Team River Runner celebrates grand opening of Fort Belvoir chapter

By Rick Musselman, Belvoir Eagle Sports EditorMarch 20, 2013

Team River Runner Kayak
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Thirty-nine Warrior Transition Battalion servicemembers participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the grand opening of the Fort Belvoir chapter of the Team River Runner adaptive paddle-sports program Monday at Benyuard Indoor Pool.

Team River Runner is a volunteer organization launched in August 2004 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center which focuses on providing services to the nation's wounded Soldiers, disabled veterans, and their Family members. The program aims to promote health and healing opportunities for wounded, injured and ill servicemembers and their Families by providing experience and training in kayaking, canoeing, rafting and stand-up paddle-boarding, according to Team River Runner, Fort Belvoir Chapter, Coordinator Sean McCarthy.

"Team River Runner is staffed by both military and civilian volunteers with paddle sports backgrounds," McCarthy said. "Based upon our adaptive and therapeutic paddling programs, we have established and operate at nearly 50 locations throughout the United States."

McCarthy added TRR receives additional support from a variety of major organizations that share the goal of increasing the quality of life for wounded Soldiers.

"TRR, while working with Disabled Sports USA and the Wounded Warrior Project, provides active-duty servicemembers, veterans and their Family members an opportunity to improve their health, develop and promote healing, and to seek and experience new challenges -- on water and in life," he said. "Whether paddling on calm flat water for its serenity and soothing connection with nature or challenging oneself while paddling down the cascades of adrenaline-inducing white water rapids for excitement, TRR can develop and operate a paddling program wherever there exist water, participants and willing volunteers."

"The primary focus of the Fort Belvoir Chapter is on our wounded Soldiers of the Warrior Transition Unit," McCarthy continued. "Our secondary focus is on disabled veterans and our tertiary focus is on assisting all other members of the military community and their Family members. We emphasize the recruitment of eligible participants and on developing training programs and providing (at no cost) all necessary equipment to attain the program's goals. Our skills-training program consists of sessions which are held weekly at Benyuard Indoor Pool, open-water sessions on the Potomac River (launching from Tompkins Basin) and at other locations in the area."

Col. Gregory D. Gadson, garrison commander, Fort Belvoir, opened Monday's ceremony with remarks reflecting his pride in the program.

"We should be proud of this -- of Sean, Joe (Mornini, TRR program executive director), and all the coaches at Team River Runner. We're thankful for them jump-starting what we hope will be a part of a larger adaptive sports program for everyone on Fort Belvoir," Gadson said. "This is not about anybody's recognition or anybody's glory; it's about us and all the reasons we're all here. We want to grow it and we want to make it a good program. It's about having fun; it's about learning, and it's about getting out and learning something about ourselves."

An important aspect of TRR is the organization's aim to provide the paddle-sports training not only to the servicemembers themselves but also to their Families.

"Including Family members in the training makes TRR a better program," said Ashley Dubose, recreation therapist at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. "Having the evening time (6-8 p.m.) allows Family members the time to come who might otherwise not be able to. So in the evening the servicemembers' Families can come and paddle with them."

Following the opening ceremony and the official ribbon cutting performed by Gadson, the participants took to the water and underwent a variety of training exercises.

"The training includes a little bit of everything, because everybody is at a different stage of learning," said Navy Cmdr. Tom Womble, a volunteer TRR instructor since 2006. "They learn how to get in the boat, how to paddle, and, one of the most important things, how to get out of the kayak, especially if they're upside-down (known as the 'wet exit'). A lot of it is mental training and getting comfortable with it. Then they can learn how to roll (righting the kayak without having to exit, using the paddle). The program has been a lot of fun and it's good to train inside in a warm pool. Knowing what to expect and how to deal with it is important."

For the kayakers themselves, the program has proven to be a perfect tool in their reconditioning efforts, providing a challenging means to build physical fitness and confidence.

"My dad and I have kayaked in Quantico before but this is only my second time doing it here with River Runner," said Kelly Sidler, a military dependent who recently suffered a severe scooter accident. "I love it and it's definitely something I'll stick with."

"I love this program," said Air Force Lt. Col. Galen Ojala. "They start you off simple -- you learn the basics and you have drills and then you have fun. It lets you get used to it first; then you learn how to be comfortable getting out of the kayak. Nobody ever really gets it right the first time but when you do, the instructors are really excited for you. The friendliness is great."

Team River Runner meets at Benyuard Indoor Pool every Monday from 6-8 p.m.

For more information, contact McCarthy at (703) 583 2354.