White Water SUP Leader Assessment

The White Water SUP Leader Assessment Award is an 1 day assessment on a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2. It  assesses you leading a group (minimum of 3 mock clients) down grade 2(3) white water. On the day you will also have to demonstrate personal skills and rescue skills.

On this course, you will be assessed in the White Water environment, of Grade 2 (3). This will primarily be on your leading of a group in an empowering manner fitting with the BC educational philosophy.

As a Leader you can work independently or you could be deployed by a club, centre or organisation. Being a White Water SUP Leader allows you to take your own groups down river, and provide British Canoeing Awards and Training (which could help your employment, club or freelance work) such as:

• Personal Performance Awards – for example the Start Award, Discover Award, Explore Award, SUP Sheltered Water Award & SUP White Water Award.

There will be opportunities to develop and progress your own paddling skills and meet like-minded SUP boarders during the course. Many of our course candidates develop long lasting friendships, connections and contacts which is in fitting with the BC educational philosophy re fostering a paddlesports community.

Pre Course: 

Ensure you have the prerequisites in place – check the what do I need to bring. You can discuss with us in advance anything to do with the course and we will fully support you in the lead up to it.

We follow the course documents & syllabus which can be found at the following link.

On the day: You will be assessed in the environment of grade 2(3) leading your clients down the river on white water SUPs. You also need to perform certain rescues like a self rescue and a ‘mock’ unconscious rescue and personally be seen to be operating in the upper remit of the award yourself which means that you need to be able to paddle grade 3 white water on a SUP. At the end of the day, your assessor will sit down with you and debrief the day. Hopefully you have passed!!! 

Post Course:

We always offer people to email in any questions they might have post course or and know that we are happy to support people even after the course in how they develop as leaders should anyone ever have any questions or want to run ideas past us. And we recommend once certified that people progress down the coaching pathway as well.

We are proud to recommend local accommodation options within the area for people when you are up for your SUP White Water Leader Assessment Course:

Aviemore:

Youth Hostel A budget friendly option for people.

Coylumbridge Hotel Aviemroe – good for groups and families alike.

Premier Inn – always a good shout.

Rothiemurchus Campsite – situated in the stunning forest, this is a beautiful budget friendly option.

Glenmore Campsite – situated at Scotland’s highest beach, Loch Morlich has phenomenal views across to Cairngorm Mountain.

Newtonmore & Surrounding Areas:

https://www.wherestagsroar.co.uk/ award winning accommodation in the Highlands – perfect to stay at while up on an outdoor adventure.

Invernahavon Caravan Park – a bit quieter than the others as it is a little further away from the hustle and bustle of Aviemore.

Dalraddy Holiday Park – a family and dog friendly campsite.

• Do you Love SUP and want to help develop the sport/people within it?
• Do you want to lead people on white water stand up paddleboarding (SUP)?
• Do You want to support your club to deliver sessions?
• Would you like to start or further your career in SUP on white water?

If the answer is yes to any of the above questions, then the (SUP) Stand Up Paddleboard White Water Leader Award Assessment Course could be the right way forward! With a 1 day assessment on your leading and personal plus rescue skills to be ticked off on the day, this will certify you to lead White Water SUP sessions.

We pride ourselves on providing as much kit as possible for you.  However, the list below is what we recommend you should bring to your SUP White Water Leader Assessment Course:

• Travel insurance. (We are insured for all our trips, but we recommend everyone has their own travel insurance as well.)
• Transportation to the venue. (We may be able to help with this though – if you need transportation please drop us an enquiry and we can see what we can do to help.)
• Lunch, water.
• Personal medication
• Everything that you wish to bring personal kit wise as most people prefer to use their own but we can sup[ply buoyancy aids, wetsuits etc if people wish.

• Prerequisites for the assessment are:

  • Full Nation Membership (Scottish Canoe Association or British Canoeing)
  • Valid First Aid Certificate
  • Valid Safeguarding Training recognised by British Canoeing
  • White Water Safety & Rescue
  • Registration for the award

Here at Highland Outdoor Adventures, we pride ourselves on providing you and the mock clients as much as we can but you are welcome to bring your own equipment if you do prefer. The list below is what we provide you with for your SUP White Water Leader Assessment Course.

It is expected normally when sitting awards like this people would come with at least their own personal equipment but we appreciate not everyone may have things yet so we can still supply equipment if needed. We do find that people prefer to use their own.

• Hala SUP’s -The world’s best Stand up Paddleboards – perfect for our SUP White Water Coach Training Course- if you need
• Paddles 
• Wetsuits – if you need
• Buoyancy aids – if you need
• Helmets – if you need
• Neoprene wetsuit boots – if you need
• Swimshorts to go over the top of wetsuits – if you need
• All instruction & administration fees included.
• All first aid and safety equipment.
• Photographs of the day provided for you at no extra cost! If the weather is good we will have a DSLR professional camera  so we can take photos and videos of your adventure and you can look back at the day for years to come. If the weather is less favourable we will bring a GoPro (as it is waterproof) so we will still be able to take photos for you.
• We may source mock clients for the day but will only do this on request if you need and can’t source your own.