Team

My parents raced in local races and volunteered at larger events when they could before I was born. My first C-1 (slalom canoe) was waiting for my arrival into the world, and my earliest memories are on the river with my Dad. Most of our weekends were spent at family races throughout Pennsylvania and New England. From there I moved on to the Cadet, Junior, and then Senior Teams. Along the way I’ve had the amazing experiences of competing in 3 Olympic Games (2008, 2012, & 2016).

Most of my time is spoken for between training and my job woodworking. Fortunately, I really love both of those! Woodworking became a COVID hobby for me, and evolved into a full time job. Now I spend most weekdays making custom furniture for families and businesses. The rest of my time is spent with my wife and our friends. My wife, Sarah, and I are big Disney fans and make trips there when we can. In fact, that is where we got married in 2016! I also try to make time for our local youngsters that are interested in slalom. The whitewater center brings a lot of kids into the paddling world, and sometimes they get interested in slalom. I’ve grown up in this small sport that has only gotten smaller. I’m always happy to help encourage newcomers and spend time with them on the water.

My first Olympics were an amazing experience! China was a new country for me, and there was a lot to see and do. A memory that really sticks for me is when we walked into the “Bird’s Nest” during the opening ceremonies. Team USA was walking into the stadium with a chant of “USA, USA, USA!” I think that was the moment it really sank in that I was about to compete in my first Olympics!