The Athletic Annapolitan
Special Olympics Kayakers Back in the Flow
With the help of a key group of volunteers and two local businesses, the Special Olympics kayakers are ready to row.
When we think of the Special Olympics we most often think of track and field events. While these events are a big part of the Special Olympics program, there is so much more available to Special Olympics athletes. In Annapolis and the surrounding communities Special Olympics athletes also compete in skiing, road cycling, power lifting, swimming, and in the relatively new kayaking program. In 2006, the program was started with a handful of athletes and four kayaks. That year Al Jank was approached to become an assistant coach for the Special Olympics kayaking team. He had only about 90 minutes of experience in a kayak, so he had his doubts about his abilities to coach the sport. He quickly realized why this was not the case. "What I have …
