Kelly has a way of transferring his passion for kayaking to everyone who attends a talk, lesson or paddles with him. A very patient and conscientious instructor, I always feel safe during lessons on and off the river. Not only does Kelly teach the sport, he finds ways to help you find your niche and meet others who share the same interest. In addition, the other instructors he brings along are equally as knowledgeable and helpful. If you haven't tried kayaking or want to hone your skills, this is a great place to start.
I chose NMKI because of Kelly's professionalism and strong attention to detail. I find this very important as it relates to safety. I would never trust anyone other than Kelly to provide instruction to myself or for my 12 year old son, Navada. We felt very safe and well guided under the direction of Kelly. I would tell others if they ever hesitated to try kayaking, River Boarding or any kind of paddling to first take a course with Kelly and rest assured they will be in good hands.
Specifics about this course:
Unlike previous "kayak pool parties" for kids with Autism, this will be a formal, structured clinic.
This clinic is open to anyone with ASD, age 12 and up, and their friends, family members or caregivers
Class will consist of 8 students with ASD, up to 8 non-ASD peer students, friends, family members or caregivers, 2 kayak instructors and ~8 volunteer assistants.
Dates for the clinic are below; each on Saturday afternoon.
Other important dates:
I am impressed with organization and professionalism of Kelly's operation. The teaching methods are good and are reassuring to the extent they convey that the ability to kayak is within the reach for just about anybody (including not-so-young people like me!)
I love this meetup group. Kelly has done a great job of building a foundation or respect, camaraderie, and skills so that everyone has fun. Thanks Kelly for all you do!
New Mexico Kayak Instruction is pleased to offer the first official, 3-week open-to-the-public kids kayak class in Albuquerque for kids 14 - 17 years old. This 3-week series will include 12 hours of pool instruction covering basic strokes and concepts to effortless paddling, fun skills-building games including Ultimate Kayak Frisbee, Indoor Slalom and Kayak Polo. The last week will wrap up with an introduction to the kayak roll1.
Upon completion of this course, most kids should be competent kayaking on flat water, such as Cochiti Lake or easy rivers such as the Rio Grande Bosque.
The 3-week series will take place on the following dates2:
My learning curve has been exponential. I never imagined I would learn this much, so fast!
I want you to know how much I benefitted from your white water and roll classes. Kelly your presentations Saturday and Sunday were always clear and packed with vital information. The way you sketch out the hazzards and river features makes them surprisingly easy to remember on the river. On the river you worked hard with each of us and I thought we class members got far more feedback and individual attention than in other kayak classes I have taken. Glenn and Michael also seemed genuinely interested in our progress and were always willing to answer my questions and provide good feedback. All in all the class was both challenging and a lot of fun and I feel it greatly accelerated my development as a white water kayaker.
Kelly is fun and enthousiastic about kayaking. If you're interested in learning to kayak, this is the place to be!