About Us
Andrew Surles
Southeast Paddle Sports Owner and Coach
Andrew Surles has been in the paddling world for over 10 years and has been coaching for 5 years. Andrew created Southeast Paddle Sports in January 2022 to reach out to paddlers throughout the United States. Andrew is from Gainesville, GA. He is attending Kennesaw State University for Construction Management.
Paddling is one of Andrew’s favorite activities. He actively paddles and coaches canoes, kayak, surf ski, dragon boat, outrigger canoe, and paddleboard. Andrew offers world-class coaching opportunities for paddlers. This includes training camps, private lessons, and online coaching. He was the USA team leader for the FISU World University Championships for Paddlesports in 2024, and the team leader for the ICF Canoe and Kayak Marathon World Championships in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Andrew has competed in many international races. This includes racing for the United States National Team at the Olympic Hopes Regatta and the ICF Sprint and Marathon World Championships for Canoe and Kayak in the years 2017-2024. He raced at the SUP World Cup in 2023 and earned 5th place in the 200m event. He was a part of the 2018 ICF and 2023 IDBF Dragon Boat USA, winning medals and world champion titles in the 2km, 1km, 500m, and 200m races. He plans to compete and coach athletes in more international races in the future.
Tanner Foreman
Southeast Paddle Sports Manager
Tanner Foreman has been paddling since 2015. She grew up paddling on the 1996 Olympic race course on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, GA. She paddles K1, surfski, outrigger canoe, and dragon boat. She raced at the 2021, 2022, and 2024 ACA Sprint National Championships, the 2021, 2023, and 2024 ACA Marathon National Championships, the 2023 IDBF Club Crew National Championships, the 2023 IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, and many local races in the Southeast.
Aside from being an athlete, Tanner also has some work experience in the paddling business. She started assistant coaching in January of 2023. Tanner was the Georgia State Director for 2023, and she is currently the Vice President for the Southeast Regional Dragon Boat Association (SRDBA) under the United States Dragon Boat Federation (USDBF). She is a certified Level 1 ACA Official.
Tanner enjoys all aspects of paddling - from training and competing to building friendships and dealing with politics. If you need equipment, a steersperson, someone’s contact information, race information, or have questions related to paddling, Tanner is the person to call. She is currently a college student, but in the future, she would like to work for one of the National or International Governing Bodies for paddlesports.
Aaron Mullican
Southeast Paddle Sports Coach
With over 15 years of elite athletic experience and more than a decade of coaching within the paddling community, Aaron has gained a wealth of diverse experience to lead and mentor athletes of all levels, from beginners to high-performance/international competitors.
Aaron’s passion for paddling started when he was 13. Through his paddling career he has been on the national team for 9 years, coached athletes to compete at a national and international level in kayaking and has coached dragon boat throughout the whole east coast.
Having been coached by six different Olympic-level coaches throughout his athletic career, Aaron has gained invaluable insight into a variety of coaching techniques and philosophies. This unique background informs his approach to leadership, emphasizing a holistic view of the athlete. He believes in not only developing technical skill and competitive success but also fostering personal growth, instilling strong moral character, and preparing athletes for life beyond sports.
Aaron is committed to guiding athletes through a comprehensive coaching philosophy that prioritizes technique, fundamentals, and personalized attention. By providing each athlete with tailored feedback and support, he can ensure that they are equipped with the tools needed to reach their full potential.
Scott Surles
Southeast Paddle Sports Coach
Scott has been a leader in the paddlesports community since 2013, participating in national championships starting in 2015. He competed in ICF Marathon World Championships in 2018 and 2023, and was assistant team manager for the national dragon boat team for the world championships in 2018.
Later that year, he started his coaching career as an assistant coach, and became head developmental coach in 2019 until 2024. He did double duty in 2019 as masters coach. During that span the team produced many national champions and international level athletes. In 2024, he started training in dragon boat for the first time and made the national team for the 2025 dragon boat world championships and brought home 3 bronze and 1 silver medal.
Scott has been active in the Sprint Coaches Association and is on the ACA subcommittee for youth development. He was a leader changing masters age groups and getting masters points into the overall standings at nationals.
With his experience on national teams at the world level, combined with a passion to coach, and a strong background in science, he knows what it takes to produce elite athletes and bring out their best.