If you ask Joshua today, he’ll tell you he still remembers his first ever lesson with Ace. Josh was ten years old when Jeff, Joe, and Emily took him down the Hiwassee River for a joint lesson with his family. They spent a week together working on rolling, catching eddies, and paddle stroke technique. Although Josh wouldn’t kayak much over the next few years, that first lesson with Ace provided him with a baseline to improve his skills.

At 16, Josh started interning for Joe on the Ocoee River. For three summers (2016, 2017, 2018), he worked hard to improve his kayaking skills and teaching technique. Those summers paddling with Ace shaped him into the kayaker he is today. By spending countless hours on the Ocoee River, he developed a life long passion for kayaking and exploration.

Because of his history with Ace, Josh is a firm believer in the Ace teaching process. Joe presented kayaking to him—not just as a sport, but as a lifestyle. Everyone at Ace kayaks “For The Love of It,” and sharing that passion and love for kayaking has become one of Josh’s greatest ambitions.

Since those summers on the Ocoee River, Josh has been able to push himself on runs in throughout the Southeast, Pacific Northwest, and Mexico. Without Ace, Josh wouldn’t be the person he is today.