The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:
- Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
- Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”
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Mikaela Matin, California
Paddling has made me happy, because it showed me benefits of exercising and working as a team. It also helps me to apply the skills I learned in the exercises into my home life. this essay will explain and demonstrate the things I have learned over the course of 7 years.
In the beginning of my paddling career, I was 7 years old, I paddled with Kapolika’ehukai Outrigger Canoe Club. I have competed for 2 years. During the 2 years, I have gotten more than 10 medals with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. This made me proud that I tried my hardest and was able to achieve such an award.
Later, my family decided to take a one-year break from paddling to deal with our financial issues. In 2014, We transitioned back into paddling with a new club gave me the opportunity to start with a clean slate. The older I’ve gotten the more I realized that it is very important to stop talking and listen. I also had to learn to communicate when the input was needed here and there with the keiki crew. Which taught me that sometimes you just need to listen, and there are times when you need to speak up.
In conclusion, paddling has helped me meet new people paddle in different positions, and work as a family. It has also showed me how to teach other teammates if they don’t understand or is lost in the middle of the drill. Lastly, paddling is helping me perfect my craft with my health and social skills.
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