U-23 Camp

USA Canoe/kayak doesn't always do something special for the Under-23 team; that is, for racing and training camps, there isn't always differentiation between we 18-23 year-olds and the rest of the seniors who are older. Although Vinson, Maia, and I aren't necessarily slower than all of the senior women, it's still nice to have a separate team for this camp. It gives us a chance to bond with the jr. team and also to race against the Canadians our own age. For me, it also serves as a good reminder of the big picture: I'm only 20 years old.

We've been doing some paddling sessions with the jr. national team and the club development teams that are here. That sort of Team USA cohesion is something I wish we had 3 years ago when I was 17. Yesterday, we (the 3 of us U-23 girls) met with the younger girls and talked with them about taking care of themselves, not over-training, and keeping their end goals in mind. I told them that they are the future Olympians of 2012, 2016, 2020. They are a talented group and we are all very excited to be a part team USA during the next quads.

This camp rocks.