Whitewater Forum: ACA Certification
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ACA Certification

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Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13591
Printed Date: 29 Mar 2024 at 2:25am


Topic: ACA Certification
Posted By: pottert
Subject: ACA Certification
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2013 at 9:52am
Is anyone out there interested in getting certified as an ACA Kayak instructor? If so let me know, I am working on putting together a course. No dates are set yet, just gauging interest at this point.



Replies:
Posted By: jerryclayross
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 8:33am
I'm interested! Mine expired a couple of years ago so I need to go again. Would be especially interested in a class spread out over weekends if possible.


Posted By: Ellingferd
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 8:37am
What about one in May? I'd be interested then.


Posted By: pottert
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 11:08am
Thanks for the feed back. At this point I think March will be the target timeline. Yeah it will be cold but everything will be low and good for a teaching setting. Where is everyone located?


Posted By: FLUID
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 12:33pm
Who will be instructing? Drevo is really good through eNRG and there right in Portland and would travel up.


Posted By: ODarrow
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 5:57pm
I would be happy to up my status but will only be in the PNW starting end of April.

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"See what happens"


Posted By: jerryclayross
Date Posted: 23 Nov 2013 at 8:55am
I'm in Tacoma and given enough of a heads up I could make anytime in the sprin work.


Posted By: pottert
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2013 at 10:59am
A small group of paddlers and I will be teaching it. It will be 4-5 days, hopefully spread over weekends, perhaps one friday. Depending on what is flowing when we run the course, our typical rivers for this class include: Wenatchee, Skykomish, Cle Elem, Naches, and MF Snoquamlie. I will repost when we decide on some dates and have a price for you. Happy paddling!


Posted By: pacnwboater
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2013 at 5:29pm
Would definitely be interested! Let me know!


Posted By: FLUID
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2013 at 12:48am
Oh nice topot I didn't realize you had your instructor cert... shoot, just  keep the brown claw out of the curriculum and should be a good class  


Posted By: pottert
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2013 at 10:07am
That's actually the first thing we teach, Chris… Do you need to refresh your skills?


Posted By: pottert
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2013 at 9:13pm
Alright friends, I am starting to look at dates to make this thing happen. How does the last two weekends in March 2014 look? We would have to use one Friday, ideally the 21st. This would put the dates at March 21,22,23,29,30.


Posted By: jerryclayross
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2013 at 10:15pm
Looks good to me, and I think I can talk to others into taking it too.  Got an idea of price?


Posted By: pottert
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2013 at 8:24am
Approximately $400. Still working out the details.


Posted By: PaddleGirl
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2013 at 9:10am
those dates are perfect for me.


Posted By: jerryclayross
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2013 at 9:12am
should work for me too.


Posted By: pottert
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2013 at 5:20pm
Sounds good! I will keep the updates coming as the class is developed!


Posted By: clyness
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2013 at 2:23pm
I am also interested and those dates would work for me!


Posted By: STLboater
Date Posted: 16 Dec 2013 at 3:20pm
Hey Thomas - I'm a bit confused about the thread content, are you an ACA WW instructor or a certified instructor trainer?

Also - I gotta call it out. You may have been joking, but Chris Totten is the man when it comes to teaching. I've hired Fluid Adventures for courses before, and Chris is one of the best instructors in the state. He doesn't deserve any prodding after he dedicated a part of his life to kayak instruction.

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Kayak Academy Whitewater Instructor


Posted By: pottert
Date Posted: 16 Dec 2013 at 4:59pm
STL, I teach for Central Washington University. This course will be my check off for my ACA IT cert.

Also - Totten is a badass, I was just playin. Sometimes you just have to throw up the "brown"...

Keep it real.

-T-Pot


Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2013 at 9:06am
Originally posted by pottert

That's actually the first thing we teach, Chris… Do you need to refresh your skills?


Ok---
I've been trying to bite my toungue around here lately, but I can't let that one slide.

Totten isn't just a "badass". His diversity of expeience and his accomplishments in the whitewater world (both as an Advanced Whitewater paddler and an instuctor), not to mention his assets essentially as a whitewater field medic place him on a whole other level of experience few paddlers ever achieve. So naturally your comment came across as more than a little disrespectful. You're just a Jonny Come Lately.

You want to "keep it real", T-pot?
You can take as many courses and aquire as many certs as you want, run your share of Trophy Gnar as well, but as long as that Fluid guy is out there strokin, he'll be the Teacher, and You the Student.

I'm gonna stop short of telling you what you can do w/ that Brown Claw. I think you can guess. Keep it real indeed, son.

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Posted By: NightbeastNW
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2013 at 9:18am
Way too much serious going on in this thread! 

TOTTEN IS THE MAN, thanks for shoving me into that eddie in Richochet bud! 

Would have been a gnarrrrrr swim

BROWN


Posted By: FLUID
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2013 at 10:47am
Alright Alright .... blushing over here. Thanks you guys it means a lot but I have to deflect this a bit. I think Gordon and I both were just asking who was going to be "presenting" or representing the ACA and your sign off. for the record guys I did kinda throw the first blow with the brown claw comment but its in good fun and Tom came back with good form. When I did all my ACA certs and co instructing it was with folks like Mary and Phil DeRiemer, Sam Drevo, Kent ford ect.   For some I think what JP might be saying is he wants his cert but he's there more for the Dojo and knowledge of the master that might be teaching him a higher level of black belt or something of that effect. I get that ..instruction is tricky like that, especially instructor to instructor. it's like two guides in a raft. Plus being instructor trainer, trying to build a brand name, growing clientele. It's hard... You have to start somewhere and T-pot your killing it, think of how good you'll be in a couple years. Most of my paddling ecceleration was 8 or so years in after all the ACA stuff finally was muscle memory and spitting one liners golden teaching nuggets were like old jokes. about the time I got out of it. 10,000 hours and beyond of flatwater sweep strokes and draws....... sweep strokes and draws......

I taught because I was passionate about it and that, i think just makes good instructors. My biggest idol in paddling is Jon Almquist. Jon pretty much molded me and I was his next generation like so many others. He is still one of the best instructors in the state, shoot I can think of lots of pretty solid coaches all over the state even down to hood river that I would take a clinic from.

Listen the truth is i don't even teach anymore, I'm getting older, going to school, working and just loving having the river be my teacher and take me around the world or to my favorite little back yard gnome. I think Tom is key in an ACA roll and I'm proud of him being young and up and coming and hip because thats what we need is for the ultimate growth or sustainability of our sport to teach the kids and this is just the next generation of instructors living the dream and sharing the passion. Keep after it Tom Potter your a really good paddler I know your passionate and professional about it and that makes for a really sweet course.. Don't listen to our old bullsh*t , right JP ! hahah   but seriously, no brown claw.

Totten~


Posted By: NightbeastNW
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2013 at 11:06am
I took my original instructor cert from Mary and Phil!  They have such a positive affect on the ACA and paddler's that they help bring into the sport. 

So Totten, what should we be throwing up if not the said "brown claw"?  


Posted By: STLboater
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2013 at 12:07pm
Maybe we need to teach when it is appropriate to throw up the brown claw! Tom, you know I agree with Totten. There are few people who are passionate about teaching in this world. Having the enthusiasm to bring people into the sport is a rare trait, and you should get after it (which you obviously are).

-MG

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Kayak Academy Whitewater Instructor


Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2013 at 4:52pm
Ok, maybe I over reacted a little, maybe I enjoyed it

But you gotta admit that torchin' a little flame to this thread doesn't necessariy make it ovely "serious", but it will certainly bring more people in to say what might be on their own minds, so maybe a little spark of drama isn't entirely bad. I mean what I said on a wider, figurative scale though it put you in the line of fire (Friendly fire), T-Pot. Its just a trend I've observed for years ("Bro Brah" style over legit substance). So I apologise for my harsh words. The beauty of appologies though is I still got to say what I wanted to, because I think its fair to shed light on other aspects of this discussion now. So if you will all allow me to back paddle just a little on that, maybe we can still ferry this raft into a more productive line of discussion.

Totten, while your response is chock full of wisdom as usual, I have to correct you slightly just so that my thoughts are understood and not misconstrued. Regardless of who has certs and doesn't and who should be teaching what, to me there is a larger issue than us as individuals, because each instructor and instructor trainer has a multiplier effect on how people enter the sport. There is A LOT OF RESPONSIBILIY attached to that. I mean, yall saw Spide Man, didn't ya?                                                                                                                                                          

Its not about me getting certs myself so much as the fact that if I want to keep boating, I'm stuck w/ the boaters that come up through the ranks, for better or for worse. So I hope it's gonna largely be better than worse. Does that make sense?

It may come across as though my responses are ego driven. That's one of the things that's frustrating for me because that's not the case. Its more of my own perspective of watching good practices and techniques and approaches to this sport be left by the wayside as they get replaced by carbon copy after carbon copy. Its hard to explain to someone who hasn't been in the sport for 20+ years. I'd just like to know that if people are pursuaded to spend money on instruction that they are getting something real and not just a $500 rubber stamp machine, that's all.

So again, T-pot, I made you the friendly fire, maybe it wasn't fully deserved but you brought it. I'm still just keeping it real here. Thats not to say you shouldn't pursue your passion at all, and get those credentials and apply them. But if this instruction thing takes off, if you end up influencing new comers to the sport, you're gonna be a roll model. So what you have to pass on matters. Thats why the shallow style sh*t and posturing is corrosive. I just want you to know you are (I am, we all are) standing on the Shoulders of Giants.

Thats why there is a sincere need for integrity whenever we are leading beginners, teaching courses, or whatever, to try to replicate these skills, techniques, ethics as faithfully as we can.

And That's why if I was to pursue some certs, hell yeah, I would want to try to learn from the best, such as those Totten mentioned. Who wouldn't? Kent Ford has been boating since the 70's and the Dereimers get rave reviews from practicly everyone I meet who has taken courses from them. The Dojo thing, there is a lot to that as well. The real Dojo can be tapped into on everyday paddling trips, as well, which has always been largely how most people progress and grow as boaters. And having a standardized framework like what the ACA provides is invaluable for that. Dojo, Kung Fu, these sorts of metaphors have a place in this sport for sure. I would just hope that anyone taking on the mantle of instructor would sincerely tap into it all on a genuine level and then be able to pass it on, that's all. Paddling in the Deep End of the river.

So this thread is too serious? I don't think so. I think its a serious topic. Its not a shallow topic, and kayak instruction and contemporary boating culture should not Dwell in the Shallow End of The River. I doubt Yoda would be down w/ the Brown Claw. To be fair, he also wouldn't like half of my responses in these threads



Oh well, none of us are perfect. We all gotta keep it real though, because from time to time the river's gonna do it for us no matter what.

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🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋


Posted By: pottert
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2013 at 10:39pm
JP, I feel it man. I completely agree that being part of introducing new people to this sport is a huge responsibility. Considering the relatively few people who kayak in the first place, we need to make sure that those who are even remotely interested are getting the best instruction they can get. Like you said, I think we all want to paddle with good paddlers.

No worries about the brown claw or what ever else, thats just the homies messin around. I mean what other non-traditional sport has its very own throwable hand celebration? Gotta abuse that a little right?

I appreciate everyone's input on this topic. What started as a simple gauge of interest for an ACA class has become a beckoning from the local ballers of the sport stating their opinion on the topic of teaching people to paddle. I am honestly very inspired by each and every one of you, whether I have paddled with you or not, to host some bad ass paddling classes in the future.

Chances are, I am eventually going to come to you all for advice of some type at some point. Never stop learning.

I'll see you on riv!

T-Pot


Posted By: STLboater
Date Posted: 18 Dec 2013 at 4:40am
Hey Tom,
I figured would chime in again on the discussion of teaching an ACA certification course. We hold our kayak instructors to a high standard, but we hold our instructor trainers to a significantly higher standard.

In my opinion, an IT should have at least 5-8 years leading courses under the ACA, or at another accredited institution. Only after significant experience can you build a track record that will be recognized by the expert instructors out there. Seniority helps too. Over time, you develop experience beyond the ACA course where you find the real grains of wisdom that make an ACA instructor class special. These grains are your techniques, your style, recognizing and adapting to your students abilities, both mentally and physically. This wisdom takes time to develop, and it isn't found in ACA course outlines, instructional videos or through class V kayaking. However, this wisdom can be gifted to you through the mastery of a veteran instructor. This is why an experienced IT is so valuable.

There are many useful applications for you to have your IT, i'm sure you've thought of them, and I know you are fired up about it. Keep teaching, your skills will vastly improve through your instruction and introspecion. I know every move I break down for students helps me become a more technical paddler. My opinion is that more people should teach, it is one of the best ways to improve technique.

SYOTR,
Gordon

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Kayak Academy Whitewater Instructor


Posted By: huckin harms
Date Posted: 18 Dec 2013 at 8:59am
So, in the interest of this threads direction I removed the earlier kneejerk comment I made.

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Posted By: chipmaney
Date Posted: 18 Dec 2013 at 11:50am
JP's heart is in the right place. Like me, he just isn't an effective communicator.

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sitting all alone on a mountain by a river that has no end


Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 18 Dec 2013 at 8:19pm
Bummer Mike, I never even got to read it. Oh well.

Originally posted by chipmaney

JP's heart is in the right place. Like me, he just isn't an effective communicator.




Online, maybe. That's a broad statement though. Pretty loaded with Irony all around, actually. And I'm laughing my ass off this very second as I decide not to ellaborate further. Pretty confident you're wrong, though. You see, its all about context, chipper. But you have never tried to tap into the correct context, so you can believe what you want. I don't mind.

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Posted By: chipmaney
Date Posted: 18 Dec 2013 at 10:42pm
don't see much irony in knowing myself. just adding my voice to the usual chorus.

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sitting all alone on a mountain by a river that has no end



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