Dustin Sousley, 14, earns six gold medals

Youngster excited about developing into canoe paddler

Marques Hunter

of the Gateway

Dustin Sousley is Gig Harbor’s smaller version of Michael Phelps.

He’s not a swimmer, but he performs on the water. He’s not an Olympian, but he’s one of the best bantam canoe paddlers in the United States.

And although he didn’t equal Phelps’ eight gold medals at the Beijing Games, he came close: Sousley won six — two in the solo division. The 14-year-old Gig Harbor High School freshman also took home a silver.

“This was my best placement,” Sousley said.

It hasn’t taken long for the canoer to catch onto a sport that requires an extreme level of balance. He’s only been at it for a year and a half.

The single boats use a high-kneel technique where the paddler is constantly raised out of their seat with strokes that need to be efficient and strong.

Sousley’s father, Jonathan, is the team’s coach. Two youngsters compete with Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak racing team. Jonathan Sousley said canoeing is much more difficult than kayaking.

“A lot of kids opt out because they fall in (the water) so much in a canoe,” Jonathan said.

“You spend all your time on the same knee paddling on the same side,” he added. “It has to be something you enjoy.”

After Dustin Sousley was introduced to the racing team and head coach Alan Anderson, he said it took him a while to pick whether canoeing over kayaking.

“When I first started, I went in a training boat but slowly worked my way up,” he said. “I’m probably going to stick with it. I dropped soccer for paddling.”

Much like the kayakers, the canoers are on the water sometimes nine times a week. They must lift weights and maintain a healthy diet to achieve maximum results.

Jonathan Sousley said Dustin will let everything else go in order to pursue canoeing.

“Water is therapy for him,” Jonathan said. He’s going to get a little more into it. I think he’ll take it for as long a ride as he can.”

Dustin Sousley said the challenge of developing into the sport is exciting. He has some experience that he admits has helped him.

Sousley’s parents are from Hawaii, and they would always take him surfing along with many other water-related activities. Sousley said it has helped improve his balance in the canoe.

His father is happy to see him stick with it.

“What I like seeing is that he has been goal-setting and has combated some setbacks,” Jonathan Sousley said. “And he’s meeting his goals.”

He added that his son uses an inhaler for sports-induced asthma, which has slightly interrupted his training workouts.

Sousley’s effort in the water at nationals earned him the distinction as the 2008 U.S. Canoe and Kayak bantam canoe star.

Because of his dominant performance, he was also selected to attend a special canoeing camp on Oct. 31 called Miss Issauga on Oct. 31 in Toronto.

Dustin Sousley at U.S. Canoe and Kayak National regatta

C-1 Bantam 500 — 2:39.52, gold

C-1 Bantam 1,000 — 5:45.40, gold

C-2 Bantam 500 (with) Brynn Munday — 2:46.60, gold

C-2 Bantam 1,000 (with Munday) — 5:50.721, gold

C-4 Bantam 1,000 (with Malcolm Roux, Munday and Masatoki Teranishi) — 5:13.635, gold

C-4 Bantam 500 (with Roux, Munday and Teranishi — 2:33.119, gold

C-1 Juvenile 5,000 — 32.26.911, silver

Reach sports reporter Marques Hunter at 253-853-9246 or by e-mail at marques.hunter@gateline.com.