|
By Adam Lapierre
News staff writer
June 13, 2009
Hood
River Middle School student Monica Campos grew up seeing people
out on the Columbia, playing in Hood River’s renowned wind and
water.
But,
like many who live here, as epic as conditions are for wind
sports, learning how to do them was never a reality for Campos.
“I’ve
been living here all my life,” she said last week from the Hook,
while waiting for her turn to do a body-dragging lesson with
teacher Eric Cohn. “But this is the first chance I’ve ever had
to do this. I’m so excited.”
Campos
and a group of 44 other HRMS students were out at the Hook and
the sandbar last week, equipped with all the necessary gear for
learning two of Hood River’s most famous sports: windsurfing and
kiteboarding.
During
HRMS’ spring elective period, which met for about an hour every
day for 10 weeks, students chose from an array of classes,
ranging from unicycling and rock climbing to sign language and
scrapbooking.
Windsports was also an option, and for those who chose that
class, last week’s river days were the culmination of weeks of
training and preparation with Cohn and fellow teacher Joe Dolan,
who have been teaching the class together for the last 11 years.
“We
trained in the pool three days a week for the last 10 weeks,”
Cohn said about the class. “The other two days we spent
practicing with trainer kites and windsurf simulators.” With
gear either donated or on loan from several local companies, the
students were suited-up and ready for action on the water
starting Wednesday afternoon of last week.
The
wind, of course, did not want to cooperate.
For two
of the three days the water was glass, and on the third day the
wind range was somewhere between 15 and 40 miles an hour.
“The
parents really stepped up for us those first two days,” Cohn
said. “The kids got to ride jet skis and wakeboard, compliments
of several parents.”
On
Friday the action picked up considerably, and the class was
quickly spread out between windsurfing in the Hook,
body-dragging with kites from behind Wells Island to the top of
the sandbar and an advanced kiteboarding clinic at the sandbar
for those with prior experience.
With
supervision and instruction from several teachers, local shop
staff and instructors, a sheriff deputy and others, and the
safest gear on the market provided for the class, students had
the unique opportunity to actually earn school credit while
learning to windsurf and kiteboard.
“Volunteers this year that were critical; meaning we would have
had very little to offer without them,” Cohn said. “The class is
what it is because of the people who donate very significant
amounts of time, gear and effort to this program.” Cohn
explained that the fee for the class was $25 per student, which
covered the cost of 25 sessions in the pool. Everything else was
donated.
“I think
it is sick to come out here and do this,” Chase Young said after
being dropped off on shore by jet ski.
For
Young, “sick” is a good thing.
“I also
think it’s important because Hood River is all about windsurfing
and kiteboarding. It’s a big part of the economy, so it’s good
for us to learn about it.”
Cohn
said the many individuals and local business were critical to
the class’ success, including Slingshot, Dakine, Big Winds,
Steve Gates, Chinook, Deputy Mike Anderson, Bill Morrissey,
Kraig Kerr, Tom Merriam, Bob Raulston, Glen Fromm, Nico Cooper,
David Smith, Steve Bennett, Laura Maher, Gary Reed, Ian Daily
and Bruce Peterson.
“It’s
cool to see all the volunteers come together for the class,”
Campos said. “Definitely thanks to everyone for helping.”
|
