RE: [Paddlewise] "ACA Techniques"

"Matt Broze" <mkayaks_at_oz.net>
>If the organization is vague on this, as their curriculum seems to 
 indicate, then the top instructor trainer educators must be setting
the agenda and the student/instructors will likely toe their own
instructor/certifier's line.

That's pretty much the case.  The organization tries to promote a
general level of homogeneity, but there is plenty of room for regional
variations. (Like the California variation on the paddlefloat rescue
you mentioned).

>In that case the top individual certifiers are determining the
teaching 
 of hundreds (if not thousands of ACA certified instructors). 

Well, just barely thousands.  I think there are just over 4,000 Coastal
Kayak Instructors.

>Just who decides how these things will be taught? 

The "Safety, Education, and Instructional Committee" SEIC, the ITE's,
the IT's, with room for the Instructors' individual experience and
preferences.

>Jan and Roger are apparently part of the ACA's "National Committee".
Who are the other members that are involved with sea kayak instruction.


I believe Ray Killen is the current SEIC chairman.

In some sense, all Instructors can have some say in the instructional
curriculum, but just like any organization, the Big Heads' voices are
heard loudest.  There are a lot of commonalities in the curriculum, but
nothing is written in stone.

>Maybe the CA segment of the ACA is setting the rescue instruction
agenda. 

In a sense, that is possible.  While not setting the agenda outright,
it is possible that a few charismatic individuals can have a large say
in what ends up occurring.

I still think we're seeing some regional variations, rather than the
whole organization's druthers.  However, it's entirely possible for the
preferences of a few to eventually become dogma.  East Coast
Instructors--what regional preferences are you seeing?

>I developed the paddlefloat rescue back in 1981 and spent a lot of
time refining it afterwards. It is very frustrating to see my "baby"
being dismissed for reasons having to do with the poor way it is being
taught

Sounds a lot like the frustrations of Australian and Tasmanian paddlers
who have developed rudders to high art, only to see them poorly
reverse-engineered by some North American manufacturers, then hearing
complaints about rudder troubles and failures.

You can sit back and wait until everyone comes back around to the
beginning, or you can "take it on the road" and show them all the error
of their ways.

> I don't know just how the hierarchy of the ACA operates but are
Instructor Trainer Educators the highest run of instructors and do they
set the agenda? 

ITE's and the SEIC.

>How many are there and who are they?

I think there are maybe a couple hundred Instructor Trainers, and a few
dozen Instructor Trainer Educators, at most.

>So far I haven't been able to find that out on the ACAnet website.

I can try to find a list for you.  Do you want to poll them?  :D

To be honest, I learned the paddlefloat rescue after a discussion on
Paddlewise 5 or 6 years ago, and looked up the technique on your
website.  Only when I started working with an ACA instructor (who was
certified in CA) did I see the "CA version".  It seemed and still seems
to me to be a little more awkward and a waste of time.  But, for
overweight, less-practiced, and less-agile paddlers, it sometimes seems
easier.  I have no idea why, but that's just my perception.  (Maybe
something to do with not having strength or sense to get their legs up
in the water column and then onto the boat and needing a boost there) 

When I pursued my own certification in 2001, the IT wasn't particularly
dogmatic about it.  As I recall, we practiced and trained for both
versions.

I teach both, and encourage my students to practice both.

I could help you get a "dispel the myths" type article into the SEIC
newsletter, if you'd like.  I honestly believe you're addressing a part
of the organization, but not the entire organization.

Shawn

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