Paddle talk

我怀念的-孙燕资

when i was trying to "retrieve" a paddle from a fren so that new rowers can use in the upcomign training, it dawned on me how things have changed.
Or rather, how things are "managed " in different organisation?

Remembered clearly how "hard" it was to attained the appropriate "level" to hold onto a Grey owl...
Only after 6 - 8 months training with the SDBA "steel" paddle, finally then attained the grey owl paddle.
But things changed now, i guess...

Probably it was a bid to attract and retain new rowers?
Worried the fact that pasing the SDBA "steel" paddle to newbie for the first few trail, and they will nvr return?
So, have to give them trail with the lightest possible paddle....
Or maybe its just so that newbie can be treated fairly, to start off with something easier and at the same footing?
That would be a more justifiable reasoning i believe.

Except for school orientation, I think its so hard to spot anyone holding the SBDA "steel" paddle recently..
Maybe that also explains why paddles are subjected to more frequent "wear and Tear" in the waters nowadays.....?
*sigh*....