Brad De Young
Co-Founder & Club Leadership | West Michigan Kayaking Club
Brad De Young is the co-founder of West Michigan Kayaking Club, bringing more than two decades of experience in paddlesports, outdoor leadership, wilderness recreation, and endurance activities.
Brad’s outdoor background includes kayaking, canoeing, navigation, orienteering, outdoor survival, hiking, camping, and adventure racing. His experience with the Cadet Corps helped develop a strong foundation in navigation, outdoor skills, teamwork, and wilderness preparedness.
An endurance athlete and avid paddler, Brad has completed extensive hiking and paddling adventures throughout Michigan, including long-distance river expeditions and multi-day backcountry trips. He is an ACA member and is pursuing ACA kayaking instructor certification, continuing his education in paddlesports instruction and safety.
Brad is also passionate about Michigan’s rivers and waterways, advocating for river restoration, improved public access, and responsible stewardship of the state’s water resources.
As a co-founder, Brad helps shape the club’s events, safety culture, and adventure programming, with an emphasis on self-reliance, preparation, responsible paddling, and exploring beyond the ordinary.
Tim Postma
Co-Founder | ACA Level 2 Kayaking Instructor
West Michigan Kayaking Club
Tim Postma is the co-founder of West Michigan Kayaking Club and an experienced paddler dedicated to helping others safely experience Michigan’s rivers, lakes, and waterways.
As an ACA Level 2 Kayaking Instructor, Tim brings formal paddlesports instruction and safety knowledge to the club’s leadership. His experience includes kayaking instruction, paddling skills, water safety, rescue awareness, and helping participants develop the confidence and judgment needed to become stronger paddlers.
Tim has played an important role in shaping West Michigan Kayaking Club into an active adventure-paddling community focused on more than casual floats. Alongside co-founder Brad De Young, he has helped develop a culture centered on kayaking, canoeing, hiking, camping, river exploration, skill development, and longer-distance adventures throughout Michigan.
His approach to leadership emphasizes preparation, responsible decision-making, self-reliance, and respect for the water. Tim understands that successful paddling adventures require more than simply getting in a kayak—they require appropriate equipment, sound judgment, physical preparation, awareness of changing conditions, and a commitment to personal responsibility.
Tim is also an advocate for getting paddlers beyond the shoreline and into the places that make Michigan special. From moving-water river trips to multi-day adventures, he continues to help build opportunities for members to explore Michigan while developing their paddling abilities.
As a co-founder, Tim remains an integral part of the club’s leadership and its commitment to creating a positive, active, safety-conscious paddling community.