Before getting into it, just a heads-up that this article is based on information from September 2018. Requirements for certifications change often, so make sure to check out the linked websites throughout this article for the most recent status, should you decide you want to get certified! 

This summer I've regained an interest in teaching kayaking and more formally practicing/refreshing my paddling skills (i.e. not just joining trips, but really focusing on improving my technique). Teaching the recent introductory class helped with this, as it reminded me that I enjoy practicing technique (with a fun group of friends) almost as much as going on trips. 

This led me to wonder what types of paddling certifications are relevant in the Netherlands. Paddling skill and instructor certifications in the US and UK are managed by the American Canoe Association (ACA) and the British Canoe Union (BCU) - now known as British Canoeing, respectively. These pages provide descriptions of what is required for each level of sea kayaking (instructor) certifications:
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• ACA Levels (scroll down to Assessments)
• BCU Star Awards (though this page seems to be missing the 4- and 5-start awards)

When new members join Never Dry, we invite them to participate in a 3-evening series of introduction courses to learn the basics of paddling (essentially: enough to be able to paddle alone on the Kralingse Plas in good weather). Having taught kayaking in the past, I decided it would be fun to give one of these intro courses myself. The opportunity recently presented itself when Nathalie (a friend of mine), Fran (a colleague of Henk's), and Marieke (who found me through this website) expressed interest in joining Never Dry. They were the perfect guinea pigs!

In my (short) experience as a member of Never Dry, I've observed that the intro courses are fairly ad-hoc. Essentially, we tell potential members to "stop by on a Wednesday evening and paddle with a fellow club member". This works well when new members are highly motivated and comfortable meeting a bunch of new strangers at the same time and taking the lead in their own kayaking development (all good things). However, I know that I never would have gotten into kayaking if that had been my experience. I find it helpful to have a bit more structure when I'm learning or getting involved in something new. Therefore, I decided to bring some extra structure to the classes, both for the benefit of myself and (hopefully) the new members.

My goal is to help potential members feel more at home at the club, make their first Never Dry friends, and motivate them to stick around and learn more by joining the club and participating in broader club activities. Below are some ways I hope to do this:
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• By sticking to a roster (i.e. students will be the same in all three classes, giving people time to get to know each other - a first step in building a network within the club) and setting the expectation that everyone is should attend all three courses
• Organizing the courses on a non-club-night, so we would have plenty of space and few distractions, especially for the first one or two classes. 
• Setting up a whatsapp group for communicating outside of class, to reschedule in case of bad weather, share photos, build comradery, stay in touch etc. 
• Defining a flexible lesson plan (more on this later)
• Managing expectations about what you should know at the end of the course, and which parts of the course are just a sneak peak into more advanced paddle techniques
• Organizing some follow-up activities to help integrate new members into the club (in progress!)

I'm happy to say, our first set of classes were a blast! Fran, Nathalie, and Marieke were all enthusiastic, eager, and fun paddlers, and quickly picked up the basics of kayaking in the first two days. They were not scared away by our first rainy evening on the water. On the second day, Fran and Nathalie even practiced wet exits and assisted rescues! We spent the third day exploring more advanced paddle strokes. By the end of the evening I saw some pretty smooth edged turns and bracing. Marieke also practised a wet exit and assisted rescue. We have some new rising sea kayakers in our ranks! <insert heart emoji>

​So what did we do? Rather than write it all in this post, I decided to make a separate page where I will maintain and update a rough lesson plan. Since this was my first Never Dry intro course, I learned a lot and plan to make plenty of adjustments for the next one.

​See "Intro to Kayaking" under the "Resources" tab above, or click here to see the new page.

We also enjoyed a drink/snack/chat after each class, back in the cozy club house, when we would plan our next class and ponder what we could practice next time. ​I'm a bit sad that it's over, but we're already organizing our first real paddling trip, so stay tuned for that post soon :) 

It was an unusually hot sunny morning as I cycled down the Rotte River towards Crooswijksebocht (literally: Duckweed District Bend, where "bend" refers to the bend in the River). As I approached the bend, I saw a colorful crowd milling on the riverbank. Overheating, I removed my sweatshirt to reveal a bright blue t-shirt: our club uniform. I locked my bike on one of the many temporary bike racks and wandered into the crowd, keeping an eye out for other blue-shirted people.