Top certification courses for aspiring Paddle Board instructors

So you want to be a paddle board instructor? SUP has been the fastest growing water sport over the past decade. Its easy to pick up and hard to put down but if your students get into difficulty you need to know what to do! A well known certification from a paddling association will also give your students some degree of confidence in your abilities. In addition you will probably want to tap into the rich membership network of other businesses to help you along.

A quick google search brings up a large number of schools offering to teach all aspects but which certification should you choose? Lets take a look at a few of the major ones out there:

ASI Certification (Academy of Surfing Instructors)

This is part of the WSUPA group, the international umbrella organization which standardizes SUP events world wide. Their website states that “The WSUPA is dedicated to promoting and preserving the sport of Stand Up Paddleboarding by insuring that the camaraderie and spirit that is the backbone of our sport is represented in every race event, festival or trade show that displays the WSUPA logo.”

These guys have a huge presence worldwide and their (multiple) courses cover “the basics of sound paddling techniques, water safety and SUP teaching techniques for flat water conditions”.

PSUPA (Professional Stand Up Paddle Association)

The Professional Stand Up Paddle Association’s goal is to establish and  promote high standards for safe, innovative and quality instruction. “With an emphasis on water safety and SUP business, our certification programs are designed to give you the skills you need to become a safe and confident instructor, as well as the business expertise you need to succeed in today’s crowded marketplace.  Our programs are also reviewed and updated regularly to remain relevant and competitive  in the industry.”

On their About page they list a number of people with a diverse range of experience in different SUP businesses. This network of professionals could be a welcome addition if you are planning to open up a business on your own!

WPA (World Paddle Association)

From the about page, The World Paddle Association (WPA) was launched in the spring of 2010 by two paddling enthusiasts who just wanted to see the sport grow in the proper direction.  With the rapid growth of Stand Up Paddling and the need of direction and focus with this young sport we felt there was a need to assist in the rules and guidelines for the competitive SUP events in the United States.

They organise a number of American SUP races (incl this years Hennesseys Series) and work with PaddleGuru to provide manage competitors. They have a number of different courses to complete and have a large number of instructors in the United States but unfortunatley a weak presence outside of the country.

BSUPA (British Stand Up Paddle Association)

The BSUPA is the association for Britain. From their about page they state that “our aim is to lead the development of the sport of stand up paddle in the UK through a series of national contests, training/coaching schemes and working with the SUP industry and other orgainisations”.

Its great to have a single association working within a country to connect with related associations. The BSUPA state that they “are working with the GB Surfing, BKSA, Sport England, RNLI, British Canoe Union, the Adventure Activities Licencing Authority and many other regional and national organisations to give SUP a unique voice and not one that is subsumed by other sports” which can only mean good things for paddlers throughout the UK.

Final thoughts:

These organisations all have good SUP basics for their certifications focusing on water safety. They all seem to be growing in visibility and influence. You should bear in mind that for most of these associations there is a cost for the certification(s) and then for ongoing membership. I would always suggest though that you research the actual school/instructor that will teach you the certification. You will want to make sure that the instructors are able to focus in on the areas that you need to work on the most. Being an instructor means you have a responsibility to your students and you want to make sure you are prepared for all situations.

(Note: For all of the associations there are a number of prerequisites. Please double check the websites for latest details before you sign up for a course.)

This article is from http://wherecanipaddleboard.com/ and is used for blog demonstration purposes only.