Get certified to deliver the CanoeKids program and introduce kids between the ages of 9 and 11 to canoeing and kayaking. Teach technique and fundamental skills the CanoeKids way. From identifying the different parts of the boat to teaching balance drills and basic strokes, the program provides a comprehensive introduction to a sport with an emphasis on fun and safety. CanoeKids coaches will learn a variety of fun introductory activities and be able to properly detect and correct basic technique. In learning to deliver the CanoeKids program you will acquire the skills necessary to introduce someone to the sport at any age.

This course will equip leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to successfully start a PaddleALL program at their club. Leaders will come away from this training with the tools they need to offer programming for persons with physical or intellectual disabilities. This course covers considerations for working with various athletes abilities, recruitment and safety.

This course will help coaches initiate dragon boat programming at their club to facilitate a strong multisport environment. Coaches will learn to effectively introduce new paddlers to the sport and teach basic dragon boat skills to kids and adults. The course will focus on building a successful dragon boat program that will fit within the club’s foundational program offerings.

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To learn to operate a motorboat safely, coaches must obtain their Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Card. The exam can be taken online or through an approved course. This is not part of the ELCC process but a practical component to becoming a coach.

After completing Competition-Introduction Multisport Part A and B along with the ELCC core training, coaches are considered “trained.” While trained coaches have acquired the necessary knowledge, certified coaches have demonstrated their competence through an evaluation. To become certified, coaches must contact their provincial paddling associations to schedule an evaluation. Before the evaluation the coach must submit a practice plan and emergency action plan. The coach also needs to complete the online Making Ethical Decisions evaluation. At the scheduled evaluation the coach and evaluator will meet before and conduct a debrief after. The evaluator will observe the coach running a practice and evaluate certain criteria. The evaluation will take approximately 2-3 hours in total. When the coach passes, the evaluator will sign off and paperwork will be submitted to the Provincial Paddling Association, then to Canoe Kayak Canada and finally to the Coaching Association of Canada.

This course takes several of the concepts introduced in ELCC training to the next level. Coaches will learn methods for analyzing performance and further their knowledge of canoe and kayak technique through biomechanical principles. They will build further on the concepts of practice planning to understand the fundamentals of building a yearly training plan. Leadership philosophies and the idea of creating an effective training environment will be central to this course. National Team Coaches, Integrated Support Team members and staff bring a wide variety of perspectives to the course. Coaches will identify a mentor to work with throughout their competition development training. They will also complete 5 multisport modules including developing athletic abilities, managing conflict, coaching and leading effectively, leading drug free sport, and psychology of performance. Format: 3 day course with additional multisport modules and mentoring activites to be completed independently. Prerequisite: ELCC Certified or former National Team athlete, Developing Athletic Abilities

Coaches will look at performance planning and analysis as it relates to developing race tactics and evaluating a training plan. Leadership skills will be advanced with an emphasis on managing conflict and making ethical decisions. The concepts of recovery, injury prevention, tapering and peaking will be explored. Coaches will also look at athlete monitoring and strategies for crew boat selection. National Team Coaches and Integrated Support Team members are incorporated into the second part of competition development and coaches will continue to learn from their mentors. Format: 3 day course with additional multisport modules to be completed independently Prerequisite: Competition Development Part 1 and all multisport workshops

The Diploma consists of four core themes; Coaching Leadership, Coaching Effectiveness, Performance Planning, and Training and Competition Readiness. Each theme requires coaches to complete a series of modules comprised of several 3 hour units of in-classroom sessions, seminars, workshops or labs. Coaches enrolled in the Diploma program will work with a designated master and/or mentor coach who will support them in their completion of program requirements. The diploma is completed through Canadian Sport Institutes and all assignments are integrated with Canoe Kayak Canada.

This program will include an individually tailored curriculum in which the coach will work with mentors to develop specific objectives for advancing their education through an individual learning plan. An example of part of that learning plan could include travelling to World Championships or Olympic Games to perform race analysis, working with coach mentors and to observing coaching at the most elite level. There is a strong emphasis on individual learning from leading coaches and academics in this program.

The instruction stream is for those who want to teach whitewater paddling for recreational purposes. Instructors in this stream could end up working for a wilderness company to take newcomers out on the river to introduce them to the sport, or work with more experienced paddlers to help them gain confidence and master challenging whitewater. Learning to teach whitewater paddling on the river starts with flatwater skills and gradually progresses up to more challenging whitewater.

Lake Instructor candidates will learn to teach skills including rolling, edging and basic strokes to new paddlers to prepare them for whitewater. Instructors will learn to properly demonstrate intermediate flatwater skills and to detect and correct errors. This course includes a Making Ethical Decisions component to helps instructors identify the legal, ethical, and moral implications within the instructional environment. Format: The Lake Kayak Instructor program is normally offered as a combined program with the Pool Kayak Instructor. However, the Lake Kayak Instructor 1 program can be offered on its own to certify Lake Instructors. The Pool Kayak Instructor program is offered as a 1 day course. The Lake Kayak Instructor 1 program is a 2 day program. Co-requisites: Pool Kayak Instructor. Must be 16 years of age to be certified.

Learn the skills needed to introduce intermediate paddlers to class 1-2 whitewater. This includes identifying basic river features and teaching novice-level whitewater skills. River Kayak Instructor 2 - Leader 2 is an NCCP Certified Course and will prepare you to teach clinics, courses or work at a kayak school. Format: The River Kayak Instructor 2 program is normally offered as a combined program with Leader 2. However, the Leader 2 program can be offered on its own to certify river leaders. Each program is offered as a 2.5 day course (including evaluation), but are offered together as a 4-day course (including evaluation). Prerequisites: Lake Kayak Instructor. Must be 16 years of age to achieve “trained” status and 18 years of age to be certified.

With this course, you will gain the knowledge needed to work with more experienced whitewater paddlers. You will be able to teach intermediate and advanced river skills to help participants gain confidence and skill on class 3 whitewater. Format: The Whitewater Kayak Instructor 3 program is normally offered as a combined program with Leader 3. However, the Leader 3 program can be offered on its own to certify river leaders. Each program is offered as a 2 day course (including evaluation), but are offered together as a 3-day course (including evaluation). Prerequisites: River Kayak Instructor 2; Must be 16 years of age to achieve “trained” status and 18 years of age to be certified. CKC Swift Water Rescue training is strongly recommended.

This safety course will teach you about river hazards, swift water rescue techniques, how to manage a group, coordinate logistics and develop rescue plans. This is a Canoe Kayak Canada course. Format: Two-day course on class 2 whitewater with practical and classroom components interspersed. Prerequisites: Any whitewater skills.

This course is the first step to becoming a competitive whitewater coach and introduces the basic elements of all four whitewater disciplines. Learn the fundamentals of slalom gate setup, basic rules of canoe polo, lines of wildwater and surfing techniques for freestyle. You’ll understand how to teach basic paddling skills on flatwater and progress them to whitewater. Basic safety skills and methods for improving technique are covered in this course. Format: This course is in development. Format to be determined. Prerequisites: None.

At this stage, coaches specialize in one particular form of whitewater paddling. Through specific competition development courses, coaches learn to effectively teach the strategy behind the sport. In the case of slalom this includes techniques for analyzing and navigating down the course in the fastest time. In canoe polo coaches will learn to teach teamwork skills and specific plays. Development Coaches are qualified to coach at the club and provincial levels. Format: This course is in development. Format to be determined. Prerequisites: Introduction to Competition is recommended.

High Performance Coaches focus on training athletes to achieve excellence at the highest levels of competition. This level of certification is for National Team Coaches who may coach at competitions including World Championships or the Olympic Games. Certification programs for High Performance Coaching are sport and coach specific and may include a mentoring program with an internationally-renowned coach or pursuing an Advanced Coaching Diploma.

The core training Entry-Level Coaching Course includes the practical and theoretical components of coaching marathon paddling. Coaches will learn how to effectively plan practices focused on building endurance according to various energy systems and utilizing the creeks, rivers and lakes to their fullest capacity. Coaches will explore the concepts of training, preparation, race tactics and strategies, reading water and paddling safety. The course includes an overview of technique for traditional marathon canoe paddling and will also touch upon technical components of kayaking if there is interest from individual participants.

Format: 12-16 hour course

ELCC modules are add-on courses for coaches who have already completed ELCC core training in another area including sprint small boats, war canoe and dragon boat. The marathon module is a shorter modified course which would include the marathon specific coach training without repeating the theory learned in core training. Format: 5-6 hour practical course. This course is in development.

After completing the Competition-Introduction Multisport Workshops along with the ELCC core training, coaches are considered “trained.” While trained coaches have acquired the necessary knowledge, certified coaches have demonstrated their competence through an evaluation. To become certified, coaches must contact their provincial paddling associations to schedule an evaluation. Before the evaluation the coach must submit a practice plan and emergency action plan. The coach also needs to complete the online Making Ethical Decisions evaluation. At the scheduled evaluation the coach and evaluator will meet before and conduct a debrief after. The evaluator will observe the coach running a practice and evaluate certain criteria. The evaluation will take approximately 2-3 hours in total. When the coach passes, the evaluator will sign off and paperwork will be submitted to the Provincial Paddling Association, then to Canoe Kayak Canada and finally to the Coaching Association of Canada.