THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PADDLE
“The ocean can be a very fickle place. If you fight it, you go nowhere fast, but if you are able to feel it, and go with the flow, it’s fast and fun. So being a steerswoman, Taylor is the one who chooses the direction the crew paddles in, the one that will get them to the desired location fastest—even if that means it’s not the straight line and includes twists and turns. That’s kind of how life works, too,” says Novice coach Harry Newhart. Taylor is one of the many who not only brings talent, but her lighthearted attitude to the Club’s Novice program, which is rich with enthusiastic newcomers hailing from diverse backgrounds. The eclectic bunch of newbies were drawn to the sport for reasons as unique as every one of them. For instance, Becky Needham signed herself up for paddling in the wake of COVID lockdowns. Having made a bunch of new friends, she encouraged her husband to get involved and he soon followed. Together, the Needham’s utilized the lessons from the crew and began paddling together from the Club to Black Point, getting exercise and building a newfound love of paddling together. Former Notre Dame linebacker Carlo Calabrese recently moved to the Aloha State. Longing for the competition and camaraderie that comes with team sports, Calabrese discovered paddling and the New Jersey native now finds himself just as at home on the Pacific as he is on the football field. Then there’s Jonathan Kam, who grew up in the Bay Area of California, who followed his heart to the Islands. The University
Novice B paddlers Chandler Grant and Trevor Smith share a moment of instruction before their race.
JULY / august 2023 | AMA 21
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