2014 was amazing, bring on 2015!

2014 Has been fantastic, thanks for being a part of it, bring on 2015!

So many good workshops on offer at the IOL Northwest conference in Jan

There are so many good workshops on offer this year at the IOL conference at Brathay Hall on the 23rd of January 2015.  I will be there delivering a games, energisers and Icebreakers workshop, but if that doesnt tickle your fancy I would suggest having a look at what else there is on offer!  There is an abundance of really good workshops delivered by some excellent presenters, there really is something for everyone.

For more information click here!

"Today is a very significant day in my life, I can feel it"

Yesterday Sonja said to me, "Today is a very significant day in my life, I can feel it.  I will look back on this day and know that this is the day that things changed for me."

Its not everyday that you hear someone say that about their first time on moving water, but 12 months ago Sonja was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  This now affects her on a daily basis, but she hasn't let it affect her dreams.  With a "the sky is the limit" ethos we have set off on an incredible journey which will take us from first paddles on moving water in North Wales all the way to multi day trips in Scotland and beyond, who knows where Sonja will go!

Sonja is keeping a blog here www.paddlehigh5.wordpress.com where you can find out more about who she is and her kayaking aspirations

This incredible journey could not be happening without the continued support of Pyranha Kayaks and the Fusion Sit on Top was quite literally the perfect boat to get out onto the moving water with.  Stay tuned for more updates!


What a great 4 days on the river!

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of spending 4 days on the river with these lovely gentlemen!

With the first two days spent developing their personal paddling skills and the second two days doing their 4 star training they are now ready to get out there paddling.  They gained some new skills techniques and tactics, polished up some old ones and a created a plan of how they can move forwards with their boating.

One thing that I learnt however was how to load a roof rack!  These boys certainly gave me a masterclass!


Paul's Story

When Paul attended his first aid course with his hiking club last two weeks ago little did he know that just days after he finished his course that he would be using his training for real.

This is the email that Paul sent me

Dear Chris

A big THANK YOU to you!!!! After the first-aid course we had last weekend, I met a real world case today!

An elderly fell over on my way back to home, and I was the first first-aider there! I had a actual practice the DR.ABCDEF, and called the ambulance. In the end, the ambulance came in time and took it over.

I am so glad that I have possibly saved a life today! and that all thanks to your teaching! What you are doing now is very meaningful!!! 

Paul Wong

Paul was following the easy to remember accident procedure he covered on his course and more details of what he covered on his course can be found here https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0FFFQQLrzr6Ym4tMDVCckZzT28/edit

River Skills Training with the Water Adventure Centre

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of working with the fantastic staff from the Water Adventure Centre in Droylsden.  

A little bit about the Centre and its staff.....

"The Water Adventure Centre is a vibrant youth centre with a difference. Our exciting activities focus on building confidence and self-esteem, whilst encouraging children and young people to take responsibility for themselves, others and our environment. "

For many of the staff this was their first time on the river and even though they have a large amount of experience on flat water, they hadn't yet ventured out onto the moving stuff!

After a good warm up and some skills training on the flat we got ourselves started on the river!  The staff took to it so well and it was incredible to see the grins from ear to ear as they had their first attempts at ferry gliding, breaking in and out and took on the tricky challenges that they faced in the river.

The staff from the centre were so easy to work with because they had the right attitude.  They got themselves fully involved and each gave it their best.  There was plenty of swims throughout the day, but there was even more smiles!  As soon as they came out of their boat, they emptied it, got back in again straight away and was immediately asking what they were doing next!

Often when delivering outdoor based sessions, we focus so much on the technical ability of an individual or client, rather than their development as a person.  However the staff at the Water Adventure Centre have things the right way round and focus on using water based activities as a tool to engage their young people and clients in positive activities rather than trying to turn them into the next olympic paddler.  From my time spent working with challenging young people in the outdoors, this is a philosophy that I certainly can understand.  The staff at the Water Adventure Centre know that paddlesports for their young people is simply the vehicle, rather than the destination.

It was superb to work with some inspiring staff who really seemed to get a taste for whitewater, Im sure they'll be out again soon!

More information on the Water Adventure Centre can be found here http://www.wateradventurecentre.org.uk/

Coaching coaches!

For the last few weeks I have had the absolute pleasure of being one of the coaches on the sport and exercise residentials for Leeds Beckett University.  This has involved me delivered paddlesport coaching sessions to students studying sports coaching, exercise and health and also sports science.  This was a great few weeks not only to perform as best as I could as a coach, but to also explain the methods and goals behind why I do what I do.

The first week kicked off for me by giving a lecture on how to keep motivation in sport and how to sustain interest over a prolonged period of time.  I tried my best to give an honest and frank account of the highs and lows of living, working and growing in my sports, trying to take all the students on a whisltlestop tour of the last 15 years of my life.  The students seemed to engage in this massively and seemed to get a lot from the explanations of times when I felt like I had made a mistake or made a wrong decision and how I had grown as a coach because of that.

The following weeks consisted of deliver sessions based around, coaching, participation in sport and also biomechanics.  It was great to feel stretched and like I had pushed myself to deliver the best coaching that I possibly could, breaking down forwards paddling into a two hour session has never been so much fun!

All of this is fantastic preparation as I look to the future, with the intention that at some point I will be delivering on the UKCC based qualifications within paddlesport and hopefully positively influencing others much in the way that I was when I first started out in my kayak so many years ago.