SOURCE: USCKT Factboook

USCKT Fact Sheet

Name:	U.S. Canoe and Kayak Team, Inc. {USCKT}
Address:	Pan American Plaza, Suite 610 201 S. Capitol Avenue Indianapolis, Ind. 46225
Telephone:	(317) 237-5690
FAX:	(317) 237-5694
E-Mail:	USCKT@aol.com
Organizational Structure:	USCKT is a 501 {C} (3) non-profit organization incorporated in the State of Indiana. Organizational policies are established by a national board of directors. A national headquarters office is maintained in Indianapolis, Ind.
Mission:	To promote canoe/kayak racing nationally and to select and prepare U.S. National Teams capable of winning medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships and other major competitions.
Membership:	USCKT is a membership organization. Currently, there are approximately 1,500 individual members enrolled.
About USCKT:	USCKT was established to recruit, train and support athletes to compete in the Olympic Games in flatwater sprint and Whitewater slalom canoe/kayak racing. USCKT continues to advance the level of awareness of Olympic paddlesport through programs such as the Champion International Whitewater Series and the Champion International Canoe/Kayak Knockout to take advantage of the growing visibility for paddlesports, which is anticipated to heighten with the approach of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Based in Indianapolis, USCKT maintains a professional staff and utilizes the services of hundreds of volunteers across the country to promote Olympic canoeing and kayaking.
About the Sport:	The Olympic disciplines of flatwater sprint and Whitewater slalom canoe and kayak racing are among the most demanding and attractive of the Olympic sports. The athletes demonstrate tremendous aerobic and anaerobic strength. The graceful style and raw power of highly trained athletes paddling to split-second finishes creates excitement and beauty rarely matched in the Olympic Games. There are two separate and distinct disciplines: flatwater sprint racing, which has been included on the Olympic program since 1936, and Whitewater slalom racing, which makes only its third Olympic appearance in 1996.
About the Athletes:	Elite-level canoe and kayak athletes embody the characteristics of the well-defined body builder, the powerful weightlifter and the lean marathon runner. These athletes are highly conditioned and intensely competitive. It takes years of training for a paddler to become nationally competitive. The average age of the athletes at the elite level is in the mid-20s, but, especially in Whitewater slalom, we are discovering that athletes can remain competitive on an international level into their mid-30s. Though their backgrounds are extremely diverse, canoe/kayak paddlers all share the same grit, motivation and dedication to their sport. They are the country’s true amateur athletes and excellent role models for America’s youth.

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