OTTAWA RIVER CANOE CLUB – 2014 Coaching Staff

Joel Hazzan (Head Coach)

I have been a coach in the Sport of Sprint Canoe Kayak for 16 years, coaching athletes at all levels from Regatta Ready athletes to National Team. Before joining the Ottawa River Canoe Club I was the Head Coach for the Ontario Canoe and Kayak Team. In this position I was the Head Coach and Team Leader for Ontario at two Canada Summer Games (2009 and 2013). I was also a member of the Team Canada Coaching staff for the 2009 Junior Worlds and the 2006 Pan American Canoe Championships.

Before joining the Ontario Team I was the Head Coach of the Rideau Canoe Club, where I learned to paddle and race. I was a member of the Canadian National Canoe and Kayak Team in 1999-2000 and have competed internationally for Canada. I also competed internationally in Dragon Boat winning a silver medal in the mixed 500m event at the 2002 World Club Crew Championships in Rome.

I am a level 3 certified coach under the Coaching Association of Canada National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and a Chartered Professional Coach with Coaches of Canada. I am pursuing my Level 4 certification, which should be complete by this fall. I am also a course conductor and evaluator in the NCCP for the Entry Level Competitive Coach Program and Community Coach Program. And I was the coordinator and author of the CanoeKayak Canada Long Term Athlete Development Project.

In 2005, I completed my Master of Kinesiology degree at the University of Calgary specializing in functional and applied exercise physiology. This is where I met my beautiful wife Eslin and we now have a 2 year old daughter Olivia. In addition to being an avid paddler, I enjoy running and playing ultimate Frisbee.