unique coaching style, which empha- sizes the personal development of her athletes, is drawing attention. By priori- tizing the growth of the girls as individu- als, she has created an environment that attracts paddlers and their families from other programs who are eager for a more enriching experience. This focus on per- sonal development, alongside paddling skills, has led to a notably high retention rate, with many of her girls advancing to Outrigger’s Nā Kama O Kapua Red program for ages 14-18. “Corlyn puts a lot of emphasis in the development of young women as humans in addition to being passion- ate about paddling and getting them to paddle well,” says Canoe Racing Com- mittee Co-Chair and Nā Kama O Kapua Program Lead Anthony Hunt. “You can tell when she interacts with the girls that she cares about them as more than just paddlers.” It may surprise some, but paddling wasn’t always part of Orr’s life. Today, she and her family are deeply immersed in the sport—her husband, Darren, coaches the older girls in Nā Kama O Kapua Red, and all three of their children are avid paddlers. She says she came to the sport late in life and didn’t pick up a paddle until after her first son was born. Now, with over 20 years
Corlyn Orr doesn’t seek the spotlight. For the past five years, she has been the coach of Outrigger Ca- noe Club’s entry-level junior girls paddling program, Nā Kama O Kapua White, quietly guiding young paddlers as they discover the sport's rhythm. Her calm presence and dedication have become a cornerstone of the program, ensuring that the girls not only develop a solid foundation of paddling but also grow as young women. “The canoe is a good place to teach those life lessons,” Orr says. ”Everything that happens in the canoe, you can relate it to something in life. Like, we're a community, we have to work together. We don't have to like each other, but we have to figure out how to work together.” This combination of tough love, passion, and humility earned Orr the title of Outrigger Canoe Club’s Coach of the Year for canoe racing—an honor she’s quick to credit to the team effort of those she works with. “I can't take credit for any of it. I'm just one part of the big success,” Orr says. “My team of coaches…I would just like to say thank you to them. The leader- ship of the program has been really supportive. It wouldn't be as successful if all those things didn't line up.” But to those who know her, the recognition feels long over- due. Billy Pratt, Club Athletic Captain and longtime friend of the Orr family, has seen firsthand the sacrifices she’s made to train the next generation of paddlers and continue not only the legacy of Outrigger Canoe Club, but also the history of canoe paddling. “Corlyn is 100 percent invested in the future of Outrigger’s junior paddlers,” he says. “I truly believe that for us to go for- ward, we need to know where we came from, and she has always perpetuated that in a very humble, committed way.” Orr’s impact goes beyond teaching paddling techniques—her
16 AMA | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024
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