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Masters Program
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Our Programs

Banook Canoe Club offers year-round paddle and athlete development programs for our members.

The paddling program is supervised by the Head Coach and delivered by Assistant Coach and seasonal coaches. Each week’s lessons follow the guidelines of the CanoeKids program. The CanoeKids program falls under the SportCanada category "Community Sport Stream". The primary focus is the development of life-long paddling skills in a non-competitive environment.

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The entire program is aimed at imparting skill development in a physically demanding sport, within the context of social, relaxed and ‘fun’ activities. Secondarily, the program is used as recruitment for the racing programs at Canoe Kayak Clubs. The High Performance Program is focused on competitive athletes that want to compete at the provincial and national levels. Many of Banook’s High Performance athletes have gone on to compete internationally. Check out BCC Community Calendar to find the regatta schedules and results.

Kiddie Canoe (summer only)

For member families, children between the ages of 4 and 8, are offered the chance to become familiar with paddling and water safety. Participants will use the dragon boat, and mini kayaks (waves). Sessions are held one hour per day, four times per week (Monday to Friday). This free program is free to Banook members.

Kiddie Canoe

Summer Weekly Activity Camp (ages 5 to 12)

Banook Canoe Club's Weekly Activity Camp is available to members and to the broader community. It is a great way to make friends and enjoy the summer lake-side.  A typical week may include a variety of activities, such as small and large group games, crafts, free play, swimming, open dock paddling, and more. 

All youth 11 or under must be supervised when at Banook Canoe Club, particularly when they are not engaged in a coach-led activity. Paddlers can be registered in Activity Camp to ensure they have a full day of supervision, with supervision ratio of 1: 10 leader : children.  Activity Camp leaders coordinate with Banook Canoe Club coaches and Lifeguards, so that participants can move between Activity Camp, paddling, and swim lessons at scheduled times.  

Activity Camp runs daily from 8:30am-4:30pm, with the option to add 1 hr of extended supervision for the week (8am - 5pm) at an extra cost. Members of Banook Canoe Club receive a discount on Activity Camp registration.

Participants in activity camp must be “bathroom independent” and be age 5 or older by June 30th, 2024.  Camp participants are organized into smaller sub-groups each week, often (not always) by age.

We have established a Wait List to help us manage changes in registration. If a week that you want is currently full, please add your child's name to the Wait List. Until April 1st, Members will be given priority for Wait List spots in Activity Camp as they become available. After that day, the Wait List spots will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Summer Paddling Program (ages 8 and up)

Groups begin at the U8 level under the U10 program, U8 and U10 will often do coach supervised activities and paddling together as well as the ADCKC summer regattas under the U10 category. After U10, upon ADCKC age guidelines paddlers begin in U12 groups and racing categories and on to U14 and U16. All groups are supervised by coaches teaching water safety, basic skills in kayak and canoe and being part of a war canoe team. Time will also be spent team building, by playing games and doing fitness activities on land. (Limited to 75 participants per age group.)

Banook Crews - C15s & 4s (U16-U18 and adult)

This paddling program is intended for athletes who are interested in summer paddling but prefer crew boats - C15, C4s and K4s - over singles.  Athletes will have opportunity to race crew boats in regattas. More details on the youth and Masters Banook Crews paddling programs (e.g., schedule, cost) can be found on RAMP.

Uncoached Junior/Senior and Uncoached Masters Paddling

In 2024, Banook has created a new paddling option for experienced Junior/Senior aged paddlers (19 - 25 yrs). This paddling option is intended for experienced athletes who are seeking a self-tailored approach to their continued participation in the sport and connection to their peers, in ways that better fit with the other demands of young-adult life (e.g., shift work, post-secondary education).  

This program is similar to uncoached Masters (25 yrs+), in that it provides athletes the opportunity to be self-directed, participate in regattas, and use their own boats to paddle at times when the club is open. More details on both of these uncoached paddling options (e.g., schedule, cost) can be found on RAMP.  

High Performance (U15 and up)

This is a year round program for youth who have achieved a high level of skill in small boats and have a high commitment to the sport of paddling. The summer schedule includes two sessions per day in small boats plus war canoe practices with an emphasis on fitness and technique. Instruction will be by experienced coaches. Participants will be performing at a competitive level at local and national regattas. An evaluation by the Head Coach is required for admission into the program.

Off Season Paddling (U10-U16 options and High Performance)

Off-season fall, winter and spring training, options of 3, 5, and 10+ hours of coach supervised training each week at U10-U14+ ages/skill level. Registration opens in late August for the fall session, and in late March for the spring session.