Young Paddlesport Instructor Profiles: Rachel Grierson
Get to know some of the SCA's young paddlesport instructors! Every few weeks we will feature a young PSI. This week it's all about Rachel Grierson.
Rachel says:
When I was 10 years old I joined the sea cadets (a youth organisation), my dad and brother are also in the sea cadets. The sea cadets let young people get experience in a variety of things such as rowing, seamanship, and first aid amongst others. Although my favourite is paddlesports, personally I prefer kayaking to the others as it’s the one I have been doing for the longest.
I love the freedom and being able to be one with the boat. Paddlesports can teach you many skills, and this is why I enjoy kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and canoeing. What makes it so great is the fact that no matter how many skills you already know, you can still continue to progress as there are always many more new skills and tricks to learn.
I did the paddlesport course because I wanted to be able to teach others to do the sport that I enjoy so much, as well as to be able to inspire others to get to the stage that I am now at. It was also very helpful learning how to do the rescue training as it helped me become more confident in knowing what to do in stressful situations.
Moving forward I would like to start teaching lessons on paddlesport. So far, I have taught lessons with my dad and shadowed him.
Paddlesport Instructor Training Course - more info
The BCAB Paddlesport Instructor course is open to anyone aged 14 or over. This two day course helps you develop practical skills to support learning, inspire adventure and exploration, and sets you up to run taster/introductory sessions within clubs or centres.
Paddlesport Instructors are often the first point of contact for newcomers to our sport, and play a really important role. First impressions from these sessions can have a lasting impact on the likelihood of the person returning to do more in the future. Delivering sessions that are safe, enjoyable and rewarding are cornerstones of the Paddlesport Instructor role, and threads that run through all elements of the course.
Not only does this qualification help get you started delivering sessions, for many it is the first step on the formal qualification pathway. The course is open to people who have basic paddling skills in kayak, open canoe, sit on top, or stand up paddleboard. You’ll need to feel comfortable getting around where you want to go in/on your preferred craft, in calm benign conditions, close to easy bank-side access.
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