Whitewater slalom a fun alternative to football

There is no dilemma for parents in the Centre County region when considering whitewater slalom as a replacement for football when it comes to a consideration of serious head injuries resulting from normal play. Slalom paddling has it all — training periods, wildness, excitement and fun.

Here in Bellefonte, on Spring Creek just below Talleyrand Park, is the Sunnyside Paddling Park, a slalom training location that has been there for more than 50 years.

Excitement? Yes, when you consider that the playing field is moving and is moving in various directions wherever one is paddling, stroke by stroke.

Skill? You bet. One proceeds at high speeds through a series of slalom gates only slightly wider than the canoe or kayak without touching either pole to obtain the lowest time on a course. It takes years of training to do this well.

Training at Sunnyside and racing here and elsewhere has led to world championships for juniors and seniors, and even to the World Olympics. Up to a dozen girls and boys who have started at Sunnyside went on to compete at the world level.

Fun and challenge? Due to the fact that one needs to actively think at all times while paddling, slalom has the highest general education value of all sports. Every slalom course is different at a given location since there are usually different water levels and the gates are always located in different positions.

Danger? Yes, there are dangers, especially in general river cruising where foot entrapment is a real threat (incident on the West Branch of the Susquehanna two years ago) or entanglement in branches and trees that have fallen into the stream. Yes and shoulder dislocation and muscle/joint injury, too, are possible. However, serious injuries are rare.

Whitewater kayaking has seen a large increase in popularity in recent times, and the slalom sport revolves around team and coaching efforts that provide a huge safety factor as well as a true fun feature.

Fourth- and fifth-grade students at Bellefonte Elementary were all full of smiles and laughter this spring when they participated in a kayak paddle. Kayaking makes for a fun and exciting alternative to football for local kids.

This story was originally published October 24, 2017 at 9:41 PM with the headline "Whitewater slalom a fun alternative to football."