Roll, Roll, Roll Your Boat Beginners, Veterans Enjoy Kayak Polo
Kayaking usually brings visions of clutching a paddle while shooting the rapids. Or maybe paddling on serene lake waters.
Think again as you visit the Shadle Park pool.
The smell of the outdoors is drowned by chlorine, the air is humid, the sound of waves splashing are muffled and voices echo off the walls.
It may not sound as attractive as the outdoors, but it serves a purpose. People line up next to kayaks along the concrete floor, put on helmets and get ready to engage in one of the most popular international sports to recently hit the United States - kayak polo.
“People still say we made this up,” says Andrew Brewer, a member and former president of the Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club.
Brewer went to David Early, aquatics director for the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department, three years ago with the idea. Early liked it, and so did a number of others. From the start, the number of participants has remained between 30 and 35. The unlikely combination of kayaking and water polo originated in England 28 years ago as a way of keeping boaters busy in the winter. It is a recognized international sport, especially in Australia and Europe. Although fairly new to the U.S., the sport is catching on. According to Early, hopes are high that it will become an Olympic sport.
Kayak polo is basketball, rugby, soccer, hockey, kayaking and water polo rolled into one. Locally, the rules are modified slightly. Two 5-minute halves make up a game. Players usually play three to five games a night. Any type of kayak can be used, but in international competition, special rounded kayaks are a must.
Teams are coed, with players as young as 14. Two teams are typically made up of five players each. The objective is to pass the ball (which is a little smaller than a volleyball) to teammates with your hands until one gets an opening and shoots. Goals are at each end of the pool, elevated 7 feet above the water, with the net being 4 feet, 11 inches wide. Each team has a goalie who can use the paddle to block shots.
Beginners use their hands to paddle while more experienced players can use paddles. Beginners need to learn to balance the boat before advancing to paddles. This gives experienced players an edge because they can use their paddle to block passes and are able to move faster.
Many find it hard to believe that 10 kayaks can fit into a swimming pool. Maneuvering is a key element. At times, kayaks glide across the pool with the agility of a school of fish following bait. Other times, they flock toward the ball like a swarm of seagulls scrambling for a piece of bread, boats sliding and bouncing off each other.
Early said anyone can join the program, even if they’ve never kayaked.
“Beginners learn self-rescue skills and balance. Players do flip over, but can easily exit today’s modern boats. All first-timers are given a thorough orientation, including how to get out of the boat in a flip-over,” he said.
Surprisingly, injuries are rare. Early says since the program began, no one has been injured. That is mainly because the competition is not fierce. Chlorine in the eyes or water up the nose are the main annoyances.
Those whose first kayak experience was in the program say the old-timers are encouraging and helpful with their expertise in teaching fundamental skills and safety procedures.
Jerry Williams, 51, had never kayaked before trying kayak polo three years ago. Since then, he has kayaked year-round and still finds time to play the game “for the fun of it.” He recommends learning this way, yet says the skills for kayaking a river are different, but “you get the balance to run the river here. It’s really easier in the pool, with a good feel and safe environment.”
Linda Bise, 43, vice president of the Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club, says she plays kayak polo because “it gets me in my boat early,” and helps with her skill and balance “right up until boating season.”
Alli Jester, 18, and Chas Phillips, 15, along with two other friends, come from Coeur d’Alene every week. Both thought it was a “crazy concept” somebody made up. They do it to get out and do something different as well as for the exercise.
This is the first time in a kayak for Daryl Pitman, 52. He says it was more fun than he expected.
“You get to try out different kayaks,” he said, adding he plans to bring his son next year. “The people are really good and fun to be with.”
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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TAKE THE PLUNGE It’s too late to join the Spokane Parks Dept. and Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club’s indoor kayak polo program for this year, but you can take in the action Saturdays from 6-9 p.m. at Shadle Park pool. Spectators are welcome. If you have questions or want information about signing up for next year, call David Early at 625-6200 or Andrew Brewer at 838-4224.