Have you ever considered becoming an American Canoe Association (ACA) certified coastal kayak instructor or want to take your paddling to a higher level? If you love kayaking and are passionate about helping others experience the magic of this sport, then you should give this course some serious thought.
This course will be taught by ACA Instructor Trainer Educator (ITE) Pete Stevens
You don't have to want to teach kayaking to take this course. Taking the course is a a great way for intermediate paddlers to improve their skills. The course is designed to develop instructional and personal paddling technique, and to prepare you to teach the sport of sea kayaking at the highest standard.
Candidates will learn and practice how to be fun, safe, and effective kayak instructors. The course will cover teaching styles, as well as student learning styles, and emphasis will be placed on how to teach so that learning actually happens. The course will explore a variety of teaching topics, including methods for teaching hard skills and for boating concepts. You will learn what goes into giving great presentations both on and off of the water and have opportunities to practice teaching skills. This is also a good time to hone your own personal paddling skills and technique.
This class is not only ton's of fun, Pete is a great instructor and loves teaching this course. This is a great opportunity for personal paddling and kayak growth. In addition to developing your technical skills, candidates will also hone their "soft skills" in order to become a more perceptive and flexible teacher. This course is about building great instructors and effective mentors. We emphasize safety and fun, while building creative progressions for paddling success.
The course is divided into 2 components:
The Instructor Development Workshop (IDW), and the Instructor Certification Exam (ICE). During the 3-day IDW, the skills and techniques needed to improve your coaching will be discussed and practiced, along was great individualized feedback. The 2-day ICE, which occurs several weeks later to provide an opportunity for practice, will re-enforce those ideas, and offer a check of those techniques and certification at the appropriate level.
Important Note on Prerequisites: As of January 2016 the ACA requires that all a Skills Assessment be completed at the appropriate skill level prior to an IDW. Please check the calendar to register for the Coastal Kayaking Level 2 or Level 3 Skills Assessment. If unable to attend a listed skills assessment, contact Mike Germani for options.
Please review the Instructor Criteria on the ACA website:
If registering for the IDW, please ensure you also register for the ICE! It is possible to signup for the ICE alone if you have already completed an IDW or other transferrable credit. Contact Mike Germani before doing this.
Cost:
3-Day IDW*: $250
2-Day ICE*: $200
Additional fees may apply depending on your ACA membership status.
- Instructor Manual: $15-$25, ordered through the ACA.
- ACA PAC annual Dues: $30 (must join ACA to be certified)
- ACA SEIC Instructor Dues: $25 (Added to your ACA membership upon successful completion of your 1st ICE)
* WKC will provide a 50% reimbursement upon successful completion with a "soft" commitment to assist the club with classes when available (e.g. Basic, Coastal, Advanced, Roll Clinic, and skills assessments).