The Paddle UK White Water Coach Refresher & Assessment Week is a five-day course designed for paddlers who are committed to achieving their White Water (WW) Coach qualification or refreshing their skills in preparation for assessment. This course offers hands-on, practical learning, helping you apply core coaching principles in real white water environments. With a focus on your development as a coach, you’ll be teaching others, receiving feedback, and preparing for the formal assessment.
By the end of the week, if you meet the required standards, you’ll have the opportunity to take the formal BC WW Coach Assessment at a discounted rate.
This course is designed to refine your white water coaching skills, ensuring you’re fully prepared for the BC White Water Coach Assessment.
Over five days, you’ll cover:
The course will be held at various white water locations across the UK, with specific venues chosen based on river conditions and suitability for coaching and assessment. Our team will select rivers that provide the right balance of challenge and teaching opportunities, ensuring you get the best experience possible.
To attend this course, you must:
We’ve been refining paddlesports coaching for over a decade, with a focus on developing the next generation of white water coaches. Here’s why you should choose us:
Whether you’re looking to refresh your skills or take the final step towards becoming a certified White Water Coach, our course will give you the knowledge, tools, and confidence to succeed.
This course is designed for individuals who have already completed their Paddle UK Core Coach Training and are looking to refine their white water coaching skills. It’s suitable for those preparing for the Paddle UK White Water Coach assessment or those wanting a refresher to sharpen their coaching techniques and improve their confidence in white water environments.
Yes, you need to have completed the Paddle UK Core Coach Training and have experience paddling and coaching in white water environments. The course is aimed at developing coaching skills for Grade 3/4 white water, so prior knowledge of coaching principles and experience in these environments is necessary.
The Paddle UK White Water Coach Assessment evaluates your ability to coach paddlers in white water environments. You will need to demonstrate effective group management, decision-making, and paddling techniques while leading and coaching others. The assessment includes practical coaching sessions, where you will work with real paddlers, and a formal discussion to assess your understanding of coaching principles and your ability to meet the needs of students.
During the course, you will cover:
You’ll need to bring your own white water paddling and safety equipment, including:
Please ensure your equipment is in good working order and suitable for advanced white water environments.
The course runs from approximately 9am to 5pm each day. The schedule typically involves a mix of classroom sessions in the morning (covering coaching principles and theory) followed by practical, on-water coaching sessions in the afternoon. Each day concludes with a debrief to review progress and provide feedback on your development.
Safety is our top priority. We closely monitor river levels and weather conditions, and if the conditions are unsuitable for paddling, we will either move to an alternative location or adjust the schedule. You’ll still receive valuable coaching and feedback even if the conditions are not perfect, as we’ll adapt the training accordingly.
No, accommodation is not included in the course fee. However, we can assist with recommendations for local accommodation options such as bunkhouses, lodges, or campsites. Many participants opt to share accommodation with other course attendees, and we can help coordinate this if needed.
Yes, you will need to bring your own packed lunches, snacks, and water for each day. We recommend packing enough food and water to keep you energised throughout the day, especially during long on-water sessions. There may be local options to purchase food, but it’s best to come prepared.
You’ll receive continuous, personalised feedback throughout the course from Andrew and the coaching team. We aim to provide you with honest, constructive feedback on your coaching abilities, helping you develop your strengths and work on areas that need improvement. By day 4, you’ll have a clear understanding of your readiness for the formal assessment.
If, by the end of the course, you or our instructors feel that you’re not quite ready for the formal assessment, there’s no pressure to take it immediately. You can defer the assessment until you feel more confident. Our goal is to ensure that you feel fully prepared, and we will provide guidance on what areas to work on if you choose to delay the assessment.
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About the centre
Buckfastleigh, Devon
Operated by ABC Kayaking, a partner of adventuro.
