There are so many opportunities that I can get here that I am not able to get anywhere else.
”
Early each morning, hours before he arrives at Peddie from his home in Brielle, N.J., Will Sodano takes a two-hour trek through ocean waters. Peddie’s assistant director of athletics is training for the Carolina Cup, the annual stand up paddle board race that attracts dozens of the world’s fastest athletes as well as hundreds of recreational paddlers. Sodano has set his sights on placing in the top 10, elite male class, at next April’s event in Wrightsville Beach, N.C.
Will Sodano paddles across Peddie Lake.
The sport was hard to pick up. The equipment was not good back then. But I was determined. I fell a lot. I got a lot of bruises. But I figured it out. And I’ve been doing it ever since.
It’s much harder than the Iron Man, century ride or the Boston Marathon. You have to deal with changing conditions: wind, tide and surf.
By the time I arrive at Peddie in the morning, I’ve put in two hours on the water. January and February are the hardest months. It’s cold, and I’m paddling in the pitch black. I have to wear a headlight so I don’t get run over by a boat.
We go out and paddle together. It’s our version of a family bike ride. My son loves it. We’ll fish off our boards and on the Fourth of July, we’ll paddle out and watch the fireworks together. It’s a great way for us to connect.
I love being connected to the energy of the ocean. As I step on my board and push away from shore, I get this feeling that I’m leaving everything behind. The worries and woes of life disappear and I can relax for a while.