same class year after year to those who don't make notes! ;-)

Thanks to Suzanne for all you did in organizing this!

Pat

[glad]

I learn a ton last night with Karen and Bob. I loved Bob's divide and conquer method of separating each skill. You 'feel' it before you combine it with the next skill.

If I can really implement the skills I MAY just leave all you guys in the dust...in my Romany!

k

[PatE]

That was you doing practice rolls following the class, wasn't it? Just to let you know, I fully intend to find someone to show me rolling via the method by which you learned, going essentially limp and letting them show me the proper movements. The anxiety is waning and I'm psyched to try it now! I'm glad I talked to you about it.

Pat

[djlewis]

You want to roll... you can't do better than sign up for a lesson with Bob Foote, privately if necessary. I have not seen a better rolling instructor, and maybe none equal (in my modest but significant experience). Last year he got several people rolling, some of whom had been struggling at it for months. And I heard (is it true?) that he did it without getting out of his boat or touching anyone... just with words.

Disclaimer -- I have not seen or heard of Bob taking anyone to a roll from scratch. That is not to say he doesn't do that well too, I just have no evidence. All my hearsay and actual expereince is with him tuning existing rolls and helping people already struggling with it.

--David.

[PatE]

David,

I spent all of the day yesterday on the water with some truly fine instruction. I realize I may be a bit too eager to get to rolling! I am practicing skulling now and getting comfortable being upside down. I'm still shooting to try my first roll this summer, but became aware that I need to learn a couple other things as a foundation first.

Oh that impatience of being a newbie and wanting it all NOW! I hope I still feel this way five years from now!

Pat

[gerry s]

Kudos to Bob & Karen. I took their rolling workshop last nite. Having never rolled before or even tried, Bob confirmed that I did roll without his assistance. Both a C/C and sweep. Great instructors!

Gerry

[alcoons]

As a coach and teacher it is hard not to be over-critical of other teachers but my hour plus with Bob and Karen yesterday afternoon could not have been better. Bob did not start by saying "this is the roll you will learn" but rather "let me see what you have left" (I had a white water roll in the 70's) and then "we will decide which roll seems best for you and your boat." He was patient but directive. Most importantly, he was able to describe both what to do with the body parts and why things worked.

We only spent 15 minutes left at the end to work on the forward stroke but that also was very effective and solved some problems I could feel but not diagnose on my own.

At $30 per hour per person for a two person lesson there is no better deal available.

Thanks Bob and Karen and NSPN for making them available.

Al