Welcome to the family of the sea.
You found your way to the water. This page covers everything you need to get started at our home on Lake Natoma — where to find practices, how to sign up, the waiver you'll sign each year, and how racing works if it calls to you. Read it once, bookmark it, and we'll see you on the lake.
Your first strokes
Four things to take care of before you paddle. The first two are for everyone; the last is only if you want to race.
Sign the NCOCA waiver
Required for everyone who paddles — racing or not. It renews every year, and your signed waiver must be dated on or after February 1st of the current year.
Sign the waiverGet on TeamSnap
TeamSnap is how we run practices — you'll sign up for sessions and coordinate with your crew there. Once all your fees are paid, you should receive an invite straight from TeamSnap.
Download TeamSnapDidn't see the invite email? Reach out to Dale and she'll get you added.
Check the practice schedule
See what's happening this week and when boats launch. The calendar is always the source of truth for times and locations.
View the calendarWant to race? Get a race card
A race card registers you to compete. Heads up: signing up starts the clock on your two-year novice period, so time it with intention.
Get your race card Optional — only if you plan to race.How practices & TeamSnap work
A few simple habits keep seats fair and our group chat sane. Here's the etiquette.
Signing up for practice
- Sign up on TeamSnap for the practices you plan to attend.
- Can't make it? Take yourself off so someone else can grab the seat.
- Seats looking tight? Don't pull yourself voluntarily — just show up. We'll make it work. It always works out.
- Last-minute change? If you have to miss at the last minute, let your coaches know — reach out to them directly.
Keeping comms clean
On the page for a specific practice, TeamSnap lets you message just the people attending that day — use that instead of posting to the whole group.
What racing looks like here
It's not as intimidating as it sounds — and it's a lot of fun. Here's how our week and our season are built around it.
The weekly rhythm
Tue · Thu · Sat
Geared toward racing — expect to work hard. These sessions run heavy.
Mon · Wed · Fri mornings
Effort flexes to paddler needs. Coaches keep racers in mind and build race boats during practice wherever they can.
Wed evening
An added session geared more toward beginner paddlers — a relaxed place to build technique and confidence.
Staying race-ready
- Off-season training is strongly encouraged for racers to hold your fitness between seasons.
- Workshops & seminars on topics like fitness and nutrition come up regularly — keep an eye on the calendar.
- Race card first. Remember it starts your two-year novice clock, so coordinate before you register.
Have questions? Ask.
The best way to learn racing is to talk to people who do it:
- Reach out to your race rep.
- Talk to the coaches.
- Ask paddlers who've raced — most of us love sharing how it works.