RE: [Paddlewise] What about the ACA (was Florida Reunion)

Doug:  What about yourself?  Your personal standards, limits and competence?
All won through ACA or through a number of people, including "self learning"
through miles of paddling and challenging oneself in various conditions and
situations?

As someone on this list reminded me in an earlier post, it's all paper.
Politics aside, training is about competence more than anything; and second,
being able to work with people.  What about Gronseth's Kayak Academy?
Gronseth is not associated with either ACA or BCU, but I have found him to
be one of the most competent instructors I have come across.  What he can do
for his students in his 5 day course, I would challenge anyone or any agency
to compare with. I was absolutely amazed what he did for me.

I say choose the instructor who can take you to a greater level rather than
relying on the agency.

With training programs such as presented by Sweetwater, the BCU is sure to
spread in influence.  While not all BCU coaches are worth either the money
or the time, and some you will discover you wish you had never heard of...
but this is true in any agency, I can speak highly of the BCU courses I had
with Sweetwater and at Nigel Dennis' ASSC in Wales.

I suggest not wedding oneself to any particular agency but to seek out the
best instructors you can find.  I'd be delighted to learn from you Doug
Lloyd; I've learned a good bit just from your postings here on Paddlewise.
Perhaps we could paddle together someday before I get too old and decrepit
to do so.

Robert


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net
[mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net]On Behalf Of Doug Lloyd
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 5:09 PM
To: PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net; Bill Hansen
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] What about the ACA (was Florida Reunion)


Bill Hansen said:

<<Mike - Have you attended the Sweetwater Symposium? And if so. would
you give
me and others a rundown on what it's like? I know that Sweetwater offers
BCU
trainings, but I also know that they stop at 4 Star, saying that the
weather
down there isn't severe enough for 5 Star (and that's okay with me!). >>

<snip>

 I heard it was a great training venue, but on a national basis, in term
of cohesiveness, how does an all BCU development weekend help Americans
when the dominant system will one day be the ACA. Forgive me my
ignorance of US paddling politics. I do not know a lot about what goes
on down there, and I _do_ know that the BCU stuff is top notch, but
where will this fit in with those wanting to move through the instructor
levels as the country moves toward a national program?

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd


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