BCU Advanced Water Endorsement
This award is designed for coaches who are working in aspire to work in Advanced Water Environments, and is available in White Water Kayak, White Water Canoe, Open Water Canoe, Sea, and Surf. This new award will replace the ‘old’ Level 5 Coach Award and is designed to help Moderate Water Coaches and ‘old’ Level 3 Coaches take the next steps to coaching in advanced environments.
and will focus on the skills required to plan, deliver, and review progressive coaching sessions (normally 6 session progressions) in the Advanced Water Environment.
The course should leave the aspirant coach with the tools to be able to develop paddlers with a range of abilities in the advanced water environment, and to go away and start practicing their application.
Content and Learning Outcomes
The course will help candidates apply skills developed through previous qualifications, to coach paddlers working in advanced water situations. This will include;
- Coaching technical skills (e.g. 4 and 5 Star Skills)
- Developing tactics for the discipline and environment
- Developing physiological elements and psychological skills
This will be run over a minimum of two days
Development Phase;
Candidates have a maximum of three years after training to present for a final assessment. Prior to the assessment it is important coaches have time to practice their skills, a minimum of 15 logged days coaching in the specific advanced water environment, including a minimum of 3 different geographical areas after training is required.
Assessment and Certification
The Assessment will take place over 1 day. Candidates will be assessed working with a ‘real’ group of paddlers at, or around, 4 Star Technical standard. The day will consist of two coaching sessions; candidates will be expected to show sound performance that provides suitable progressions and coaching to the needs of the learners. Personal paddling, safety management, and leadership skills will be assessed alongside coaching performance. Coaching practice will be assessed at a similar standard to that expected at BCU (UKCC) Level 2, although now applied in a more dynamic and changing environment.
Course Costs
Registration fee: 17.50
Training and Assessment prices vary considerably depending on the provider and the availability of subsidies and bursaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I consider BCU (UKCC) Level 3 or the Advanced Water Endorsement?
The BCU (UKCC) Level 3 award focuses on coaching in a moderate water environment, whilst lifting the coaching skills from coaching short series of progressive sessions, to the skills required to coach long-term programmes. If you wish to develop your coaching skills the BCU (UKCC) Level 3 is the award to consider.
The Advanced Water Endorsement focuses on coaching short series of progressive sessions in the advanced water environment. If you wish to expand the environments in which you can work you should consider the Advanced Water Endorsement.