ATLANTA, GA – Georgia paddling leaders and clubs, including Georgia River Network (GRN), received multiple recognitions on Oct. 30 from the American Canoe Association (ACA) during the organization’s 2022 Annual Meeting and awards ceremony.
The ACA serves as the national certifying body for paddlesports instructors, the national governing body for several Olympic paddlesports, and offers the gold standard in paddlesports education worldwide.
ACA certified instructor John Miller was recognized for training the most paddlesports beginners this year in Georgia.
Two Georgia-based Paddle America Clubs, Georgia River Network and Georgia Canoeing Association, received honorable mentions – placing second and fifth in the nation, respectively – for training the most beginner paddlers in the nation. Missouri Whitewater Association placed first in this category.
GRN also shares in the team recognition awarded to the ACA Paddlesports Angler Workgroup which, over the last year, developed paddlesports skills and safety curriculum for paddlesports anglers.
This curriculum is a meaningful addition to national paddlesports pedagogy, affecting a marketplace of three to five million kayak anglers -- the fastest growing segment in paddlesports.