On 8 Feb 2005 04:09:42 -0800, "ChipsCheeseandMayo"
wrote:

So you can revalidate solely on the basis that you have been
continually coaching? That sounds a bit dodgy to me - I am learning
that a lot of the things I was initially first taught may not be best
practice now. But because I have ben ontinually coaching using these
methods for the 3 year period I am considered to be up to date?

Indeed. It is in fact common. One area where I see it regularly is in
Archery. Now, I KNOW there are professionals on this NG and I KNOW
this is a paddling NG, but if what I see in Archery is a reflection of
the standards of coaching in other activities then there is absolutely
no way I would advise anyone to go to an outdoor activity centre.

Archery is, in essence, a fairly simple process. The GNAS teaches two
methods of shooting. Bare bow involves string and face walking.
Olympic uses a sight and set finger and hand positions to ensure
conformity of shooting. I have seen kids come to us and we ask if they
have done archery before (usually they tell us they know it all)they
then procede to use a combination of shooting methods and a stance
that makes accuracy impossible. They have been taught at a number of
centres, from centres used by the local schools, to expensive PGL
camps, and Scout campsites.

Not one single kid has ever come to us with any concept of what the
GNAS specified shooting method is. That is worrying.

We coach to introduce people to a skill and to develop that skill, and
hopefully to retain people in an activity. The single key method of
putting people off is to teach them badly. When I take someone out for
archery I aim to improve their ability. In all but the very smallest,
underdeveloped child we can progress from not reaching or hitting the
target, to getting 5/6 arrows in the boss. If they are hitting the
boss we can progress, in a single session, to having them hit gold in
every round.

Sorry if I'm going on a bit. That is a microcosm of what we do in
paddling. We take pupils out on the water and an hour later they
should be better at what they were doing than they were before they
started.

That needs to be measured. So, if a coach does nothing but taster
sessions, then one might question his ability at teaching high brace,
hanging draw, sculling etc. yet under self revalidation he can
revalidate in the same way as someone who runs half a dozen star
courses each year.

HST, someone who has lapsed membership can revalidate simply by paying
his back fees.

It is wide open to circumvention.


It seems to me (yes you guys have turned me political) that the whole
revalidation scheme has been very poorly thought out, and in many cases
is pretty pointless. PArticualrly as you can continue to coach as a
non-validated coach?

No, but your validation may vary from person to person... just as, I
suppose, you initial training might.

Ewan Scott