Karol Osusky of Kenmore began kayaking as a youth in his native Czechoslovakia. He has coached numerous national champions and just last year won a gold medal at the International Canoe Federation (ICF) Masters Kayaking World Championships in Szeged, Hungary.

Two years ago, Karol volunteered to help Bothell teen, Dean Patrick, train for the kayaking leg of the Bellingham Ski-to-Sea race. Patrick is a member of the Ten Essentials, a Ski-to-Sea team sponsored by scout troop 582 in Kenmore.

This spring, Osusky began working with Patrick again, but this time they did not stop training after the Ski-to-Sea race. Osusky convinced Patrick to train for the 2012 USA Canoe/Kayak Sprint National Championships at Seattle’s Greenlake on Aug. 23-25.

The two of them have been working together four hours a day all summer. They switch off between the Sammamish Slough and Greenlake where the Seattle Canoe and Kayak club practices.

Last June, Patrick — an Inglemoor High student — could not sit in a competitive boat without flipping over.

“Pretty much anytime I let go of the dock, I was underwater,” he said.

Osusky is thrilled with Patrick’s progress.

“He is incredibly strong and he has great character to just keep going and not make excuses,” Osusky said.

Patrick will be competing against kayakers with years of experience who are able to race much faster boats, but Osusky expects him to do well.

“Anything’s possible at this point if he keeps working,” Osusky said.