Grant-A-Week WINNER
YMCA Water Devils

The YMCA Water Devils are Lisa, Lucy, Julie, Carolyn and Kelly. We have been rowing together since April 2001. The team was formed out of a desire for adventure, looking for a way to get fit and an opportunity to have some fun. Training for the Foundation 2001 Corporate Rowing Challenge seemed to be a great idea - to achieve our goals.

We started with a seven-week training period working with our coach, Karen.During our training we were able to develop the skills required to control a quad. The first challenge was getting into the boat without anyone ending up in the water! From there it was as easy as rowing downstream, but with the odd rock in the way!

After a few sessions we were able to build up to the "full slide" and that was a great achievement. Co-ordinating the group and rowing together came soon after that. For the majority of us this was a new sport that provided many challenges. The blisters and war wounds we gained are (in a quirky way) very rewarding! In the lead-up to race day, we each rowed twice a week - each taking a turn sitting in the coach's boat. This was a bonus as it provided us with the opportunity to see what we really looked like as a team. To be honest, we actually looked pretty good!

When race day arrived we were ready to challenge the opponents from various other rowing clubs around the Lower Mainland of Vancouver. Our first race was definitely a "warm up"! I really don't think we were quite ready for what the race was going to throw at us. But, we all took it as a positive experience and were ready to race again. Besides, we had to prove that we were able to accomplish everything we had set out to do!

The second race started off smoothly, with everyone working in synch. Then the quad next to us started to veer in our direction and a collision occurred. We were so determined to pull away that they bow pair started to row as the stern pair untangled their oars……And away we went! Pulling together we were able to come back and take second place. It was a huge triumph!

Thanks to NIKE and CAAWS we are able to continue participating in our newfound sport. In fact, it has inspired Julie, our infamous cox, to try out for the University of Victoria Rowing Team in September.

Sincerely,

The Water Devils

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