Young Paddlesport Instructors: Nathan Clunas
Get to know some of the SCA's young paddlesport instructors!
Today it's all about Nathan Clunas
Tell us a bit about how you got into paddling?
Hi I'm Nathan and I got into paddling when at a sea cadet camp one summer where I gained my paddle explore award with my mates Warick and Lewis who have both also become instructors.
What do you love about paddling?
I love paddling because it’s amazingly fun and interesting, it's also so fulfilling and it always comes along with very exciting challenges.
Why did you do the Paddlesport Course?
I did the course to enhance my paddling abilities and also help my Sea Cadet unit by becoming an instructor so we could offer the opportunity of paddling for aspiring paddlers within the sea cadets.
What was good about the course?
The course was really testing but satisfying, I really enjoyed the rescues and was really intrigued by the all the different ways people learn and how to put them into practice.
Tell us a bit about any Paddlesport Instructing you have done since?
Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to instruct but I am very much looking forward to It whenever I can.
What do you think needs to be done to get more young people to get into instructing?
I think letting more young people know about the amazing opportunities that are available that come with paddling and explaining clearly how to get into it and where near them it's available would greatly improve the numbers of young paddle sport's instructors.
What are your ambitions moving forwards?
I’m really hoping to maybe go into a coaching pathway with paddling and gain more experience on canoeing.
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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