In September, 2007, BreastStrokes Dragon Boat Team sent a partial team to Caloundra, Australia (north of Bisbane), to compete in the second international breast cancer survivors' dragon boat regatta. We joined almost 2000 survivors from around the world to compete in this event. More importantly, we combined with a team from Tasmania to fill our boat and race.

The races at Kawana race site were very well organized. The wind was gusty and unpredictable, and the lake was definitely up hill! However,
it was a purpose-built site for racing, and the man running the races was an experienced professional.

We did very well with our combined team of Tasmanians and Canadians. Tazzies are in pink, Cannucks are in red in the photo above. They were
wonderful, and everyone paddled their little hearts out. We were first in our lane every race, and turned in several respectable times below 3 minutes (around 2:48 was our best for 500 meters). I am so proud of the effort made by everyone in our colourful combined team. The Tasmanians gave as much to us in enthusiasm and courage as we gave to them in experience. The end result was that we were all winners. I know our experience would not have been as rich as it was, had we not had the opportunity of combining with the Tasmanians and our little Nicole from Montreal.

Many thanks to everyone involved, for their hard work and companionship during this excellent adventure.

Cheers,

Connie

Steersperson
BreastStrokes Team

__,_._,___

Participant Handout: Why 45 Minute Classes?


When asked to recommend an ideal class length, facility programmers and aquafitness leaders often suggest 45 minutes. Participants who are used to a 55 or 60 minute class format may wonder about the motivation for this shorter time frame. This handout explains many of the excellent reasons why pool programmers, leaders in vertical water training, and many participants prefer a 45 minute class.

The effectiveness of vertical water exercise is highly dependent upon proper movement execution and participant effort. It is difficult for most people to maintain strong vertical alignment, and powerful movements, when working longer than 45 minutes. This can limit results for people seeking moderate to challenging levels of fitness. Participants in gentle, warm water classes may be unable to maintain the core stability required for effective exercise technique. A well planned, challenging 45 minute class presents sufficient overload to the mind and body of participants at all levels of fitness.

Dehydration Due to Immersion:
Water exerts pressure on things immersed in it. This “hydrostatic pressure” increases with depth of immersion. Therefore, when standing in chest deep water, or staying vertical in neck deep water, the hydrostatic pressure on the body is much greater at the feet than at the shoulders.
The body is effectively squeezed like a toothpaste tube, from the bottom up. Bodily fluids are moved upward, and blood volume in the trunk increases dramatically.
Enhanced blood volume (+700 ml) in the chest causes pressure receptors in the heart to increase kidney activity by over 600%! This effect is more profound with neck deep (as opposed to chest deep) immersion.
While hydrostatic pressure contributes to improved cardiac function (for most people), two problems result from the upward shift of bodily fluids and increased kidney function:
1. Participants may need to leave the pool for a ‘Nature Break’. The shorter, 45 minute class format is more likely to be within the capabilities of most bladders.
2. The longer participants are immersed in the pool, the greater their dehydration. Participants will be able to work their bodies more effectively and with less likelihood of muscle cramping if they are not dehydrated.

Longer class formats require substantial endurance. Participants often fatigue toward the end of a long class and are unable to maintain core stability, or the intensity of their effort. Joint alignment and exercise technique suffer. Lack of vigorous muscle action can lead to cold, tense muscles, making stretching at the end of a long class difficult or uncomfortable (tense, shivering muscles are not pliable).

Class Design: A class length of 45 minutes is more than adequate to include –
• 5 - 10 minutes of vigorous activity to warm the body and lubricate the joints
• 15 - 25 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, using large muscle groups rhythmically
• 10 minutes of specific muscle focus work for muscle strength and endurance
• 5 - 10 minutes of deeper stretching and relaxation

With a 45 minute class format, transition time between classes or other programs in the pool is more generous. This allows staff and participants to enter or exit the pool and change areas at a safer, more leisurely pace. Between classes, participants have time to interact with their instructor, or socialize with one other. Therefore, there is no need for distracting chatter during class. Everyone is better able to concentrate on excellent technique and focused effort.

Facilities may wish to offer a lane for aqua walking / jogging during the recreational swims that take place before or after the aqua class. Anyone desiring more pool time to warm up, exercise, or stretch, may do so independently.

The Resolution Solution

Body fat serves some important roles. In addition to giving us curves, it cushions and insulates delicate parts of our bodies. It helps to keep us warm and stores certain vitamins and vast amounts of energy for future use. Fat is a necessary part of our lives, but can you have too much of a good thing? Absolutely!

Winter is the time we swaddle ourselves in extra layers of clothing, and if we’re not vigilant, some of us put on extra layers of fat as well. For many people, the long, dark months of cold, slippery weather result in large couch-prints all over our bodies. Inactivity, combined with the rich bounty of holiday festivities can lead to some unwelcome ‘gifts’ in the New Year. If you wait until after the holidays to come to terms with the effects of over-indulgence and under-activity, you may have a much bigger mountain to climb. Those who take time to plan ahead can avoid having to wear their ‘buffet’ clothes until spring arrives.

It may help to consider some of the harmful effects of excess body fat. An article in Arthritis Today Magazine (Obesity Front & Centre, p 62 – 67, September – October 2004, www.arthritis.org) highlights current research about the effects of obesity on health. We have long known that extra pounds can increase health risks for heart disease, diabetes, and osteoarthritis in load-bearing joints. In Obesity Front & Centre, D.R. Sigfried reviews a number of research studies that expand our understanding of the damaging effects of excess body fat. It seems fat deposits can take on a glandular function. Enlarged fat cells can trigger inflammation and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Breast and prostate cancer, atherosclerosis, gum disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and osteo arthritis are proving to be connected to excess body fat.

How fat is too fat? If you haven’t checked your body mass index (BMI) lately, there are many web sites that will help you do so. All you need to know is your current height and weight. BMI does not account for body composition differences (whether your weight is made of muscle or fat) but it will give you a good benchmark for whether your weight is in the healthy zone, too heavy or too light. Type “BMI” into any search engine on your computer. The following site from the US National Heart Lung & Blood Institute also offers lots of good information to foster healthy lifestyles: www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi

Kellogg’s old “Pinch an Inch” test is very useful (and only a little painful). If you can grab hands full of fat on any area of your body, these are excess fat pounds that could be (and most likely ARE) damaging to your health. Consider the following facts about load-bearing joints. Due to the physics of joint actions, one pound feels like 3 – 8 pounds to your knees when going up or down stairs, performing a lunge, or getting out of a chair. Think how much easier these simple tasks would be with 10 fewer pounds (feeling like 30 – 80 fewer pounds) on your joints! If you already have some issues with your feet, ankles, knees, hips, or back, a weight loss of only a few pounds can make a substantial difference to your ability to move comfortably.

It seems fat is loaded with extra nerve cells, because in most circles, fat is a sensitive issue. It is also hard to budge. If losing excess body fat were easy, we’d all be our ideal weight. I count myself among those who have the genetic predisposition to survive global famine (thanks, Dad!). While it isn’t easy, I hope I have convinced you that healthier body composition is a goal worth working toward. Here are a few ideas that may help you achieve slow, gradual, healthy fat loss. If you start now, you don’t have to wait until summer to make a healthy difference in your body composition.

1. Don’t beat yourself up for having too much body fat, how much you ate over the holidays, or the bulging roots of your family tree. Hating yourself, or your body, or making food your enemy is counter-productive. You need to treat yourself like you would your best friend: with kindness and respect.

2. There are no magic formulas for losing unwanted fat (other than plastic surgery, and that’s cheating!).

3. Your body works on an “energy-in energy-out” basis. If you consume more energy than you expend, you will store the extra energy as fat. Conversely, if you expend more energy than you consume, you will use up fat stores.

To reduce body fat, you need to look for healthy ways to increase energy expenditure and decrease energy intake (while still maintaining good nutrition for your body).






Below is information to help you conquer the fat-loss equation:

Healthy ways to decrease food intake:

Food is your fuel, not your enemy.
You need lots of fruit and vegetables, moderate amounts of whole grains, and small amounts of low-fat proteins daily.

If you need to re-educate yourself on healthy nutrition, see the following web site for nutrition information on-line:
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/ onpp-bppn/food_guide_rainbow_e.html
or just type “Canada’s Food Guide” into your computer search engine.

No computer? Ask your doctor, librarian, or public health department for a copy of Canada’s Food Guide.

Recognize and counteract “portion distortion’. A serving of pasta is 1 cup, not a plate-full. A portion of protein is the size of a deck of cards, not the size of a baseball glove. Visualize an airline meal…those are proper portion sizes unless you are extremely active, a growing teenager or a pregnant or nursing mom.

Eat your meals on smaller plates. Take smaller bites, and chew each bite thoroughly. Take time to savour and enjoy each morsel of your nutritious meal. Eating over the sink or in front of the TV reduces the enjoyment of food, and can foster mindless over-consumption.

The other thing we tend to distort is the impact of activity on caloric needs. A heavy-duty workout will likely only burn 300 – 400 calories. A fast-food meal (burger, fries, and soft drink) will add about 1000 calories to the metabolic equation. Beware of liquid calories. Flavoured coffees can pack as many calories as a meal.

Alcohol has similar calorie content to fat. It also weakens your resolve to eat the right foods in healthy quantities.
Remember that more than 3 servings of alcohol (4 oz of wine; a shot of spirits; a bottle of beer) increases your breast cancer risk.

If you are someone who prefers group support for weight loss, try joining your local Weight Watchers or TOPS organization. These groups offer weekly weigh-ins, helpful tips and support. Weight Watchers now has an on-line program if you prefer to follow your progress in the privacy of your own home.

The book, "You on a Diet" (Roizen & Oz, Free Press) is useful in terms of a common sense approach to waist management, healthy eating, exercise and lifestyle choices. It does a lot of explaining about how the digestive system works, and how eating habits influence health. The website to is free to use, and includes all the information, recipes, and tracking tools to help you be successful. Check it out: http://www.realage.com/ click on the "You on a Diet" link.

If you like the discipline of a prescribed ‘diet’, the DASH diet is available on-line. The South Beach Diet is well-reviewed by many dietitians. It is less severe than the Atkins diet, while it offers quick results in a heart-smart way. One recommendation is that you skip the strict Phase 1 and just do Phase 2 while you lose the weight.


Healthy ways to increase energy output:

You may think you can’t increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR), but you can. BMR is the energy cost of running all your daily bodily functions. The best way to increase your metabolism is to increase your muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate (because muscle is metabolically more active than fat).

To increase muscle mass, engage in resistance training (weights, aquatic exercise, elastic resistance, etc). Use proper technique and work to fatigue. Usually, resistance training every other day is best. This gives your muscles a day of rest and recovery between training sessions. Recovery is the time when new muscle mass is built.

Exercise daily. Cardiovascular exercise (the kind of exercise that has you breathing harder and breaking a sweat) is the kind of activity that really burns calories. The harder and longer you exercise, the more energy you consume. However, exercise common sense as well as your heart. You can do some cardiovascular exercise every day, but stay in your comfort zone (working “somewhat hard”). Make sure you are consuming lots of water, and listen to your body. If you are gasping for air, feeling stressed, dizzy, or overheated, you probably need to slow down a little and pick up the pace again when you feel ready to do so. If you haven not done cardiovascular exercise in years and you are over 40, it is best to have a check up with your MD before getting started. A health professional can give you a PAR-Q (health screening questionnaire) to help you determine your readiness for cardiovascular exercise. The more active you are in general, the higher your energy expenditure.

Active Daily Living (ADL) is one of the best places to start spending more energy. This is healthy, gentle activity such as walking. To increase daily activity, look for every opportunity to be more active. Park farther away from the door, take the stairs, take several trips to transfer laundry / groceries, exercise during the commercials when you watch TV. Every little bit of activity adds up. Even fidgeting counts!

Thermal Effect of a Meal: Food is fuel for your body. Use it regularly and wisely. Every time you eat, your metabolism is elevated while your body processes the meal.

Dieticians recommend that you eat every 3 hours: 3 meals and 2 – 3 snacks per day. Every time you eat, have a small amount of each of the following: a fruit / vegetable; a whole grain; a source of protein.

Meals and snacks are SMALL amounts of nutritious foods, prepared in heart-smart ways. If you need more help with special dietary needs, it is best to have a consultation with a dietitian.


Changing habits is a challenge!

First, it is important to recognize that change is necessary.

Next, it is useful to identify the specific habits that need revision.

After that, make small, healthy changes you can maintain:
• Try changing one new thing per week that will move you toward your goal. For example, substitute water for your afternoon soft drink; get up and exercise during the commercials of every TV show you watch, or every 30 minutes if you’re reading or doing some other sedentary activity.
• It is easier to deal with one change at a time.
• This is important: reward the behaviour change, not the weight-loss goal. Body fat will not melt away quickly, and impatience with weight-loss can cause discouragement.
• Focus on positive behaviour changes, and forget the scales. Look for changes in your energy levels, your strength, and the way your skin and clothes fit.

Good luck with your positive changes. Here’s to a fit, healthy New You!

Instructor: Save Thyself!


I know I’m biased, but I strongly believe that CALA certified aquafitness professionals offer the best leadership in the industry. Our participants love being the centre of our attention. They respond with enthusiasm and delight when they are educated about what they are doing, why they are doing it, and how to best achieve results. Our leaders have to meet the highest standard in the industry in order to call ourselves “CALA Certified”. We are dedicated to ongoing education and are constantly seeking new ways to offer our participants the BEST.

“Yes, Yes!”, you’re saying, “so what’s your point?”

I am writing this article because I want you to be a great aquafitness leader well into your dotage. I want to see aged, wrinkled, happy, healthy CALA certified leaders motivating their aquafitness participants to excellence for years to come. At the present time, I feel that acute injuries, repetitive strain, and burnout are taking their toll. Routinely, I talk to leaders who are dealing with plantar fasciitis, low back pain, sore knees, neck pain and shoulder strain. Some have slipped and fallen on the deck with unfortunate, bone-breaking results. Others have the exhausted look of someone who has given the emotional and physical energy required to teach 12 to 20+ classes a week. Many express their concern over working very hard for many hours in a chlorine-filled, overheated, humid environment. These are real issues that need to be addressed if we are to enjoy longevity as aquafitness leaders.

We teach in a very unusual situation where our participants enjoy all the benefits the water has to offer, while we, the leaders on deck, work in an uncomfortable, potentially hazardous environment. The members of our classes have their joints cushioned by buoyancy, their muscle balance ensured by aquatic resistance, and their bodies cooled by temperate pool waters. Even if they do slip on the pool floor, they are caught and buoyed up by the dancing waves around them. Dehydration is an issue for the class, but don’t we constantly encourage them to bring their water bottles and sip regularly? Our participants are frequently reminded by us to focus on their muscles, their effort and their well-being.

Consider the contrast in working environments for the aqua instructor. As you read each ISSUE / SOLUTION listed below, mentally offer your own solution to the problem. See how your thoughts compare with the ideas offered below. If you have encountered a different problem, or have solved these issues a different / better way, please get in touch. Sharing useful strategies makes us all stronger!

Issue: As leaders, our focus is usually on our participants, it is NOT on ourselves (yet WE are at the greater risk of injury!)
Solution: Make your safety a priority with each and every class you teach. If you aren't healthy, you can't be there for them.

Issue: Dehydration is far greater for us. As the body tries to cool itself, it sends more and more useless sweat to the surface of our skin. The sweat cannot evaporate because the heat and humidity of the pool environment are too high.
Solution: Drink water while you teach, and be sure you are well-hydrated before and after you teach your class.


CALA teaching tools ready to go: deck matt, water bottle, sturdy deck chair and sweat towel

Issue: While we do not have hydrostatic pressure pushing our kidneys into overdrive, we also do not have that gentle force increasing venous return to our core.
We tend to work vigorously for a while, then stand, cue and motivate with the upper body. During this time, blood from the leg muscles is not being assisted back to the heart by leg movement and will pool in the legs and feet.
Solution: Gentle movement of your legs will assist your venous return. When you are ‘marking’ the movements rather than moving vigorously, be sure to have some leg movement to assist blood flow back to your upper body.

Issue: Blood is shunted to our skin in a fruitless attempt to assist cooling. This compromises blood flow to our working muscles, our heart, and our brains (which may explain why the best-planned routines sometimes can’t be remembered on deck!)
Solution: Hydration (pre-class and during the class), as well as the gentle movement mentioned above will help maintain blood volume and will assist venous return.

Issue: Impact on deck MUST be cushioned by a CALA deck mat, but even with this useful tool, our joints receive a great deal of pounding if we repetitively model jumping jacks, skis, or other movements that require both feet to leave the floor.
Solution: Mark (“fake”) airborne movements whenever possible. You can also use your arms to mimic your legs. Any vigorous movement demonstrations MUST be done on your mat. Pool ladders and solid deck chairs can assist the instructor to make impact-free demonstrations.

Issue: When demonstrating jumping jacks, wide hamstring jogormarch, wide tucks or squats, instructors often have the knee joint at an angle that places unhealthy forces on the medial knee ligaments. (A plumb-line dropped from the middle of the patella falls inside the feet, rather than over the middle of the foot.)
Solution: Ensure that your alignment is joint friendly. Be sure that the knees are over the middle toe when bending or absorbing impact. This may require external rotation of the hip joint and narrower foot placement.

Poor Knee Alignment:
Notice the plumb line from the knee cap, demonstrating poor knee alignment while landing a jumping jack or preparing for wide hamstring jog / hamstring curls. Gravitational forces on the knee follow this line, placing unhealthy forces on the medial knee joint. Jumping or squat actions place 3 – 8 X your body weight on your joints. Do the math with YOUR body weight to realize the trauma to your knees if you are poorly aligned.



Correct Knee Alignment:
Follow the plumb line from mid-patella. It falls over the middle of the foot. The forces of landing or squat actions are now transmitted evenly through the knee, ankle and foot. This position requires some external rotation of the hip.

Check Your Alignment: Do several jumping jacks, wide hamstring jogs / curls in front of a mirror and check your alignment! Stop the action in a wide stance with the knees slightly flexed. An imaginary plumb line from your patella should fall in the middle of your foot.


Issue: Muscle balance happens naturally in the water, where every action is resisted. On land, we work only against gravity. Our hip flexors work BOTH directions with every jogormarch we do! Add a number of tucks, cross over jogormarch and sartorius jogormarch and the strain on the hip flexors and low back becomes enormous. Low back pain is a common complaint among busy instructors. Overuse of hip flexors is the most likely culprit.
Solution: Do your own water workouts to achieve the same muscle balance benefits as your class. Cross train in a variety of activities to build well-rounded fitness and resilience to injury. Stretch your hip flexors and strengthen the EXTENSORS of your hips and low back, to balance the overuse of aquafit leadership.

Issue: Because deep water hamstring moves (hamstring chair, swivel, and pac man) are more difficult to demonstrate, some leaders focus more of their time on the hip flexor alternatives. In doing so, they rob their clients of excellent core stabilization and hamstring / gluteal training opportunities, and further over-emphasize the use of their own hip flexors as stabilizers.
Solution: Kneel on your mat, use the pool railings or mimic your legs with your arms. Your class probably needs emphasis on hip extensors and core stabilizers as much as you do. See ideas above about your own training needs.

Issue: Instructors who jump in and out of the water, or who teach on decks where their feet get soaked, may not wear prescribed orthotics or supportive footwear for the work they are doing.
Solution: Remember that you are working on cement. Look for a supportive deck shoe and / or plastic orthotics that can tolerate water. Triathelete shoes may work for you.

Issue: You are teaching many, many classes per week because: a) your class LOVES you and wants you and only you to teach them, several times per week; b) you need the money; c) there are not enough CALA-trained and certified leaders for the demand; d) you are a masochist
Solution: Remember BALANCE and moderation in all things! Get other leaders trained so you don’t have to bear the entire teaching load. If cash flow is a problem, aqua personal training can be far more lucrative than leading group aqua classes, AND it is easier on your body!

You have worked hard to achieve the CALA standard of excellence in aquafitness leadership. It’s not fair to you or to your participants if you are out of action due to accident, repetitive strain, traumatic injury, or psychological burnout. If you fail to take care of you, you won’t have anything left to give to others.

Take care of YOUR mind, body and spirit. Recharge your batteries and stimulate your mind by attending the CALA conference, reading research and interacting with other leaders. Honour your body by practicing leadership safety while teaching on deck. Cross-train your body by getting in the pool for your own workouts, and doing a variety of other healthy, balanced activity. If you happen to teach at outdoor pools, remember that sunscreen does NOT prevent skin cancer. Cover up with a sun hat; stay in the shade; wear sun-filtering, lightweight clothing while you teach. Avoid teaching too many classes, and take a break for a while if you find yourself feeling burned out. Lift your spirits by doing the special things that bring you joy. That way, the time, money, and hard work you have invested in becoming a CALA certified leader will benefit you and others for years to come.

Yackuafitness



Do you often find yourself teaching to the sides or backs of people’s heads? Do you have to raise your voice in a frustrated attempt to drown out the conversational drone from the pool? Have you wondered why some participants come to your class when it seems they don’t want a workout at all? Whenever the topic of ‘communication’ or ‘cueing’ arises among group aquafitness leaders, the issue of participant talking and inattentiveness rears its vocal head. Frustrations emerge as leaders share their exasperation with chatty, distracted participants. Tales of temper tantrums from both the water and the pool deck abound. Several years ago, I created a participant handout to deal with this issue. It is intended to heighten awareness regarding the purpose of the class and respect for the rights of others. It is reprinted in this issue, because clearly, the problem of ‘yackuafitness’ has not gone away!

Chatty participants raise the age old argument: are aquafitness classes for socialization or recreation? Is the class offered to promote fitness or mental health and community spirit? Whether you’re a social aqua-talker or a frustrated aqua leader, this issue is of importance to you. As a participant in a friend’s aqua class, I once jokingly challenged a chatty lady about her abundance of conversation and lack of physical effort. She quickly retorted that she was there to have ‘fun’…and to her, that obviously required non-stop dialogue with anyone who would listen. Most leaders have experienced the problems that even one avid talker can create in the group aqua setting. And somehow, like a cancer, chattiness seems to spread if the instructor isn’t able to create the desired climate in the class.

CALA training creates outstanding aquafitness leaders. We know this because of the popularity of our classes. Participants frequently express their surprise and appreciation when they witness the results of consistent, concentrated effort in the pool. The CALA holistic philosophy honours the needs and feelings of the participant, and all his or her reasons for being there. However, the class is titled “Aquafitness”, not “Yackuafitness”. Fitness is a key focus. In order to challenge the bodily systems enough to elicit a training response, participants must put effort into their movements. They must learn to move effectively. This requires the knowledge and skills learned from a vigilant instructor.

The water is a challenging training environment. Mind and body need to connect properly to maintain stable, functional movement. Also, the temperature of most recreational pools requires substantial muscle activation to maintain comfortable body warmth. It is possible to create an enlightening mind-body connection and excite the spirit of aquafitness participants without encouraging or endorsing non-stop conversation. In fact, distracting chit chat undermines this connection and the sense of exhilaration which can be achieved with concentrated effort in the pool. People always get more out of it when they put more into it! But what is a leader to do with inattentive talkers?

You can simply ask people to quit talking (good luck!). Non-verbal cueing works well to attract visual attention to the leader. Educational tid-bits increase knowledge of purpose and participant focus. You can enlighten your participants with the one-page handout at the end of this article (with your supervisor’s permission!). You can stomp off the pool deck in a fit of rage, and see whether or not they notice you have left. However, these things alone will not create the excitement and results achieved by an attentive class. Here are some suggestions to help you create a dynamic leadership base which will attract and hold your participants’ focus:

• Your cues must be clear. Use short, concise, purposeful words and phrases. Mix verbal and visual cueing.
• Smooth movement transitions reduce frustration and ensure success. I call this the “Holiday Inn” style of leadership: “no surprises”.
• Look, act, and feel professional. Keep up to date and continually strive to improve your leadership skills.
• Integrate some ‘new stuff’ into the class on a regular basis. Maintain a comfortable foundation of familiar activity to avoid instructional overload.
• Finally, to be the effective centre of your group’s attention, YOU need to be INTERESTING! YOU need to be EXCITING! YOU need to be FOCUSED! Do what it takes to light your fire (new music, a new outfit, attend inspirational classes, talk to your mentor…), then bring that passion to your classes.



Unfortunately, in our society, people get bored easily. The instructor needs to be any combination of: entertaining / challenging / humourous / passionate / lively… to hold their attention. I’ve heard leaders complain that their class won’t shut up and focus. Then, I have seen some of those leaders produce a basically sound, but monotone, unexciting class. You don’t have to be a stand-up comedian, mime, opera singer, clown, diva or cheer-leader, but some skill from any of those professions would be a welcome asset to add interest to your class.

The handout below includes more ideas to help participants ‘Belt Up and Get Splashing’. With some hard work and persistence, even confirmed “yack-and-float-club” members have made the conversion into hard-working aquaFITTERs. In my experience, they’re usually the first ones to tell other participants to shut up! Good luck taming your wet conversations.

You may re-print the following handout with my permission:

Belt Up & Get Splashing

An Adoption Story


T’was the week after Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, especially not Demetre. Sadly, our dear old Cockatiel, Demetre went to that big cage in the sky December 29th. We adopted him from friends, so aren’t sure of his age, but we think he was about 18. Demetre didn’t suffer. He played his usual games, ate his favourite foods, and made deposits on his favourite people right up to the end. His passing was cause for sadness, but also, some panic!


Demetre and friend, Pia

Demetre had been promised as a ‘first pet bird’ for my brother, Roger, and his grandson, Caleb. Demetre was scheduled to leave our home for theirs on December 26th. However, since everyone in his new adoptive home was ill, the visit and bird-doption was delayed until December 31st. That turned out to be a fortunate decision. Imagine how everyone would have felt if poor Demetre had not survived the trip to his new home!

The morning we found Demetre (feet-up, as it were), we faced a difficult dilemma. In Barrie, a 5 year old boy was excitedly awaiting the time he could come and get his new pet. The cage was purchased and prepared; Cockatiels had been researched and studied; and Grandma Linda had resigned herself to being a member of the new flock. I had to think fast. What does one do in such a situation? Should I pay a visit to the pet store and hope to find a matching bird that would ‘pass’ for Demetre?

No, that wouldn’t work. Instead, I put a call out to my bird-loving friends, Nathalie and Dean; Suzan and Allan, asking if they knew of any suitable birds for sale or adoption. Within hours, both friends were kind enough to offer a suitable feathered friend.

I managed to visit Nathalie and Dean first, and brought home ‘Gringo’ for an evening of foster care. Gringo is a sweet little Quaker that loves people but doesn’t get along very well with Nathalie and Dean’s other birds. Gringo had been in their foster care for two years, awaiting a suitable adoptive home. We discussed the circumstances and thought this would be an appropriate placement for Gringo. I called my sister-in-law and explained the situation. New web sites had to be found and digested, but everyone was excited about the substitute adoption.

When Caleb ran excitedly to our ‘bird room’ to meet his new friend, we first took time to learn the meaning of the words “calm” and “assertive”.

Though seemingly contradictory concepts, they were important behavioural descriptors for Caleb to learn before attempting to pick up his new pet. Gringo was not going to take kindly to an excited boy tentatively poking fingers at him and mumbling “step up”. Fortunately, Grandpa Roger is a natural at bird handling, and a vigilant mentor for Caleb and Gringo. After a few hours of visiting, we exchanged some bird-care resources and advice to prepare Gringo’s new family. The extra cage (from Nat and Dean), a few toys and favourite foods were all packed up for the voyage to Barrie.



Three and four-way e-mail conversations about this bird’s welfare have been going on ever since between Roger, Suzan, Nathlie, and myself. Has any human child ever received so much caring attention? This whole process has confirmed a few things for me:
ϑ All good things (including Demetre) must come to an end (as will we all some day)
ϑ Bird-people are the BEST (kind, generous, and helpful)
ϑ Bird-loving is contagious (maybe it is something in the feather-dust?)




Here is an excerpt of Roger’s week-one update:

Hi Suzan (and gang).


 
The munchkin is sitting on my shoulder as we speak.  We have renamed him Chico and it seems to suit fine.
 
He LOVES Spaghetti!!!! He checks to see whatever I'm eating regardless. There has been very little screeching and then, usually for a reason, i.e.. "What are you eating and why don't I have any?"; "My Gawd you sound awful when you whistle.  I can do better, listen!"; "Some one's here and I haven't been introduced yet!"; "I'm really tired and you should have put me in my cage half an hour ago!" and the all-time favorite, 'YOU'RE IGNORING ME!"
 
Did I mention he loves spaghetti?
 
He washes his Cheerios! Takes each one from the food bowl, climbs all the way across the cage, dunks the Cheerio then eats it. Loves popcorn. Actually gets some into his mouth. Loves pre-cracked sunflower seeds. No he's not spoiled!
 
Hates baths!!!!  We tried a nice big glass (stable) pie plate with a half inch of  tepid water. Set him on the edge with little finger splashes and he ran off. Set him in it and he ran to Caleb, wings out, begging to be picked up, "Awk! They're trying to drown me!"  

Plan 'B' will be the plant mister but I understood he loved baths? I'll wait a bit though since he may still be settling in and I don't want to turn him off that too.
 
I built him a 'T' perch and he was frightened at first but took to it after the third introduction. He climbs up from the bottom fine but watches the world from the top after that.
 
Chico said "Hello" to Caleb but won't to me (little stinker).  He does have a lot of little chirps and beak clucking sounds that he runs though sitting on my shoulder.  He has gotten used to Caleb whom he found a little too quick (and timid) at first.  They're both learning to get used to each other but Caleb loves him and I do note that Chico goes to him without hesitation.  He's just not sure that Caleb's in charge yet (a little nibble now and then that he won't do to me).
 
Week one was fine and even Linda can be caught cooing to him while petting and holding him when hot offering some new food for him to try.
Did I mention he loves spaghetti?
 
Thanks folks.  We'll be back to you.
 
Regards, Roger

Riding the Dragon Down Under
By Connie Jasinskas, B.Sc., B.Ed., M.Sc.

I am a Human Kinetics alumnus of 76 / 79. I learned my anatomy from the ambidextrous Dr. Boyd who attacked the blackboard, coloured chalk flying in both hands. Dr. Barklay had several of our class transporting large jugs of their own urine from place to place, establishing once and for all the diuretic properties of such beverages as coffee and beer. Drs. Wilson and Graham sharpened our minds in the arena of human performance with lively labs and challenging assignments. Dr. Charteris acquainted us with the mating habits of apes and the anatomy of gait. Like many of the early HK grads, I had the privilege to attend Camp Kandalore, and learn from a wonderful man named Sass Peepre. Sass and his outdoor education camp taught me the ‘J-stroke’ and the exact mass of a huge aluminum canoe on a two-mile portage. Sass and Camp Kandalore fostered team spirit and the will to overcome life’s challenges (we carried canned peaches in 80 pound canvas packs on those endless treks!). Little did I know that many years later, paddling on the edge of the gold pool in the University of Guelph Athletics Centre, Pat Richards would be yelling at me to ‘quit canoeing and start paddling like a Dragon Boater!’

Life has given me some challenges. Traversing a dehydrated lake (while feeding the bugs under a huge, heavy canoe on a blistering summer day) presented one kind of challenge. Cycling from Vancouver Island to Ontario in 1976 was another. Don’t get me started on the challenges of child-birth, motherhood, and 30 years of marriage! These were chosen obstacles involving pain, pleasure, and accomplishment. These hurdles were nothing compared to a cancer diagnosis. In 1997 my world changed forever when my surgeon informed me that the lump in my left breast was cancer. By the spring of 1998, I had finished seven months of chemotherapy and a month of radiation. Like one in nine Canadian women, I could now call myself a ‘survivor’.

So why would women who have gone through the trauma of breast cancer diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation choose to participate in the challenging sport of dragon boating? The 20 paddlers, drummer and steersperson have some important, common goals: we love the company of others who are ‘survivor-thrivers’; we love the physical challenge of the competitions and the training (which builds upper body strength and may help prevent lymphedema); we strive to create awareness of breast cancer and the need for more research, better treatments and a cure; we love to show people that there is life after a cancer diagnosis, and that no matter what age, size, or shape we are, we can paddle with heart and courage.

Members of the Guelph BreastStrokes Dragon Boat Team competing in Wellington New Zealand, March 2003.
From left to right: Iva McDonell, Connie Jasinskas, Marlene Jofriet, and Beverlie Nelson.

Approximately 100 Canadian breast cancer survivors made the long journey to New Zealand this March to compete in the inaugural South Pacific Breast Cancer Regatta (contrary to my husband’s suggestion, we flew there instead of paddling). Canadians Abreast I, II, and III included women from dragon boat teams across Ontario and eastern Canada. Chemo Savvy from Winnipeg and Abreast in a Boat from Vancouver completed the strong Canadian presence at the Regatta. Pink Phoenix, a powerful, friendly team from Oregon rounded out the North American paddlers. The morning we arrived in Auckland International Airport, the Auckland dragon boat team, Busting Out, gave us a rousing 6 AM Kiwi welcome. As a group, we simultaneously belted out the two or three different versions of “OH Canada” we knew (why do they keep changing the words?).


Exhausted Canadian dragon-boaters arrive early March 10th in Auckland.

We had some wonderful challenges in New Zealand. Our Kiwi hosts graciously provided us with a tidal mud-pond for two practice sessions before the March 15 – 16 weekend Regatta. South Pacific dragon boats are quite different from their northern hemisphere cousins. There are no cross-braces on the floor against which to push your feet while attacking the water. The seats are low, so our smaller paddlers had a boat gunnel grazing their arm pit. Last, but certainly not least, these boats are extremely unstable. The ride feels like 20 women kneeling on the same log, paddling to save their lives (literally). The first Canadians Abreast boat to go for a practice session in the shallow lake rolled the boat right near the shore. Imagine 22 surprised, frightened women taking an unplanned dump, head-first into two feet of water and three feet of mud. Paddles and middle-aged women careened in various directions. Glasses were snapped, earrings and shoes were lost in the mud, and a couple of toes were broken. Several shoulders and egos were bruised. The second group of paddlers was understandably nervous as they left the shore. This did not improve their fate. However, they had the wisdom to roll their boat farther out and did not endure the now famous Kiwi-Mud treatment. My boat was the third to leave the shore that day, and I’m proud to say, we had a few distinct wavers, but stayed afloat! Instead, we capsized our boat on the way to the start of our second race during the Regatta. That way, there were film crews and cameras of all kinds to capture our ineptitude with Kiwi dragon boats. Later that week, during tours of the Auckland and Wellington museums, we eyed the Mauri war-canoe out-riggers with lustful envy. Most Kiwi paddlers place one knee on the floor of the boat, with the other foot in front and their nether-cheeks on the seat. This gets their centre of gravity lower in the boat and establishes an anchor against which to paddle. Not having adequate practice time to master this technique, we clung to our top-heavy North American stance with predictable results.



The Auckland experience was but a warm-up for the one to two-foot swells of the famous “Windy Wellington Harbour” Regatta that took place the following weekend. There, Canadians Abreast managed to distinguish themselves by dumping two boats simultaneously. One team was finishing a race; the other was starting. New Zealand rescue crews were not prepared to handle that many women in the water at once, so it took some time to gather all 44 soggy Canadians and return them to terra-firma. The two boats that capsized decided to form one (smaller) team for the final day of the Wellington Regatta, and were victorious over Canadians Abreast III in the final race. After facing swells that would rival any ride at Canada’s Wonderland, we all felt like winners at the end of that race!

During the time between the two regattas, we took advantage of the opportunity to explore New Zealand. This is a small country with warm hospitality and stunning scenery. There are many vistas to rival British Columbia or Cape Breton. However, unlike the Canadian Rockies, there are no large predators (other than the motorists), so hiking trails are abundant and safe. We enjoyed a farm stay, volcanic lakes and hot springs on our way from Auckland to Wellington. Following the Wellington Regatta, the team dispersed, with some members heading for Fiji, the Cook Islands, Australia, or the South Island of New Zealand. Others headed home to Canada, with many fond memories of our participation in the South Pacific Regatta.

When asked how we did in the competitions, I am proud to say, “we always came first in our lane”. When asked why we take on such a challenge, my answer is, “because we can”. We had a blast representing Canada and Breast Cancer Survivors everywhere. We made friends from across North America and around the world. It was an experience none of us will forget. Pain, pleasure and accomplishment? Absolutely!