British Canoeing – Kayaking Certifications

Kayaking certifications. Body Boat Blade has a suite of sea kayak assessment opportunities for kayakers who want to work on their certification pedigrees. Certifications are a great way to track your own long term development and to receive objective feedback on your progress.

The NEW Personal Performance Awards are designed for paddlers wanting to gain recognition of their learning and development, in the craft and environment they choose.

For individuals who would like to work within the paddlesport industry, kayak certifications can be a valuable asset on a resumé. Many employers like to see that you have engaged in formal sea kayak training and these certifications are evidence of your proficiency in the sport. If you want to work internationally then a kayak performance certification that has been awarded to you from the British Canoeing organization will be recognized all over the world. Body Boat Blade is one of the few providers of British Canoeing awards on the West Coast. Let us help get you started!

Paddle Awards

Newcomers to sea kayaking can start earning their certifications quite quickly with the newly developed British Canoeing “Paddle Awards”. These awards are for beginners. All kayak training and assessments will be in a sheltered water environment. Let us help you begin a lifelong journey into paddlesport!

There are three progressive sea kayaking awards that you can receive:
Paddle Start
Experience your first session on the water; learning useful kayak skills for an enjoyable paddling experience. It aims to provide you with the basic knowledge to enable you to safely get in and out of your boat, make it move, and return to your starting point. This is your first step into the world of paddling, ensuring you feel safe, confident, and ready to progress to the Discover Award.

Paddle Discover
Your Discover Award allows you to develop your decision-making and practical skills for a fun and safe time on the water, taking you on the next steps towards becoming a proficient and independent paddler. Learn how to choose and effectively use the equipment, while developing an understanding of the factors which affect your kayaking; giving you the confidence to progress to making your own choices with the Explore Award.

Paddle Explore
Your Explore Award gives you ownership; allowing you to choose where you move next in the world of paddlesport. Working with a kayak coach you will be able to develop a program that suits what you need. Learn to make confident choices with this individualized approach. This award recognizes your ability to independently paddle your chosen craft in a sheltered water environment.

Personal Performance Awards

Location: Anacortes, Fidalgo Island, WA 98221

Individuals who have some paddling experience will benefit from the British Canoeing “Personal Performance Awards”. These awards have been updated and replace what was previously referred to as “Star Awards”. The new Personal Performance Awards are discipline-specific and allow you to develop your personal skills and decision-making toolbox in the craft and the environment that you choose. We feel that it is a huge improvement over the old Star Awards and it is much more encouraging for people who set down this path.

At this point, we are in the process of getting approval from British Canoeing for delivering more Award assessments so stay tuned for more updates. Right now we are pleased to be able to offer the very useful “Sea Kayak Award” which approximately replaces the former 3-Star award, but with the entire assessment now conducted in sea kayaks, or sit-on-top kayaks (if you prefer). The Sea Kayak Award puts you well on your way to the coveted Leadership awards.

Sea Kayak Award
The Sea Kayak Award endorses your skill, judgment and decision making required for a successful day on the sea. You will be confident in planning and undertaking journeys on the sea, in winds up to and including force 3 and/or tides up to 1 Knot, using sea kayaks or sit on tops, in tidal or non-tidal environments, with proficient skills to be in control throughout. Your award should be seen as a sound basis for building the experience and knowledge associated with Coastal Sea Kayak Award holders.

Core Coach Training

Class Length: 2 Days

Fee $ 250

The Core Coach Training is open to all paddlers regardless your discipline or previous coaching experience.

During this course, you will explore different approaches to understanding and enabling learning. You will also be supported in evolving your personal coaching development plan to enable you to take your learning into practice after the course.

The training is available as a two-day practical course.

For qualified coaches, this can form part of your continuous professional development and has a value of 20 CPD points.

Highlights

OVERVIEW
During the training, you will explore subjects that will help you understand:

-The learning journey of the paddlers you coach
-How to coach learners with different needs
-Structures for practice, to enable your learners to get the most from sessions on the water with you.

Around the main sessions you will also explore (with the support of your tutors):
-Your role as a coach
-Maximizing your development through reflective practice and your personal development plan.

If you’re interested in progressing to one of the 22 discipline specific Coach Award qualifications your tutors will support the planning of your next steps.

Prerequisites:

To get the most out of your Core Coach Training, you need to feel comfortable in or on your craft and be able to independently paddle on sheltered water. We recommend you consider the Paddle Explore Award (or equivalent level of experience) before booking on your Core Coach Training.

How To Register

The first step to register for a class with Body Boat Blade is to select an available date from the Class Schedule and complete your online reservation. A few of our courses are not on the schedule. For these courses please contact us to discuss your needs and objectives for a personalized course of study.

Next, as part of the onboarding process for all courses, each participant fills out a questionnaire about past kayak experience and general health. We find this extra step helps ensure you get the greatest benefit from your time with us and that you have found the right class to grow your kayaking skills.

BBB coaches review each application. We will get in touch with you to confirm that your application has been successfully reviewed or to clarify any questions that may arise. Once you receive your confirmation, your next step will be found in Getting Ready

Not sure if a class is right for you? For all of our guests, we want to be sure you have the best experience possible and meet all of your goals. We can help you find a class that matches your skill level and paddling goals, answer all of your questions, talk about class/trip prerequisites and requirements, and get you signed up. Just get in touch!

What To Expect

You can expect a low student to instructor ratio that is appropriate to your class, a lot of one-on-one time with instructors, and coaching that matches your learning style.

Full Day courses will last approximately 6-8hrs, depending on the needs of the group and prevailing conditions.

If you do not have your own gear then we have rental packages available. Call us for details.

Schedule Info

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View all the available classes during any time period.