Innisfail paddlers are poised to take over the world, or at least the world of international water polo.
Members of the Wagers, Hendrickson and Maldaner families – part of the Canadian National Water Polo team -- are in France, near Normandy, training for the 2014 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Canoe Polo World Championships from September 22 to 28.
Five of the girls will be playing for Canada's U-21 squad, which is half the total number of national team members. The other Innisfailian – Shylo Hendrickson -- will compete with the national senior women's team.
“We are sending Katrina and Shannon Wagers, Shylo, Katie, and Hannah Hendrickson, and Lauren Maldaner to the Canadian National team from Innisfail,” said Julie Ramrattan, a Cottonwood Kayak Club executive member. “For us as a club, that is very exciting and says a lot about the quality of our coaching and dedication of our young people and their families.”
Ramrattan noted the Cottonwood Kayak Club has had a good year before this, earning provincial and national gold medals.
“If we look at the Wagers girls,” said Ramrattan, “they have only been paddling for three or four years, and look where they are now. It is amazing to see them learn the game and excel so quickly.”
While five of the girls and Jill Wagers (chaperone and mother of Shannon and Katrina) are already in France, Shylo had to take care of school matters in Red Deer prior to her leaving for competition with her mother on Sept. 16.
“Even though this is my third world championship trip, you never quite get over the excitement of the experience,” said Shylo, the elder Hendrickson sibling. “I am getting ready to travel, and my younger sisters Hannah and Katie, the Wagers, and Maldaner will already have one U-21 pre-tournament under their belt.
“When I get there I will be taking part in one senior women's pre-tournament in Ipres, Belguim on September 20,” added Shylo. “After that we will be prepping for world championships in Thury-Harcourt, north of Normandy which will run from September 22 to 28.”
She noted the goal of the Canadian senior women's team is to finish higher than ninth in the competition, adding there will be as many as 30 countries sending senior men's, senior women's, U-21 men's and U-21 women's teams.
“Having been through this twice already, I am looking forward to a greater experience in the worlds whether we medal or not,” said the 19-year-old athlete. “I could have continued with the U-21 team, but I wanted to challenge myself and tried out for the senior women's squad which I made. There is so much in competing at the world level that helps you in every other area of your life.”
Shylo said that making it this far on her own would have been impossible without the help of the Cottonwood Kayak Club, her family and community, adding anyone who says they made it on their own is mistaken.
“If anyone would have told me that I would be competing in worlds when I first started with the club, I would have told them they were crazy,” said Shylo, who is in her second year at Red Deer College working towards her kinesiology degree.
The Innisfail athletes will be tenting it for part of the training and staying in a hostel that looks like a mini-castle, she said.
“There will be some time for tourist trips, but they will be limited. We are there to represent Canada the best we can,” added Shylo. “We will be returning home on the 29th.”
Innisfailians can follow the progress of the Canadian team at www.thuryharcourtcanoe2014.com or online on Facebook.
The Innisfail Province will be receiving updates from Team Innisfail until their return the end of September.
