Staff
Head coach: Mgr. Stanislav Marek kckcheadcoach@gmail.com
Operations manager: kckcopsmgr@gmail.com
Masters adult athletes coach: Chris Taylor cntaylor75@yahoo.com
Meet our Staff!
We are fortunate to have a staff of talented individuals coming from very diverse backgrounds. As local experts from the Kamloops area and lifelong paddlers, they offer a wide scope of knowledge from competitive to recreational, white water to flat water paddling. Each of our instructors is unique and offer different perspectives and coaching styles. Together they work towards a common goal; ensuring that each child or athlete has the best chance at a connection and driving towards success. Plus they are pretty dang fun!
Chelsea Francis
Chelsea Francis is a student at Thompson Rivers University studying Adventure and Tourism Management. She holds several industry certifications with Paddle Canada and NCCP and is always continuing her education in the field. She holds a Wilderness First Responder industry certification and safety is a top priority. When she is not teaching paddling and wilderness skills with her KCKC family, she is working and teaching Cross Country skiing in the community, working for the after schools program for District 73, or volunteering with the local Therapeutic horseback riding society. Her biggest belief is that outdoor time should be available to every child regardless of the barriers, and she seeks to create leadership and life skills within wilderness settings that her students will carry forward in life.
Taylor Watts
Taylor Watts is a student at L'Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières studying to be a full time teacher. She is a lifelong paddler, exploring the lakes and rivers of BC with her family since she could hold a paddle. When she is not working with her KCKC family she is teaching English as a second language, working for the after schools program for District 73, or volunteering as a volleyball coach in the community. Her biggest belief as a coach is that every child deserves equal opportunity to foster development in social settings outdoors.
Michael Lanyon
Michael Lanyon is a student at the University of Alberta studying Engineering Physics. He has been a high performance athlete with the Kamloops Canoe and Kayak Club for 7 years. His achievements include representing Canada in Sprint Kayak in Worlds in Portugal last year, representing Team BC in Canada Summer Games, and medaling in Nationals in 2018. When he is not mentoring young athletes and coaching for KCKC, he is mountain biking, backpacking and rock climbing.
