How to Become a British Canoeing Awarding Body Kayak and SUP Coach: Training Guide
- richeddins
- Sep 15
- 6 min read
In Part 2 of our Paddlesport Qualification Guide, we’ll discuss the next steps to take after gaining your Paddlesport Instructor Qualification. Find out how to progress to the next level and become a Paddle UK-qualified Coach in our Kayak and SUP Coach Training Guide. Click here to read Part 1: How to Become a Paddlesport Instructor.
Kayak and SUP Coaches are experienced and qualified Paddlesports professionals who help clients improve their skills in specific disciplines and environments. Coaches can take learners from beginner to advanced levels and usually specialise in a particular discipline. Coaches can also progress to higher-level qualifications like White Water Kayaking Coach or Stand Up Paddleboard Open Water Coach.
Table of Contents
Who Governs Paddlesports Qualifications in the UK?
Paddle UK, formerly British Canoeing, is the umbrella organisation that oversees coaching, competition and watersports representation across the UK’s National Associations. Its training arm, Paddles Up Training, offers professional Paddlesports qualifications based on recognised British Canoeing frameworks, many of which include CPD points you can add to your National Association Register.
The Kayak and SUP Coach Training Pathway
The Coach Award has two parts: the Core Coach module and discipline-specific training. Your pathway will likely look something like this:
Check the prerequisites
Make sure you’re a confident paddler
Get Paddle UK Membership
Take Core Coach Training
Go on a discipline-specific Training course
Consolidate your skills
Register for the Assessment
Complete the Assessment
To register for the discipline-specific assessment, you must complete the Core Coach Training, have a Safeguarding certificate, and have a 1-day First Aid qualification. The Safeguarding and First Aid training must be dated within the last 3 years, and (if you haven’t already) we suggest taking the Paddlesport Safety and Rescue course before doing the Training.
Paddle UK Membership - Do I Need It?
As mentioned earlier, Paddle UK is the national governing body for recreational and professional Paddlesports participants - and yes, you must hold Full National Association Membership with them to register for training and assessments. They provide loads of resources and support to aspiring Paddlesports professionals of all levels, advocate for the watersports community and provide support with waterway access, training, funding and insurance.
Your Current Paddling Skills
Candidates for a Paddlesports Coach Award must be confident in their skills and able to operate independently on the water, with a passion for sharing the joys of their sport. Have a look at the Course Guide and Skills Checklist associated with the discipline you are interested in and figure out where you sit regarding the standard expected for assessment.
Good ways to boost your learning include courses and local Paddlesport clubs. Paddle Explore is a course designed to help you progress from beginner to intermediate level and is a great foundation for progressing to Coaching. As mentioned earlier, Paddlesport Safety and Rescue is also a useful course and is often a prerequisite for some Awards. Alongside structured training, joining a Paddlesports club is a great way to meet people, participate in workshops and pool sessions, and get time on the water with experienced paddlers.
Paddle UK Paddle Explore at Mendip Activity Centre
Grow confidence and independence on this 2-day Paddlesports course at a private outdoor watersports venue easily accessible from Bristol and the surrounding areas. Designed for paddlers to progress their skills, it’s a great course to have before doing your Coach Training.
Paddlesport Safety and Rescue
Learn the tools and concepts that underpin solutions to common safety issues on the water in a 1-day course from Mendip Activity Centre.
Paddle UK Core Coach Training
Before taking the Sheltered Water Kayak or SUP Coach Training, you must complete the Core Coach Training module, open to everyone regardless of discipline or previous coaching experience. In this course, participants explore different approaches to understanding and enabling learning. It is available as a 2-day practical course and is required to progress onwards to a discipline-specific Coaching Award.
Paddle UK Core Coach Training at Mendip Activity Centre
During the training module, you will cover:
The learning journey of participants
How to coach learners with different needs
Structures for practice - enable your learners to get the most from sessions on the water with you
Your role as a Coach
Maximise your development through reflective practice and your personal development plan
BCAB Sheltered Water Canoe and Kayak Coach Training
Prepare for your assessment with the BCAB Sheltered Water Canoe and Kayak Coach Training course, a 2-day course open to those aged 16 and up. Assessment takes place separately, and this course helps prepare you to coach Canoe and Kayak sessions in a sheltered water environment.
What Does The Sheltered Water Canoe and Kayak Coach Training Cover?
Planning and delivering safe, enjoyable, progressive coaching sessions
Goal setting and matching teaching strategies to the aims and the duration of the session
Technical understanding of fundamental skills and development of technical templates
Skill breakdown
Practice tasks to enable clear observation and analysis
Development of progressions to link learning
Use of intrinsic feedback strategies
Reflective practise
Sheltered Water Canoe and Kayak Coach Training Prerequisites
16+ years old
1-day First Aid within the last 3 years
Safeguarding training within the last 3 years
Full Paddle UK Membership
Paddle Explore is a recommended course to help you feel confident and prepared to progress through Paddlesports qualifications.
BCAB Sheltered Water SUP Coach Training
Get ready for your assessment with the BCAB Sheltered Water SUP Coach Training course, a 2-day course open to those aged 16 and up. Assessment takes place separately, and this course helps get you ready to coach SUP sessions in a sheltered water environment.
What Does The Sheltered Water SUP Coach Training Cover?
Planning and delivering safe, enjoyable, progressive coaching sessions
Goal setting and matching teaching strategies to the aims and the duration of the session
Technical understanding of fundamental skills and development of technical templates
Skill breakdown
Practice tasks to enable clear observation and analysis
Development of progressions to link learning
Use of intrinsic feedback strategies
Reflective practice
Sheltered Water SUP Coach Training Prerequisites
16+ years old
1-day First Aid within the last 3 years
Safeguarding training within the last 3 years
Full Paddle UK Membership
Feel confident and prepared to progress through your Paddlesports qualifications with Paddle Explore, a recommended course to help you cultivate independence and confidence on the water.
Soft Skills for Kayak and SUP Coaches
Alongside strong safety and technical competence, a good Paddlesports Coach also possesses soft skills that help them connect with learners. It’s essential to have a person-centred approach to coaching, with a dynamic awareness of the group’s ability and a sense of appropriate trip planning.
Useful Soft Skills for Kayak and SUP Instructors include:
Communication
Organisation
Observation
Problem-solving
Adaptability
Empathy
Patience
Continuing Professional Development courses like Customer Experience will help you refine and cultivate your soft skills, and Paddle-Ability is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of how to facilitate the learning process for people of all abilities.
Pre-Assessment Skills Consolidation
At the end of your Training courses, your Trainer will discuss your performance and help you formulate a plan to consolidate your skills before undertaking the assessment. Take advantage of the free online resources from Paddle UK, like eLearning and course guides, and get out there and practise as much as possible.
Kayak and SUP Coach Assessments
Assessors aim to make it feel like any other day on the water and will do their best to put you at ease. If you have completed your Instructor or Coach training through Mendip Activity Centre, we can help you arrange your assessment. Alternatively, you can find assessors on Paddles Up Training. The assessor will work with you to arrange a time and date, and support you to make sure you have someone to coach on the day.
Paddlesports Coach Career Progression
Look for Continuing Professional Development courses that support your career goals, whether that’s specialising in a particular discipline or training the future trainers. Specialisation increases employability, so continue to elevate your technical and safety competence wherever possible. Higher-level coaching awards like White Water Kayak Coach or Stand Up Paddleboard Open Water Coach are rewarding pathways to pursue.
Fast-Track Your Outdoor Adventure Career
Diversify your year-round outdoor industry employment opportunities with 20 qualifications for popular adventure activities! Join the Accelerated Outdoor Instructor Training (AOIT) course from Mendip Activity Centre and get all training, trips, assessments, accommodation and catering included.
Thank you for reading our Kayak and SUP Coach Training Guide
This was Part 2 in our Paddlesport Qualification Series. Read Part 1 here to find out how to become a qualified Paddlesport Instructor.