NEW! Full day Summer Fitness program with the JCC

The GWC and JCC Rochester are collaborating to offer a Full Day Summer Fitness Program that is designed to promote a healthy lifestyle in a safe and fun atmosphere.  Participants will enjoy the action at the Lock 32 Whitewater Park and the JCC's state of the art fitness facility, while benefiting from the educated and highly talented staff of each organization. The program is focused on providing a fun and energetic environment in which each student has the opportunity to learn about fitness goals, sports skills, nutrition habits, team building, and self-esteem.

This program is for girls and boys ages 10-14 and all participants must be able to swim.  It is not required to be a JCC member in order to participate in this program.

Program Format

The program is offered Monday through Thursday from 9am-4pm.  The student will spend a half-day learning to kayak at Lock 32 Whitewater Park and a half-day day at the JCC engaged in a variety of structured fitness games, activities, and sports.  Lunch is included and all students will eat together at the JCC during the lunch hour.  The program staff will supervise the students at all times with a 5:1 student to staff ratio.

At Lock 32 Whitewater Park:  Lock 32 Whitewater park summer clinics teach youth to excel in one of the fastest growing water sports in the country. ACA certified kayak instructors teach the basic elements of whitewater kayaking and water safety, including wet-exits, forward and reverse sweep strokes, peel outs, eddy turns, ferries and river reading skills. All of the skills taught build a strong foundation for white water slalom racing, freestyle kayaking and recreational river running. The program involves many fun activities, including games and swimming to build a strong kayaking and safety skill set. Kayaks, helmets, paddles and life jackets are provided. 

The student must select the appropriate level of the Whitewater Youth Clinics offered at our facility, which range from Level 1 (no prior experience) or Level 2 (completed a Level 1 course or its equivalent). The Level 3 course is also offered at select times throughout the summer. Full course descriptions are at the bottom of this page. 

At the JCC: Each participant will undergo a fitness evaluation conducted by the JCC certified fitness trainers at the beginning of each week.  In addition to the fitness evaluation, a portion of the first day of each week will be spent on safety and orienting all participants to the different pieces of interactive and cardio fitness equipment.  Each day the group will rotate through 3 different activities, varying from soccer, tennis, and yoga to handball, basketball, swimming, and much more!

JCC’s staff are experts in their fields.  Liz Jacobson, a former player for the Rochester Rhinos Women's Soccer team, knows her game.  Dave Strebel has been a tennis pro for over 30 years, certified USPTA teaching professional for 25 years, and was named the New York Tennis Coach of the Year in 1994.

Program Schedule

	Lock 32 - Level 1	Lock 32 - Level 2	JCC
Monday	Learn how to paddle & steer your kayak while on calm water and how to safely exit from kayak while upside down.	Work one-on-one with an instructor on your eskimo roll and work on playboating moves throughout the whitewater course.	In Zone Orientation Cardio Room Soccer
Tuesday	Spend the day in the whitewater course and continue working on your paddling skills in moving water.	Continue perfecting the roll technique while learning playboating moves such as stern squirts and bow stalls.	Free Swim Sport Training Basketball
Wednesday	You have now built up your paddling skills to the point where you can run the whole whitewater course, crashing through the waves and small holes.	You will continue putting your newfound skills into good practice, while learning new moves like side surfing in the holes, front surfing waves, and perfecting boat control.	Group Games Ultimate Frisbee Tennis
Thursday	Last Day: today you will work on some more advanced skills (like surfing), play lots of games, and paddle down the rapids.	Last Day: work your way through the whitewater course, practicing all your favourite new moves!	Handball Music Cardio Yoga
Genesee Waterways Center's		JCC rochester

Level 1 Whitewater Youth Clinics

This four-day program will get you into kayaking in the Lock 32 Whitewater Park. On Day One we head over to the pond and work on the basic paddling skills on calm water. You will learn how to get out of the boat when you flip over, how to paddle and how to steer your kayak. On Day Two we will head down to the whitewater course where you will continue working on your paddling in moving water. On Day Three you can run the whole whitewater course (if you want to)—crash through waves and small holes. On Day Four we work on some more advanced skills (like surfing), play a variety of games and paddle down through the rapids.

This course teaches solid kayaking skills right from the start. Once you learn the basics you can take a more advanced class (like a Level Two clinic) or come back on Monday night and join the Lock 32 Youth Kayaking Club, which includes members who have just started out like you and youth who have been featured in national magazines and competitions.

Level 2 Whitewater Youth Clinics

Level Two is all about learning the Eskimo Roll and improving your boat control in the rapids.  Instructors will work one-on-one with each student to teach the fundamentals of the roll and to practice and perfect the technique.  Once you get the roll, you will be challenged with advanced playboating moves like the stern squirt and bow stall.  You will also work on surfing the waves, side-surfing in the holes and perfecting your boat control throughout the features in the whitewater course. 

Prerequisite: Level I clinic or equivalent whitewater experience