Level 4: Advanced Whitewater SUP Instructor Certification Exam (ICE)

The 1st Level 4: Advanced Whitewater SUP ICE will be held at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NC, April 24-25, 2014.

Come join us for this inaugural course, and stay for the Tuck Fest over the weekend!

Hope to see you there!

For more information, check out the ACA calendar or contact Trey Knight at tknight@usnwc.org

ACA Pro School Spotlight

We're pleased to announce the newest ACA Pro School, CanoeSport Outfitters from Des Moines, Iowa!

Since 1992, CanoeSport Outfitters has been serving paddlers in the Midwest by organizing informative events, providing quality gear, and offering superior instruction. Whether you're picking up a paddle for the first time or have years of experience, the knowledgeable instructors at CanoeSport Outfitters will help you improve your canoeing, kayaking, and SUP skills. 

Along with a wide range of courses, the new Pro School also offers many educational outings to local destinations and provides learning opportunities in the Apostle Islands, Everglades National Park, and coastal regions of Louisiana and Georgia. 

In their retail store, you'll find knowledgeable staff eager to help you select the best canoe, kayak, or paddleboard for the type of paddling you want to do. CanoeSport Outfitters also offers a wide selection of accessories to help you paddle safer and transport your gear more easily. Rentals and test paddling opportunities are also available at their concession location at nearby Lake Ahquabi State Park.

Please feel free to visit their website or contact jeff@canoesportoutfitters.com for more info.  

ACA Pro Schools are some of the best organizations across the country to find top quality ACA certified instruction. Current ACA members also receive discounts on certain Pro School instructional programs. 

To see a full list of ACA Pro Schools, click here. 

Announcing a Special Course for ACA Instructors

As part of the annual East Coast Paddlesports and Outdoor Festival, the Charleston County Parks & Recreation Commission is hosting a special course for ACA Instructors. 

The Coaching Process with Todd Johnstone-Wright 
April 8-9, 2014
$150
Register online

This course is designed to expose instructors, instructor trainers, and instructor trainer educators in all disciplines to core coaching competencies and behaviors that enhance long term paddler development by increasing efficiency, student motivation, and an individual's access to learning. 

While the CP course is based on current educational theory and best practice, at its core it's a fun, hands-on, collaborative experience designed to harness the talents of each participant. The CP course will cover the following coaching competencies:

• Differentiated Instruction
• Observation and Analysis 
• Purposeful Practice
• Session Planning
• The Role of Feedback
• Developing Performance Assessments
• Long Term Paddler Development

Prerequisites: This coaching course is appropriate for ACA Level 1-5 Instructors, Instructor Trainers, and Instructor Trainer Educators in any discipline. 

Congratulations to March Kokatat Instructor of the Month, Raphael Kuner!

Raphael is one of the ACA's most active Instructor Trainers and one of the most influential ACA representatives in Europe. Hailing from Grenzach-Wyhlen, Germany, Raff (as his friends call him) began paddling canoes 25 years ago. 

Learn more about Raff's story...

The ACA would like to thank Kokatat for sponsoring the Instructor of the Month program. Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized? Submit a nomination here! 

Your Chance to Influence the Future of Paddlesports Education

The National On-Water Standards Team, funded by US Coast Guard grants, is seeking input from recreational paddling and rowing educators across the nation. Do you have a few minutes? Complete this survey and make your voice heard!

This is your opportunity to impact the development of free recreational paddling and rowing (canoes, kayaks, rowboats, paddleboards, etc) standards/rubrics that can be voluntarily used by educators when developing boating courses. 

Take the survey today! 

For more information, please contact K. Brian Dorval, On-Water Standards Facilitator at 716-994-2842 or brian@thinkfirstserve.com

Influence the Future of Paddlesport Education

The National On-Water Standards Team, funded by US Coast Guard grants, is seeking input from recreational paddling and rowing educators across the nation. Do you have a few minutes? Complete this survey and make your voice heard!

This is your opportunity to impact the development of free recreational paddling and rowing (canoes, kayaks, rowboats, paddleboards, etc) standards/rubrics that can be voluntarily used by educators when developing boating courses. 

Take the survey today! 

For more information, please contact K. Brian Dorval, On-Water Standards Facilitator at 716-994-2842 or brian@thinkfirstserve.com

Florida Canoe Symposium

Want to improve your paddling skills? Sign up for the Florida Canoe Symposium scheduled for March 21-24, 2014. 

The FCS offers courses in a range of skill levels, all taught by ACA certified instructors! 

Get your paddle wet before the ice melts. Learn more about the FCS today!

Safe Sea Kayaking - DVD, CD-ROM & Teacher's Guide

Decide to Return: A Strategy for Safe Sea Kayaking explores the conscious decisions and unconscious choices that we make every time we leave the shore. Sometimes these choices mean the difference between a safe outing and disaster.

Kate and Jack experience a gamut of hazards on their brief outing. Some are courtesy of Mother Nature but others they've brought upon themselves. This DVD will give you practical information and food for thought so you'll be prepared for your next sea kayaking adventure.

Follow Kate and Jack as their skill, preparedness and equipment choices shape the day. Will their decisions seal an unpleasant fate or enable a safe return?

Also included is a CD-Rom containing a teacher's guide in PDF format and a Power Point presentation to be used in conjunction with the video. Both answer viewer questions, provide group discussion points and explain in more detail the accident process theory. These invaluable support materials will make Decide to Return a worthy part of any outdoor training program. 

ACA members don't forget to login to your account to receive your member discount on your purchase.

Florida Canoe Symposium

Looking to improve your paddling skills? Sign up for the Florida Canoe Symposium scheduled for March 21-24, 2014. The FCS offers courses in a range of skill levels, all taught by ACA certified instructors. 

Learn more about the Florida Canoe Symposium and reserve your spot today!

Submit Your Nomination for the Next ACA Instructor of the Month

Do you know any ACA Instructors who deserve recognition for their stellar teaching abilities? 

The ACA is proud to partner with Kokatat for the ACA Instructor of the Month program. This program recognizes instructors who are steadfast in their commitment to promote the ACA's golden standard of paddlesport safety and education. 

Each Instructor of the Month will be featured in the Journal of Paddlesport Education and will receive a Kokatat PFD.

Nominate your favorite instructor today!

Save the Date: SEIC Meeting!

The next ACA Safety Education & Instruction Council (SEIC) meeting is scheduled for February 21st, 2014 in Columbus, Georgia. 

This is a great opportunity to make a difference in paddlesports education on a local, regional, and national level. There is no cost to attend the meeting, and all ACA instructors and other members of the paddling community are encouraged to participate! Learn more...

April Zilg Speaks to the Value of ACA SUP Instructor Certification

When April Zilg signed up for an ACA SUP Instructor Certification Course, she was skeptical. 

"At that point I realized that most watersport businesses saw the booming SUP industry and all wanted to jump in it to make some extra money," April said. She figured the ACA was just like the others. And she was quickly and happily proven wrong. 

The ACA SUP Instructor Certification curriculum is designed to produce quality instructors and instructor trainers committed to high levels of leadership and excellence in this new sport. It's a tough curriculum. But it's worth it. In April's own words, "The ACA certification holds merit."

You can read April's full story on the Distressed Mullet site, where she tells of her positive experience taking both level 1 and level 2 ACA SUP Instructor Certification Courses. 

Are you an instructor with a story to tell? Email us and let us know so we can feature you on the ACA Water Blog!

Want to get certified to teach SUP? Visit our website to find a SUP Instructor Certification Course near you.