WORDSfromReaders
World Domination and the BCU I am a British sea kayaker and whilst visiting the USA recently I came across the Fall, 2002, issue of Adventure Kayak. I was particularly taken with the description of the British sea kayaking scene as given by Alex Matthews in his article, “Rolling…evil exercise or reliable rescue.”
Alex writes that sea kayaking in the UK is “a much more exclusive affair governed by the British Canoe Union (BCU). Ostensibly set up as a club, aspiring paddlers work their way through a rigor- ous testing system and are judged by accredited coaches in order to improve their skill rating. To its credit, paddlers do typically have a very good skill set under this system but it also discourages many potential paddlers.”
Alex squarely puts the record right by making it clear that rolling is the best form of self-rescue. In Britain we have recognized the logic of the case made by Alex and we teach the screw roll as an early and basic skill. However, Alex's comments are simply not a true reflection of the British kayaking scene. The BCU does not make any aspect of canoe sport an exclu- sive affair. The BCU is not a club. It is the national governing body of canoe sport in Britain and as such is no different than the other national govern- ing bodies around the world such as your own CRCA or ACA. The only time the BCU insists on individual membership is when that individual wishes to become involved in the BCU coaching scheme. This allows for effective monitoring and revalidation of effective standards. There are thou- sands of paddlers, many of them sea kayakers, who “do their own thing” without ever being involved with the BCU. Instruction and local club membership is available to these paddlers with no pressure to ever join the BCU. I believe that poten- tial paddlers are not at all discouraged by our sys- tem. On the contrary, BCU coaches actively encour- age and facilitate newcomers to the sport who might never have even thought of taking up canoe- ing and these new paddlers are not put under any obligation to join the BCU.
Before closing I will briefly comment on the BCU coaching scheme. This has been in existence since the 1930s and is overseen by the BCU Coaching committee. (I was a member of this committee myself for many years). Because it has been given so much attention for such a long period it has become a fairly sophisticated scheme effectively embracing every aspect of canoe sport and has
BLUE
achieved a reputation for excellence around the world to the extent that paddlers from many coun- tries beyond Britain seek to become BCU qualified. Personally I do not think this is the way to go and I have been in communication with the International Canoe Federation (ICF) to encourage them to estab- lish an international coaching scheme that could well be modelled on that of the BCU but adapted to
local needs. This might then encourage other national governing bodies of canoeing to re- enforce their own coaching arrangements which I see as being more appropriate—but I am not hold- ing my breath!
John Ramwell Westhoughton Bolton, Lancashire United Kingdom
CORK 170, Rotterdam
Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures Quebec (Canada)
Telephone : (418) 878-3099 Fax : (418) 878-3459
E-mail :
info@borealdesign.com www.borealdesign.com
Personally yours ... Presenting the Classics series.
GREEN BURGUNDY
More to come!
ADVENTUREkayakmag.com 7
c Photographie : Mirella Girard
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52