If you want to coach canoeing and kayaking, support your club, or start a career in paddlesport coaching, the Canoe and Kayak (Sheltered Water) Coach Award could be the perfect next step. This qualification is designed for anyone who wants to develop their coaching skills while sharing a love of paddlesport in a welcoming, supportive community. You’ll join like-minded individuals who are eager to learn, develop and have fun, while gaining opportunities for both formal and informal learning. Your journey will include an assessment, but this is just the beginning, as the course is designed to encourage lifelong learning.

The Coach Award is useful whether you are a self-employed coach, a volunteer at a club, or work at a centre or organisation. It is aimed at those looking to develop paddlers’ skills and knowledge in a sheltered water environment. As a Canoe and Kayak coach, you will need to demonstrate competence in both disciplines. While there are also options to specialise in Canoe, Kayak, or Stand-Up Paddleboard coaching, many organisations prefer coaches who are qualified in both canoe and kayak for lead instructor or chief instructor roles at multi-activity sites.

This award equips you to coach paddlers who want to gain or improve their paddlesport skills. You will work with beginners as well as paddlers looking to develop existing skills, all within a sheltered water environment. Coaches can work independently or be deployed by a club, centre or organisation, and have the opportunity to design sessions that support the learning and development of participants.

As a Canoe and Kayak Coach, you will also be able to deliver British Canoeing Awards and training, including Personal Performance Awards such as Start, Discover, and Explore, safety training like the Foundation Safety and Rescue Course, and coach development through programmes such as the Paddlesport Instructor Award. Additional experience, training, or qualifications may sometimes be required depending on the setting.

Alongside developing your coaching skills, the course provides opportunities to improve your own paddling, meet like-minded people, and build lasting friendships and connections within the paddlesport community.

For more information, you can explore the course guide or click through the tabs provided to learn more about the Canoe and Kayak Coach Award.