Adventure Sports Coaching - Kayak Week

One of the degrees being run by the University of Central Lancashire is titled Adventure Sports Coaching which aims to provide students with coaching theory and practice within the context of outdoor activities. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on developing a range of professional skills and coaching techniques that are applicable within the adventure sector.

One such area of development for the students is their knowledge of and personal abilities within paddlesports, amongst other outdoor pursuits, and this week saw them come down to Tyn Dwr in Llangollen fro week one of a six week series of residential programmes run over two semesters.

The kayaking week took in a number of venues including Llangollen Canal, Trevor Basin, Llyn Alwen, sections of the Afon Dee as well as the infamous Serpents Tail. The premise being that the students will benefit from exposure to a number of environments, teaching styles and coaching processes. For instance, this week saw them working with Olly Sanders and Dan Butler who are both well established BCU coaches.

So the week began initially by looked at fundamental paddle techniques and then moved into areas of leadership, journey skills and principles of safety. So not only assisting them in becoming well rounded paddlers in their own right but also exposing the students to the broader picture of what is needed to operate in the outdoors effectively.

The students faired well and were blessed with good weather. Plenty of swims were had, some intentional, some not so. They soon learnt the philosophy that 'there are those who have swam, and there are those who are about to'. All in all a good first week for the Adventure Sports Coaching who have begun this degree programme.