People of Paddle I Laura Kleinrahm

ACT local and Chair of Burley Griffin Canoe Club, Laura Kleinrahm, has been a true advocate for young people in paddling and volunteering, inspired by her passion for paddling beginning in high school. 

“I had never done any paddling until my Year 10 Camp on the Coorong in South Australia,” Kleinrahm said. 

“I was terrible, and found it super frustrating trying to go in a straight line.

“A few months later, I then started Canoe Polo in Adelaide, and experienced the same struggle, but now with the added challenge of a ball, when I had no ballsport experience, and capsizing. It was quite the baptism of fire!

“Besides three days in a touring kayak, I had no kayaking experience prior to taking up polo. 

“A friend through Scouts invited a few of us to come along to a session at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre, and it went from there.”

Since then, Laura has been involved in many different aspects of paddling – including as an athlete and volunteer. 

“As an athlete, I’ve now represented SA, ACT and Australia in polo, and I was super fortunate to attend the 2018 World Championships, and several Oceania Championships since then,” she said. 

“We’ve had a really strong group come back into the sport, so I think my Australian rep days might be over, but I’m still training multiple times a week and attending interstate events as I enjoy competing and being part of the community.

“I also volunteer extensively within the sport. I’m on the PA Canoe Polo Technical Committee, PNSW Canoe Polo Technical Committee, PNSW Board, and am President of the Burley Griffin Canoe Club. 

“I also run polo here in the ACT with my partner, Adam and I have a strong belief in giving back, in recognition of the efforts of those who have coached or managed me over the years.

“I am also eager to increase the visibility of young people and women in official positions, particularly as when I started on the PACPTC in 2021, there were only a couple of women in official positions at the National level.

“Polo is a huge part of my life. Despite lacking much sporting ability, it’s always been welcoming and encouraged me to challenge myself and see what’s possible. 

“It’s where I met my partner, Adam, and was a huge help in the challenge of moving states for university when I was 17. 

“Almost every day has something polo-related, either training or volunteering, and the community is my favourite aspect of it. 

“We have a great crew in the ACT where we often have social events like potlucks or camping trips, and then it’s always great to catch up at comps and training camps, and see how interstate friendships still hold strong despite only seeing each other a few times a year.

“I’m really proud of how we’ve grown and strengthened the polo community in the ACT, and balanced it from being a predominately older and male dominated group to one a bit closer to being even and with plenty more people under 30 now.”

Passionate about continuing to grow her community, Laura encourages everyone to find the perfect discipline for you, including joining her in the ACT polo community. 

“Padding is great because there’s so many different types you can do, so there really is something for everyone,” she said. 

“It’s also low-impact, meaning it’s a lifelong sport, and can take you to so many cool places you wouldn’t visit otherwise. 

“There’s not many sports where you can compete in the same team as your family, and I think polo is quite unique as it’s generally mixed and multi-aged. 

“We have a mother-daughter duo in our ACT Senior Women’s Team, and junior siblings who love playing against each other, as well at our local league and Summer Series events. 

“Paddling is a great way to meet people with similar interests such as getting outdoors and staying active, and you can tailor it to what you’re looking for, such as the high-intensity of a Canoe Polo game or the adrenaline of a white-water run, to the mental discipline of Marathon, the exploration of river-touring, or the pre-work social paddle to the coffee shop, there’s something for everyone.”

To find out more information about how you can get involved – click here