3 things the BCU should fix right away to appeal to me and my needs.
It should be free. Why should I have to pay to learn something that benefits me? I mean sheese…
It should get rid of all reference to tea, I mean I’m an american, I drink coffee. Tea is for the queen of england and sissies who watch soccer.
It should do away with any sort of effort/reward system, we’re americans we’re lazy. We like to just be rewarded with no effort. So hand out your stupid stars at the beginning of the course so i can get back in my car and get back to watching archy bunker.
Translation 1. Keith is happy to have paid for something that he feels has has been beneficial to him.
2. Keith likes tea and American stereotypes - but not similar humor poking fun at the Brits.
3. Keith sees himself as an atypical American because he is not lazy. He feels his star awards were earned though hard work, and have meaning to him (see #1).
All fine stuff (and said both seriously and tongue in cheek in case any of you pantie twisters missed that - I really do respect his efforts and skills), but all sort of goes without saying, no?
We know BCU star holders love BCU. Tell us something we don’t know that might compel us to join in, how it’s impacted your normal paddling, etc.
If Americans are lazy - make it sound like a shortcut or double bonus type deal (skill development work general is).
We really want to love the BCU too. Make us all feel star struck (without the “rock stars”, please)
what I like… I signed up for an ACA Open Water IDW/ICE and passed with flying colors. I took it from ITs who are also involved with the BCU. To me that meant they knew about strict standards for passing assessments.
At this point I was feeling pretty good about myself and my paddling. Then I took BCU 3 star assessment and barely passed. Hmmm… thought maybe it was an off day. Later I took the 4 star assessment and barely barely passed! Hmm… what is up with this? I sailed through and ACA assessment and did better than people getting Advanced Open Water updates, but I can barely pass these darn BCU things. To me that meant I needed a lot of work.
So I started on the ‘BCU circuit’ and paddled in a variety of conditions, performed all kinds of rescues, and practiced a variety of scenarios. What does that mean to me… I can paddle in bigger water more comfortably. I can handle crazy situations more comfortably. When I go out I know where my limits are because I have reached them. When I am on a long journey and I get tired, or then weather changes, I know what I can handle and what I can not.
My paddling as improved so much because I have something to strive for and goals (which are not star levels). At every BCU event I get training and feedback from world class paddlers. I take classes with like minded paddlers who are at a similar skill level. My stroke techniques are constantly being refined and updated. I learn to work on things I didn’t even know were a problem. I am becoming a better paddler, rather than maintaining my skill level. I always show up to symposiums feeling like a really good kayaker, and leaving knowing I have so much to learn and work on.
To me this will be very important down the road. If I reach a high level of proficiency with my kayaking then I will be in a better place when age and injury cause my proficiency to decline. In my mind I am setting myself up to enjoy kayaking much longer.
If you like kayaking and would like to get better then why wouldn’t you take classes? Take the assessment not to get a star or to pass/fail. Take them to find out what you could work on and how you could become more efficient.
Rock stars of paddling Could someone please enlighten me about these paddling rock stars? Or what they mean by that comment? I’ve paddled with a fair number of folks that I would, I guess, fit into that category, and have found all of them, without exception, to be some of the kindest, most humble paddlers that I’ve met. They are also totally in love with the sport and talented and more than willing to teach that talent to others. So maybe I’m not understanding the rock star inference. From what I’m guessing, I don’t think I would go paddling in serious conditions with a “rock star”.
AS for the BCU Paddler topic, I think the number of posts to this thread pretty much says it all. Organized groups get us communicating about stuff, and maybe that’s all they’re for. Cheers------------------------
