ThePADDLER 120
READ A BOOK , DO AN ONLINE COURSE , WRITE AN ARTICLE I know this goes directly against my first point on taking every opportunity to get on the water , but maybe we should also embrace some off water learning . Our sport has developed over the last ten years , especially in the coaching and leadership space . The requirement to understand concepts and theories has grown , and the accessibility of publications and viewpoints has cultivated a plethora of books , articles and online courses . At 15 , I would have flat rejected any learning that wasn ’ t fully practical based – a book wasn ’ t going to make me a
Royal Navy Paddleport Camp , Lyon , France , 2019 with head coach Lowri Davies
better freestyler , right ? I still prefer learning through doing , but when you physically can ’ t practice every day , maybe it ’ s time to think about getting the most out of the time when you ’ re not paddling .
I could recommend loads of fantastic books and inspiring people to follow , maybe ( should paddler magazine invite me back ) this could be article 2 ? What I will say now is that I took Coaching Adventure Sports by Paul Smith and Dan Wilkinson with me on deployment and found it a fantastic and engaging read . I would highly recommend it as essential reading for anyone who wants to improve their coaching . It also includes articles and exerts from lots of experienced coaches across Paddlesport and Climbing , nearly all of whom have their own books , articles and channels for you to explore . British Canoeing is also leading the way for online courses , resources and communication , which make learning interactive even when not practical based . I have done a few online courses and found the key speakers really engaging and the information well thought out and valuable .