Sprint kayaking runs in Ty Hagler’s blood. In fact, his parents first met as doubles partners for a whitewater canoe race. By the age of seven, Ty was paddling with his father through class three rapids! Then, as a teenager, Ty moved with his family to Gainesville, Georgia. On the waters of Lake Lanier, they became heavily involved with flatwater paddling and the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club. His family volunteered to help with the flatwater kayak events of the 1996 Olympics. Ty and his sister, Katie, became boat-holders, helping to align the boats of Olympians at the start. Since that experience, Ty has been hooked on the dream of becoming an Olympian.

The community of Gainesville has been hooked on sprint kayaking as well. Through the initial support of community leaders, LCKC hired an Olympic-caliber coach and began a tradition of excellence that is the pride of Gainesville. Ty quickly benefited from the community investment, earning a gold medal in doubles at the 1998 Junior National Championships and was on the Junior National Team. That same year, he earned his Eagle Scout award. Understanding the value of his community’s support, Ty continues to give back through mentoring youths at the club, and volunteering with service projects.

Throughout his college years, Ty continued his passion for kayaking. He created the first Collegiate Flatwater Kayak Club at Georgia Tech. Under Ty’s leadership, the club helped to institute the first Collegiate National Championships for flatwater canoe/kayak; they are now in their sixth year and continue to grow. While at Georgia Tech, Ty won six USACK Senior National Championship gold medals in doubles and fours. He qualified for three Under 23 development teams, raced in the Pan American Championships to earn three bronze medals, and raced in other international races in Croatia, Germany, France, Italy, and Czech Republic.

Two months after graduating from Georgia Tech in 2003, Ty qualified for the 2003 World Championship Team. He raced in the four-man kayak 500 meter event where he and his teammates came in 14th. Ty’s success qualified him for The Home Depot’s Olympic Job Opportunities Program, helping to provide Ty with a sound financial base. Ty then transitioned his OJOP status to an independent contractor relationship with Home Depot. Since then, he has been working to initiate product design programs at the company’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.

In 2005, Ty posted his best individual national ranking (5th) and qualified for the 2005 World Championship Team to race the four-man kayak. His team posted a faster time than in 2003; but it became clear that dramatic changes were needed if they were to become internationally competitive. Under the direction of Nathan Luce, the national team coach, Ty and his teammates decided to relocate to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. Ty’s sister, Katie Hagler, is joining Ty in Chula Vista, also to pursue her Olympic Dream. Training year-round, with the goal of creating doubles and fours that will be in medal contention, both Ty and his sister have the 2008 Olympics in clear focus.

Ty is most appreciative of the US Athletic Trust’s support. His wife Gayle, his family, the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club, the Georgia Tech community, and his associates at Home Depot are all cheering him on and wish him great success as he faces the tremendous challenges ahead.

Though I’ve had the opportunity to participate in kayaking races in locations from Croatia to Australia, there has been nothing more thrilling than the day I lined up to race at the 2002 National Flatwater Canoe/Kayak Championships in Gainesville, Georgia, my hometown. There, with the eyes of my relatives and friends upon me, my teammate and I paddled our two-man kayak (K-2) to the start of the 500 meter final and lined up against two-time Olympic gold medalist, Greg Barton.

We were not the favorites for the race, coming in sixth in the earlier 1000m final that Greg’s boat had won. However, something was different that day. Before we went out on the water, my teammate and I discussed our race plan one more time. We warmed up amazingly well-focused. It was like electricity surged through the boat as we went through our routine. At the start line, the starter called a false start on another boat jumping the gun. On the second try, we nailed the start. Just as the gun fired, our boat launched forward in perfect timing and the race was on. At 200 meters into the race, we had a moment of peripheral vision and saw that we were ahead by a half boat-length. Sticking to the plan, we eased off on the stroke rate slightly and maintained power to save for the finish. At 150 meters to the finish line, we accelerated the boat in our final kick just as Greg’s boat in second place was coming even with us. The lead changed between the two boats with each stroke, and stayed that way to the finish.

Completely exhausted, we didn’t know who had won, and the announcer wasn’t calling it. We were called to boat control, then to drug testing. Family and friends ran over to congratulate us and ask who had won. 30 minutes later, the judges finally declared us the winner by two hundredths of a second! Greg came over and congratulated us, chatting about how close it was and how he enjoyed the race. I still have the newspaper article with the photo finish framed to remember that day. Of the national championship medals I’ve won, the gold medal from the K-2 500 meter stands out because it was a hard fought and enjoyable victory against an athlete who I was honored to race with.

I hope to follow in Greg Barton’s footsteps on the international stage as well. This January, I will be turning down job offers with The Home Depot to move to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA and completely devote myself to training for the 2008 Olympic Games. While I will be doing part time work in between the three training sessions a day, there is still a large financial shortfall in my budget to contend with. With the support of the US Athletic Trust, I will be properly equipped for training and racing without having to lose sleep over financial worries.