Potomac Paddlesports Center is the vision of its president and head instructor Sunny Pitcher. Nominated for the American Canoe Association's Outstanding Instructor Award and recipient of the ACA Student Recognition Award, Sunny is among a minority of ACA certified instructors holding combined instructor credentials in Open Water Coastal Kayak and Whitewater Kayak.

Sunny's passion has propelled Potomac Paddlesports to its current position as one of the most cutting-edge kayak programs in the United States. His patience, pure enthusiasm for his students' learning process, and superior ability to model skills make him uniquely suited to quickly mold students into graceful paddlers. In Sunny's words:

"I've been passionate about the natural world from childhood. Teaching paddling, and other wilderness skills, is the ideal for me. Coaching beginners offers the greatest reward as their transition to self sufficiency is a joy to witness. It's that smile and that special look of amazement on a student's face when they "get it" that seals my fate as a paddling instructor for the rest of my life" .

Sunny personally instructs over 500 students each year, spending over 1,000 hours in his favorite classrooms, the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. He takes his students all over the world to paddle with the sport's most internationally acclaimed guides. As program director, Sunny shares an intense passion for teaching with a top notch team of instructors. The continuity found among this elite group of professionals is crucial for a student's success.

As a paddler, Sunny's true talent lies in the ability to convey sophisticated knowledge of the sport and it's skills to the beginning paddler in a manner they can grasp quickly.

Certifications Awards And Activism

ACA Whitewater Instructor
ACA Open Water Coastal Instructor
ACA Swift Water Rescue Certified
Wilderness First Aid
CPR for Health Care Providers
ACA Student Recogniton Award
ACA Outstanding Instructor Nominee
ACA River Kayak Committee
Potomac Riverkeeper Board of Directors
Potomac Whitewater Festival Committe
Potomac River Access Foundation