Coaching Spotlight: Stan Prichard

We are so excited to shine this month's spotlight on a great friend of the club, and fellow South-easterner, Stan Prichard. He is a paddler whose resume runs deep, though you would probably never hear it from him directly. As RFKC coach, Chris Maze, once described him, he might be “the best kayaker you’ve never heard of.” In some corners of the paddling world, however, his name is very well known. 

Stan has completed the infamous North American Kayak Triple Crown (Susitna River, Alsek River, and Stikine River), raced and placed in numerous whitewater competitions, completed first descents of rivers in Colombia and Peru, skied major peaks like the Grand Teton, climbed big walls in Yosemite, and even completed a record high water descent of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, among many, many other adventures. 

Stan grew up in Tennessee and first got into kayaking through his older brother and summer camp, where he learned to roll in a friend’s pool and borrowed boats to paddle around the lake at Camp Ocoee. Not long after, he had his first real river experience on the Nantahala.

“I remember paddling through the first wave and watching it crash over the bow and thinking it was the best feeling ever. I was hooked.”

Like many paddlers, Stan’s path was shaped by the people around him. His math teacher, Ron Stewart, appeared in the classic kayak film Green Summer, and watching him run the Green River Narrows left a lasting impression.

Stan's early paddling influences included Tim Williams and Steve Hall (AKA Meester), who introduced him to harder whitewater, multi day road trips out west, and the friendships that grow around rivers. Damon Miller helped fuel his love for international river travel, while a crew of friends known as Team Jib, whom he started paddling with in middle school, remain some of his closest paddling partners today. 

Stan has spent much of his career helping others discover kayaking. He managed the Four Corners River Sports paddle school and a paddling school in Telluride for about ten years and spent time running Jackson Hole Kayak Club as well. Now he brings that experience to RFKC’s youth programs.

“The thing I love most about coaching kayaking is watching the students get good on the river, develop friendships, and seeing the river work its magic on the paddler.” 

For Stan, the river itself is the greatest teacher, offering lessons in self reliance, resilience, and the ability to adapt and overcome the obstacles life throws your way.

When Stan is not on the river, he works as the Snow Safety Manager at Snowmass Ski Area, helping manage all of the avalanche terrain, explosive control work, and out of area rescue for ski patrol.

In the summer, his work shifts into another kind of high consequence environment.

“I am the lead safety for a television show called Running Wild. I help manage all of the safety, rigging, and stunt portions of the show, as well as doing some stand in work.”

Between avalanche control work, expedition paddling, guiding, and remote television production, Stan has spent much of his life thinking about risk, preparation, and decision making in wild places. That perspective is incredibly valuable to RFKC as the club continues to grow its youth programming.

RFKC has been super lucky to have Stan helping shape our kids programs. He helped us get our first kids camps off the ground last summer and continues to lend his experience through our Programming Committee and the Safety Committee we started last year.

For a club working to introduce the next generation to rivers, it really helps to have someone like Stan who has spent a lifetime loving these places and the communities around them. Thanks for being part of this adventure, Stan!