Mission Accomplished

by Irene J. Bozogan

I did it! The joy and exhilaration that comes with finally getting a roll is very heady. I couldn't fall asleep after pool practice tonight because I kept feeling the roll as I lay there. It is now about 3 hrs later and I am writing this article. I know that I'll pay for this lack of sleep, but it was worth it. I LEARNED TO ROLL!

Everyone's learning pattern is different, so I thought that I would pass along some ideas about what I did to accomplish my "feat".

1. Practice your hip snap. At the side of the pool, practice your hip snap. I tried to add force to my snap by associating a power word to it. By using the word "BAM!", I could drive my knee down harder. Hey! Use whatever works!

2. Practice your wet exit. I did not like being under water in a boat. I don't think that most people do. However, once I knew the basics of the roll that I had to coordinate, I decided to practice it on my own rather than have someone there to "save" me. It took more time because I had to empty the boat after an unsuccessful attempt, but I felt that I was in control. I didn't panic, waiting for my rescuer.

3. Watch your blade. This is a critical element and is what kept my head down. As I was floating upside down with my paddle in position for a C to C roll, I looked for my blade. I said my magic word "BAM!", and miracle of miracles, I was breathing air! It was so cool! But the amazing part of it all, was that it was so easy. It's hard to comprehend so take it on faith. After struggling to get this technique down, you look back and say, "What was the problem? This isn't so bad."

Rolling in a pool is a long way from rolling in a river, but it's an important first step. I've got a lot of practice ahead of me, but I now have the confidence that I need to move forward. Hopefully, these few tips will help you also. Hey! I did it before I was 75 too!

Many thanks go out to Robin and Dan and the other guys in the pool who helped me accomplish this milestone in my paddling career.

Happy paddling,

Irene