Why do people seem to be going to spring camps for longer and longer? Do I really need to go down to Florida for 2 months to have a successful season?

People seem to be going to spring camps for longer because they are in fact going to spring camps for longer and longer. This is not an illusion. The reason they are going stems from many factors. In recent years, the National Team has had to select their team earlier than in the past because the World Cup season has been moved earlier in the year. This means that the entire National Team, plus dozens of others who think they have a shot, have to go south early to prepare for these trials. Of course where the National Team goes, others will follow, because people believe that what is best for the National Team is best for everyone. But of course that is often not the case. Another reason is that the sport is getting more competitive, and with people trying to constantly one up each other, an easy way is to go to Florida for longer. But is it necessary for a successful season? The simple answer to the second question is no, you don’t need to go to Florida for two months to have a successful season, unless you need to be at your best in April, which applies only to a small group of people. To figure out how long you should go to a spring training camp, first you need to set your goals for the season, and then sit down with your coach and figure out how to achieve them. For example, if you are a midget who wants to win a medal in C1 at Nationals, going to Florida at all is not essential, never mind going for two months. If you ask any National Team athlete, they can tell you that being on the water from February to September is one heck of a long season, and by the time we get to Nationals we are often burnt out. Getting in good training off the water is important for young athletes, and getting a good fitness base at home during February and March can often do as much good as going south. This isn’t to say that only National Team athletes should go to Spring Camps. We at canoe4canada.com believe that going to these camps is a great life experience for young athletes. Most importantly, they are really fun. The friendships made and the experiences you have last a lifetime. We have all been coming to Florida since we were 15 or 16, and they are some of the best times of our lives and one of the reasons we love the sport so much. It is great for kids to train hard, but we strongly believe that they need to be having fun at the same time. Spring camps allow for both these things. They also provide some motivation for athletes after a long winter of training in the cold.