I have been living and loving this water life from day one. From that moment I came out of the pool of saltwater in the hospital, I was ready to charge and I was always connected to the natural world and it's liquid lifeblood. I grew up in the Carolinas surfing, fishing, climbing, and running around the woods like some wild animal. My brother, my friends and I were towing each other into waves behind our junky jon boat in the early nineties and were a few of the only kids bombing short Appalachian snow runs on a board. I was a free-range kid in every sense of the term and was only required to come home when the sun went down. Paddling across flooding inlets filled with sharks and jellyfish was how we got to the waves. I can't believe we survived.
In college, I found myself actually getting paid to do all these fun things I loved. Outdoor recreation leadership just came naturally and I dedicated myself to being the best athlete, coach and teacher I could.
After leaving college life, I headed towards the most challenging yet one of the best decision of my life. I flew to Paraguay for 2 years as an environmental education Peace Corps Volunteer. And thank goodness I did because that's where I met my amazing wife!
Two beautiful daughters later, and some serious adjustment back to life in the US, we have found ourselves at home in one of the most dynamic and naturally wonderful places on the planet. Portland, Oregon and the Cascadia Bioregion in general are the perfect arena for living the professional life I always hoped for. Since 2007, I have been coaching paddlesports here, always developing my skills as a coach and outdoor leader.
In 2009 I committed fully to coaching SUP which allows my diverse skill set and my true passions to harmonize. In reality, my biggest passion is getting people on the water and seeing the smiles on their faces. I've coached Stand Up Paddleboarding to hundreds of people in Portland over the years and have trained local SUP coaches, one of my favorite things to do.
Sustainability and Adventure go hand in hand. Also in 2009, I returned to the halls of academia to get my Masters Degree in Leadership for Sustainability Education focusing on experiential education theory and how actively engaging with Nature can help us build stronger, healthier bodies and communities.
And now here we are, baby number three. Cascadia SUP is born and I couldn't be happier. I get to share innovative, industry leading SUP experiences with people in the great Pacific Northwest. Oh and I do enjoy long walks on the beach.
In college, I found myself actually getting paid to do all these fun things I loved. Outdoor recreation leadership just came naturally and I dedicated myself to being the best athlete, coach and teacher I could.
After leaving college life, I headed towards the most challenging yet one of the best decision of my life. I flew to Paraguay for 2 years as an environmental education Peace Corps Volunteer. And thank goodness I did because that's where I met my amazing wife!
Two beautiful daughters later, and some serious adjustment back to life in the US, we have found ourselves at home in one of the most dynamic and naturally wonderful places on the planet. Portland, Oregon and the Cascadia Bioregion in general are the perfect arena for living the professional life I always hoped for. Since 2007, I have been coaching paddlesports here, always developing my skills as a coach and outdoor leader.
In 2009 I committed fully to coaching SUP which allows my diverse skill set and my true passions to harmonize. In reality, my biggest passion is getting people on the water and seeing the smiles on their faces. I've coached Stand Up Paddleboarding to hundreds of people in Portland over the years and have trained local SUP coaches, one of my favorite things to do.
Sustainability and Adventure go hand in hand. Also in 2009, I returned to the halls of academia to get my Masters Degree in Leadership for Sustainability Education focusing on experiential education theory and how actively engaging with Nature can help us build stronger, healthier bodies and communities.
And now here we are, baby number three. Cascadia SUP is born and I couldn't be happier. I get to share innovative, industry leading SUP experiences with people in the great Pacific Northwest. Oh and I do enjoy long walks on the beach.
Outdoor Cred |
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