Front Range Paddle Association

 About Us... Our Vision

Chris Wiegand started the Front Range Paddle Association in 2002 after working with a Boulder, Colorado area private school, Alexander Dawson School. I noticed a need locally and regionally to create a year round program for whitewater racing development. This magnificinct school program, led by Nate Lord, was only able to attract youth from the school and from primarily affluent white youth.

I decided to run full speed into creating a place for a few youth to see the world, compete with the best and eventually become the best.

The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense. This was the initial backbone to my structure that I started as the FRPA.

While teaching kayaking and canoeing skills and training youth to compete in these sports is a mission of FRPA, more valuable to the organization is the development of youth leadership, problem solving skills, goal setting, self esteem building and character development to youth from all socio-economic backgrounds.

The Front Range Paddle Association follows the Latin Olympic motto, Citius - Altius - Fortius, translated it is Faster - Higher - Stronger. Coined by Henri Didon, a Dominican priest who taught sport to his students, it became the Olympic motto when Pierre de Coubertin, a friend of Didon's, revived the ancient Olympic Games in their modern form in 1894.

This motto is more than simply an athletic principle, it is a life philosophy. Competitively it guides us as athletes to truly give our very best during competition. When the day is done, if the effort truly was our best, this is a victory in itself. Further, the essence of the motto is not one of being first, but of bettering oneself, constantly striving for personal excellence in every aspect of our lives. This philosophy has best been summed up in a comment made by Pierre de Coubertin at the 1908 London Olympic Games, "The important thing in Olympic Games is not the win, but to take part, just as the important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well."

The FRPA Development came together through a shared vision of excellence through paddling, as opposed to simply paddling excellence. For us, the Olympic motto has been a guiding principle in all of our lives, making us not only better athletes, but hopefully better people. Our goal is not only the development of better athletes, but better people. Better people embody the ethics and values required to achieve paddling excellence.

Coaching the Total Person

We coach the total person through the medium of whitewater. Outstanding athletes are merely a bi-product of this process. Daily practices are structured into blocks and themes based on the Five Olympic Ideals: Vision, Focus, Commitment, Persistence and Discipline. These are the Five Olympic Ideals established by the US Olympic Committee. Each ideal fits into both our athletic and everyday, out of the boat lives. We are not satisfied with paddling excellence; we have a vision for much more. We coach the total person, striving for excellence through paddling.

Personal Leadership

Central to this excellence, is development of personal leadership through the Five Olympic Ideals, which is about your success as an athlete and a total person. We help you to identify what matters most in every aspect of your life: at home, at school, and in the community. Our athletes design methods to reach the future they design for themselves, becoming the best they can be, both in whitewater and in life. By developing leadership based on the Five Olympic Ideals we coach the total person pursuing excellence through paddling.

Vision

Imagine a world where Americans are both dominant and respected in the world of whitewater racing. It is a world where all those who come in contact with American whitewater racing athletes thoroughly enjoy the experience and cannot wait until we return, not just because of the high level of excellence we embody, but also what we bring to the sport as people.

This vision is achievable, in the near future. It starts with development by passionate individuals who love the sport, and promote Citius - Altius - Fortius. By building a solid foundation through development, we can achieve heights never before imagined faster than ever though possible, and be stronger once we get there.

Citius - Altius - Fortius...Learn it, live it, give it!