Re: [Paddlewise] Swimming Under the Golden Gate Bridge

Craig Jungers wrote:
> As if to underscore my essay on the proliferation of certifications I
> stumbled onto this link today:
> http://na.blackberry.com/eng/support/programs/certification.jsp?CPID=BAC-Q4-CERT-9&cp=BAC-Q4-CERT-9&dfa=yes
>
> It's a certification course for the Blackberry that includes a 1.5 hour exam
> and a US$150 fee.
>
> Don't know enough to pass the test? No problem, it turns out that there are
> several outfits that will happily train you up until you can pass... for an
> extra fee, of course.
In about a month I'm going to be trading in (actually, will probably 
give it to my wife) my Blackberry for an iPhone.

I think it's a bit unfair to compare that certification described above 
with BCU certification.   A few years ago I assessed at and received a 
BCU 3 Star award.  I realize that there are probably lots of paddler 
that are far more accomplished than I but I certainly wouldn't consider 
the 3 Star (or 4/5 star assessment or coach) certifications a gimme.  
After paddling for 5 years or so I tested for the 3 star and failed it.  
When I was assessed for it a year later, having worked on some of the 
skills identified during my first assessment as being insufficient, I 
tested again after spend a training day at the Sweetwater Symposium.  I 
was among 15 other in the training session and 13 did the assessment the 
following day.  I believe that everyone passed at the 2 star level but 
one two of use passed the 3 star assessment, plus one person that had a 
"provisional" completion (he had to demonstrate one/two skills before 
the end of the symposium that were deemed inefficient during the 
assessment).  At least for the 3 star certification, not only is there a 
fairly long list of skills which much be demonstrated, but they have to 
be demonstrated with a pretty high level of proficiency. 

I have no idea what the failure rate (probably not terminology that the 
BCU wants to use) for the 4/5 star assessments and haven't specifically 
trained  for other certifications other than the 3 Star and Canoe Safety 
Test but I suspect that the skill level required is quite high compared 
to other non-paddling related certifications. 
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