dreamer’s ball
September 27th, 2006 | 
Author: 
Oh take me take me take me
To the dreamer’s ball
I’ll be right on time and I’ll dress so fine
You’re gonna love me when you see me
I won’t have to worry
Take me take me
Promise not to wake me ’till it’s morning
It’s all been true
-queen
At this time I have an ACA L2 and just could not get up the energy to drive to the great white north to try for my L3. As you know, here in the Midwest it can be a challenge to find an ACA IT near by. To be fair though my heart is with the BCU. I’ve always felt better with my experiences in BCU training. Not of course to say one group or the other is particularly better, but one or the other my better fit each paddler’s needs and personality. One of the things I’d always really enjoyed about the BCU is that under most conditions if you know a paddlers certification level, you have a pretty good understanding of their skill. Of course that’s not always the case, but good enough that many outfitters are comfortable using BCU certification levels to qualify paddlers for trips. The ACA to this point has not run a certification program for paddlers, just coaches. Although that may change.
I’ve also heard on the wind that the BCU may soon be making new in roads into our part of the Great Lakes region very soon which will make a BCU cert a bit more relevant in Wisconsin. So that puts a bit more of a rush on if I want to take part.
So as it stands I have my BCU 4* paddler cert along with the ACA Coach 2. So I asked our favorite Midwest BCU Super Hero what to do next. His first question. . “Do you have a BCU 3*?” . . “ah, well, no. . ” I said, “but I have the 4″. Not good enough it seems. Interestingly, the BCU now requires you to have your 3* as well. Apparently there was some worry that paddlers were getting their 4* certification without being properly tested on the fundamentals of the 3* program. Surprisingly I do understand that. The 4* assessment does not require you to go through all the kayak gymnastics that the 3 star program does. It is assumed that you know them already. In fact it was my understanding that you could not just jump in at the 4* level without either having the 3* or proving you having equivalent 3* skills. Thus I could do my 4* assessment because I had a ACA coach certification. Confused yet??
Well the bottom line is that I need to go back and have my BCU 3* assessment and take a Canoe Safety course as well before I can try for my 2* coaching certification. Ok then. Two steps forward, one step back. It’s a waltz! I don’t really relish having to demo sweeps and bow rudders again, but so be it. If this is what it takes to be sure that the star program has real meaning I’m happy to go back and work on that flat-water sweep.
I wonder if I could escape 2007 with a Coach 3? Two steps in one year? Now I probably am dreaming!
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When I was a cynical school teacher, we used to laugh that an ‘expert’ was someone from far away. The farther the distance someone had to travel to in-service us ignorant teachers, obviously, the greater an ‘expert’ they were. Following this iron-clad logic, I suppose the BCU training would stand heads and shoulders over the ACA training. Of course, the opposite would be true in Britain! In Iceland or Bermuda, you can take your pick!
Canada has it’s own certificaton body as well, right?
I’ve heard it’s slightly better than the ACA but not as good as the BCU . . . he says with tongue firmly in cheek. . that’s how it works right??
Shawna Franklin once told me that there are over 200,000 BCU members in the UK, or was it 200,000 BCU COACHES? I don’t remember exactly, but in either case it is a mind boggling number which demonstrated to me how backward this country seems in comparison. Although I like to make fun of those Star-Bellied Sneeches once in a while I fully admit that, like many things British, BCU deserves a great deal of respect and admiration. I’ll work on that 4* award — as soon as I get my Romany!
Hi Derrick, I don’t know whether the news has got through yet, but over here the BCU coaching qualifications are being dramatically overhauled. How this impacts your aspirations, I’m not sure – it would be worth checking it out. BTW, Dreamer’s Ball – the best Queen track ever!
There is just no excuse for not having a strong BCU or BCU type course here in the Midwest. As Derrick says, having a course helps you know where you’re at and how to progress from here. It helps you to grow in the sport. I wish Derrick would start his own certification program and call it the DCU. When I go out paddling, I’m always in a quandary as to what to work on, especially being an uncertified 56 year old paddler. Some of the strokes Derrick talks about I have no clue what they are. Having a course would give me direction in my kayaking experience. I’ve always liked the A, B, C approach. Let’s hope BCU come through with their new programs.
I only have so much time for paddling. Within that time I set aside a good bit for education and when I looked at the bonafides of the BCU vs the ACA, it then never became a question afterwards as to which org I’d go with. The best international coaches, in addition to some of the best US coaches (many or most dual rated) coming to a symposium near you. How is that not a great deal? The cast of characters I have had the pleasure to work with is amazing.
Andrew, if you are dropping your guard on the BCU certs check out our Yahoo>SKSB site. It is a faction of PSPN (no, we are not terrorists and this is not Life of Bryan) that is dedicated to training for them. Probably 50-60 PNW paddlers that meet on a regular basis to compare notes and work on things. You would be be very welcome and do not have to wait for your Romany, bring your Aleutian and Executioners Gown ; )
Derrick, What is next: Why Feathered is the only way to go?
All the best,
Rob G
Hey Bob I could see that. Like Steve Martin teaching kids to talk wrong!
Bertie, I’ve been reading that on your site too. Interesting. Yeah, I’m not sure how it effects my plans. I figure I’ll just let the assessors tell me as I go.
Fethered?? No Way!! I go both ways! LOL!! Now maybe we could talk about ACA certifications with a traditional paddle but we don’t want any controversy around here do we!??
Hello Derrick,
Take a look at the changes proposed by BCU after they will introduce the new coaching qualifications. From Level 2 coaches onward, you should hold 2 star in both canoe and kayak. Final syllabus will be releasead by November or December 2006.
From http://www.bcu.org.uk/bcu/CoachingItemPDFs/upload_1190.pdf
*BCU coaches who have been trained and assessed prior to the introduction of UKCC coaching qualifications may need some additional training in order to train candidates for the new 2 star, as this is significantly different to the ‘old’ scheme award. This will include the coach holding both their canoe and kayak two star – so if you don’t have both of these – get them done now.
Some of the new star awards may require pre-requisite training in:
· personal skills
· safe group paddling
· leadership
And then, more.