Blog Posts

How to Choose A Great Instructor for You!

2/9/2021

I have had another question to answer - “How do I pick a great instructor?” Well here are a few things to think about.

MATCH your instructor choice to your interests and goals. Seems obvious but maybe not. Where do you want to go with your paddling? Racing, touring, fitness, river, surf? Or maybe just get out and have more fun? Look for a matching background and matching vibe in your instructor choice.

I like to think about instructor PEDIGREE. Where did they get their training and experience from? Who were or are their coaches and instructors? Training. Certifications. Competitive backgrounds or paddling career highlights. And again look for that matchup with your interests.

And then there is the all encompassing EXPERIENCE. Paddling experience is one thing. Instructing, guiding and coaching experience are quite another. Look for both - but especially the latter. I have seen some great paddlers who are poor instructors and coaches.

Reta talking Hydrology in her Final River 1 IT Mentorship with Neil

One final word. Don’t fall for marketing hype. Claims about being “the best” or whatever, abound out there. Let the pedigree and experience of the company and instructors speak for itself.
Reviews and testimonials are definitely something to look for.

Hope that helps when you are trying to find or decide on a great instructor.
Author:
Neil Gilson
Paddle Canada River 1 and 2 Instructor Trainer
Coach and Mentor to CANRVRSUP's
Head Instructor Reta Boychuk

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What It Takes To Become A Great Instructor!

2/5/2021

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The last few years most of my work has been coaching and training aspiring SUP instructors. This post answers questions I have had about what it takes to become a great instructor - and also what to look for if you are looking for a great instructor, guide or paddle coach.

First off - Become a great learner. Learn your skills well. You don’t know what you don’t know. And you don’t find out what you don’t know and need to know as a paddler or an instructor unless you learn from the experienced guides and instructors already out there.

If you feel you have the skills, only then are you ready for instructor training and certification. Few if any self taught paddlers have the skills or knowledge to effectively or safely instruct and guide. Instructor training and certifications hone your skills, teach you how to teach, and perhaps most importantly subject you to the review and evaluation of some of the most experienced instructors out there. If you are scared of subjecting yourself to the scrutiny of an instructor course, if your ego can’t take it, then you are just simply not ready to be an instructor.

Next up - purposeful time on the water AKA ‘practice’. Taking courses is a great start but to be a great paddler and a great instructor you need to practice practice practice. Hone your skills and understanding on the water. Just “going out for a paddle” counts little toward the experience or skills needed to be a great instructor. I have in my paddling career done hundreds, probably thousands of eddy turns on the river. I practice almost every time I go out. Make practice into play. Your skills, your understanding of your environment, your ability to help your students gets better. Practice with purpose - all the time. Never stop.

And lastly - becoming a great instructor requires humility and compassion. Instructing isn’t about you. I look at instructing and guiding as a great privilege and responsibility. You are helping people achieve their goals and live out their dreams. If you are in it to ‘be’ an instructor, to ‘be’ a leader then you are in it for the wrong reasons.

To me that’s what it takes to be a great guide and instructor.

Authors:
Neil Gilson
Paddle Canada River 1 and 2 Instructor Trainer
Coach and Mentor to CANRVRSUP's Head Instructor Reta Boychuk

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CANRVRSUP COLLECTIVE: ON THE WATER, ON LAND AND ONLINE

2/3/2021

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*Paddle Board Courses:
Whatever your level; we can meet you there…

ON THE WATER

The CANRVRSUP Collective invites you to find your flow with us as we explore mountain waterways across Alberta and British Columbia. We are committed to providing Western Canada with quality paddle board programming, ranging from Flatwater to Flowing Rivers.

PHOTO: ASHLEY VOYKIN PHOTOGRAPHY

Inspire:
Flatwater is the launching point for novices interested in stand up paddle boarding. Learn about proper SUP equipment and safety gear. Find your feet, fine tune your stroke, and perfect your pivot turns through one of our comprehensive Basic SUP and Advance Flatwater clinics.

Empower:
Progress into your potential. Our collective aims to empower you to discover the river in a safe manner. We can help you broaden your own personal understanding of paddling and water hydrology as it relates to river environments.

Grow:
Explore your boundaries. Join an enthusiastic and welcoming community of stand up paddle boarders on a guided trip. Let us help you plan a self-guided adventure. Or challenge yourself by becoming a certified instructor and share the stoke with new people. The options are limitless.

PHOTO: ASHLEY VOYKIN PHOTOGRAPHY

ON LAND

Find us at paddle festivals and competitions, locally or internationally. We love sharing our passion of paddling with anyone who will listen. Sit around the campfire with us and share your stories. Catch us on shore; we’re happy to chat.

ONLINE

Quality information you can depend on is our mission, if you’re a beginner we want you to feel assured you’re accessing material that will keep you safe and help you garner an understanding of water as it pertains to paddling.

We’ve all been there Googling our way through something new, let us help you cut the learning curve time with helpful accurate information.

Check out our upcoming webinars demonstrating form and progressions. This interactive series will be developed with the whitewater paddler in mind.

CANRVRSUP = Unparalleled excellence in all aspects of stand up paddle boarding.

Contact Us Today! Let us help you find your feet on the water.

Authors:
Lisa Stocking and Reta Boychuk

*All instructors/training/courses mandated as per Paddle Canada Manual.

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CAN RVR SUP Blog

How to Choose A Great Instructor for You!

What It Takes To Become A Great Instructor!

CANRVRSUP COLLECTIVE: ON THE WATER, ON LAND AND ONLINE

CANRVRSUP TEAM

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