CODE is no longer useful

[Adrian Cooper]

Code arrived this morning.

It used to be a mine of information with articles by level 5 and aspirant coaches on coach theory and practice. Indeed on my level 3 assessment I was asked to name three articles which I had found particularly useful in progressing my coaching and I was easily able to do this.

In the latest edition there is a reprint/rewording of the 4*SK syllabus which is available on the web and loads of lists of courses, particularly in Scotland (which has its own mag) and not much else.

I suggest if it is going to continue like this it would be worth dropping the magazine all together.

[John Robertson]

They have also decided that there will be no year book from 2011 as all the relavant info is on the BCU website.

I was wondering if there will be a reduction in my annual subscription?

Ill not hold my breath.

[Simon Westgarth]

Ha ha ha, CODE has been marginal for year's. The articles are poor, the editorial approach little, and it simply says everything that is on the poorly updated and resourced BCU and its affiliated webpages. For the coaching and access pages they need an RSS so we can actual know what has changed, rather than periodically ploughing through the pages. The yearbook has been pointless for many a year

[Adrian Cooper]

I had thought about commenting previously but I think the latest issue hits an all time low. Am I right in thinking that since the introduction of the new coaching scheme there are fewer opportunities for level 5 dissertations to be included.

[garya]

I agree

Kill the printed mag and put the money saved into more website administrators and a bigger web communication team.

We already have a membership login system and this could be used to target selected content at coaches only in a private area. The course dates and could go intothe back of canoe focus which would benifit the providers as it would reach a wider audiance and possibly get more clients. Email and Rss could keep us more informed with new content either onlne or via the many moile email devices we all seem to carry right now.

It would certainly cut the cost of production and distribution. There is an argument that this discriminates aginst those who don't have access to technology through choice, location or financial reasons. So the office would still need to post out copies of information if requested.

I wish they could sort out the online shop with a wider range of better products including coaching support materials such as books and DVD's. I can't even find the two Star assement guide DVD on there at the moment.

Each christmas I would like to see a BCU A1 paddling wall year planer sent out in a bumper edition of Canoe Focus that I could put up on the office wall. It could include key dates of international events like worlds championships, APWE and others. It would have numbers for all WW courses and water release lines around the country as well as outher relevant paddling contact info down one side. Suppliers and providers could include cool pictures and adverts around the boarder to fund it. All I would have to do is fill in all the weekends with good stuff I am going to do.

Gary Archer

[Simon Westgarth]

I wish they could sort out the online shop with a wider range of better products including coaching support materials such as books and DVD's. I can't even find the two Star assement guide DVD on there at the moment

I have it, it a poor promotion of mediocre technique, it's clear that the paddler's were actually 2 Star level, but I feel it's best to give ideals and not approximate ideas of what it can be.

[garya]

The Level 5 aritcles would probably be better placed onto an online libray system with short synopsis displayed and key word searching enabled. These could then be grouped into different headings.

This would allow them to be read by a wider audience and remain accesible long after the printed copy in code has disapered into most peoples filing.

Gary A

[Adrian Cooper]

Your wish, etc...

http://www.bcushop.org.uk/category/4/dvds

Good idea with the wall planner, Gary, the cost might even be covered by advertising.

[AHPP]

I like the sound of the wall planner. Drop Nottingham a line about it maybe.

[garya]

I wish they could sort out the online shop with a wider range of better products including coaching support materials such as books and DVD's. I can't even find the two Star assement guide DVD on there at the moment

I have it, it a poor promotion of mediocre technique, it's clear that the paddler's were actually 2 Star level, but I feel it's best to give ideals and not approximate ideas of what it can be.

I have it too and the section on using support strokes is; well .... diferent from some other better examples I have seen. The sculling for support demo shown particularly poor in my opinion.

Having said that the concept of the DVD and idea behind it are sound even if this particular version would benifit from some re-editing. At the intermdiate to top end of paddlesport there are many good instructional DVD's such as the genotype series, but for beginners there are less. The recent Kayak Essentials is one of the best aim at this level.

Many canidates preparing for any assement right from one star through to five star struggle with the question of what exactly is epected of them and on the higer end what type of conditions or enviroment are they required to be entirely at home in. Some of this is eased as you go up the ladder as experiance and mentoring of others will guide you in the right direction. If canidates are unable to referance the correct advice and model performances and demonstartions aginst which they can benchmark themselves then they my present for assement before they are fully prepared then be disapointed by thier subsequent failure. This can also be difficult for the assessor to manage in some rare cases

The aim of the DVD's should have been to support quality control in the assesment system for each award by providing students, trainers and assesors a clear visual guide to the skill and its performance in the relevent context. They are not subsitute for a hands on training course and consilidation traing to build experiance, but they can be useful skill review tool. This would alos help prevent ambiguity in interpretation of the written syllabus notes and the wide variation of standards that I have some times seen.

The perfomance of the skill should be 100% correct and shown from multiple angles in order for every one to correctly understand what is required.

The point I was making was that this is the sort of thing that the BCU awarding should be developing and selling through their site. Stuff that will help us be better coaches and paddlers as well as supporting a more robust trainging scheme. Just look at how much football and swiming support material and resources are avaliable throught those sports website shops.



Gary A

[garya]

Your wish, etc...

http://www.bcushop.org.uk/category/4/dvds

Good idea with the wall planner, Gary, the cost might even be covered by advertising.

Oh well I put my foot in my mouth again ... Sorry everyone, but it wasn't there on Sunday when I looked I promise,

Well done to BCU who must have overheard me say I could not find stuff the other day , a step in the right direction.

It's good to see Kayak Essentials got on there too..


Gary A

[Adrian Cooper]

Sorry everyone, but it wasn't there on Sunday when I looked I promise,

We believe you Gary. ;-)

[water_mad]

I might as well be reading it all in a differnt language because thats about as much sence as it makes to me. I dont understand all the acrnyms and i am sure all the things about the coaching scheme and how the old and new fit together makes sence if you understand it already.
I get told to ask my RDO but I havent even a clue what to ask as i dont understand enough of it.

ann

[BaldockBabe]

I thought I was the only one that thought it was completely unhelpful.

Our club copy (thankfully I don't get one being an SCA member) is currently on the front door mat as a deterrent to stop the cats peeing on it :-)

[maryinoxford]

Maybe the people who do understand this thread could tell the rest of us what CODE is.

[Simon Westgarth]

Maybe the people who do understand this thread could tell the rest of us what CODE is.

The BCU's Coaching newsletter that comes with every edition of Canoe Focus to all BCU Coaches.

[maryinoxford]

Thank you, Simon.

[morsey]

Adrian if you would like some direction on what to do about the situation, then may I muse as to the fact that, a particular (apparently there are quite a few!) Dave Gorman would send it back. Annotated and corrected of course! He would then write an entire sketch based on the genius humour of an organisation, famed for secrecy and devoid of the ability for consultation, to produce a codebook. He would also, what with being of a serial obsessive disposition, track down the CEO's private phone number and call him at 3am every time he gets sent some heinous junk in the post.

So, send it back or stalk the boss! :-)

[Wilf]

I wish they could sort out the online shop with a wider range of better products including coaching support materials such as books and DVD's. I can't even find the two Star assement guide DVD on there at the moment

I have it, it a poor promotion of mediocre technique, it's clear that the paddler's were actually 2 Star level, but I feel it's best to give ideals and not approximate ideas of what it can be.

I have it too and the section on using support strokes is; well .... diferent from some other better examples I have seen. The sculling for support demo shown particularly poor in my opinion.

Having said that the concept of the DVD and idea behind it are sound even if this particular version would benifit from some re-editing. At the intermdiate to top end of paddlesport there are many good instructional DVD's such as the genotype series, but for beginners there are less. The recent Kayak Essentials is one of the best aim at this level.

Many canidates preparing for any assement right from one star through to five star struggle with the question of what exactly is epected of them and on the higer end what type of conditions or enviroment are they required to be entirely at home in. Some of this is eased as you go up the ladder as experiance and mentoring of others will guide you in the right direction. If canidates are unable to referance the correct advice and model performances and demonstartions aginst which they can benchmark themselves then they my present for assement before they are fully prepared then be disapointed by thier subsequent failure. This can also be difficult for the assessor to manage in some rare cases

The aim of the DVD's should have been to support quality control in the assesment system for each award by providing students, trainers and assesors a clear visual guide to the skill and its performance in the relevent context. They are not subsitute for a hands on training course and consilidation traing to build experiance, but they can be useful skill review tool. This would alos help prevent ambiguity in interpretation of the written syllabus notes and the wide variation of standards that I have some times seen.

The perfomance of the skill should be 100% correct and shown from multiple angles in order for every one to correctly understand what is required.

The point I was making was that this is the sort of thing that the BCU awarding should be developing and selling through their site. Stuff that will help us be better coaches and paddlers as well as supporting a more robust trainging scheme. Just look at how much football and swiming support material and resources are avaliable throught those sports website shops.



Gary A

Yup.

[shanclan]

The BCU can produce quality videos with high production values that demonstrate good form. As this video linked from the BCU site shows:



Indoor kayaking provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop good form without the confusion of having to deal with water. I understand that these machines have already been adapted to support reverse paddling. A prototype weights machine has also been produced to simulate recovery/ sweep strokes and a freestyle simulator (affectionally known as the "hamster ball") is on the drawing board.

Hats off to the BCU for supporting forward looking grass roots developments such as this. And shame to those who hold them back by insisting on support for 'old school' water based activities.

[Simon Westgarth]

Hats off to the BCU for supporting forward looking grass roots developments such as this. And shame to those who hold them back by insisting on support for 'old school' water based activities.

I was under the impression that paddlesport was partaken on the water, well how old school of myself, there clearly is a virtual interactive experience I have overlooked, no no, that's the internet.

It is great to see some initiatives happen, but we are a long way from getting the BCU to do what it should be doing. Finally their access stance is coming around, the coaching scheme is on a long sojourn to arrive at almost the same place it started 5 years ago, and dire lack of information flow are considerable points of issue. Still I am a Life member, so I could not easily vote with my feet, and wish them all well.

[Adrian Cooper]

The BCU are currently promoting their 'Indoor Kayaking' competition which is clearly not kayaking and involves no water. Is this their proposal for dealing with access problems?

[stuartsmith]

I had thought about commenting previously but I think the latest issue hits an all time low

Unfortunately several SCA members will have received CoDe instead of the their Canoe Focus this month. A mix up in the mailing house that the BCU use to distribute both publications has caused this. The SCA has identified which SCA members will not have received Focus and is getting these magazines sent out asap. This has never happened before and we're really sorry that this has happened now. We are doing everything we can to make sure the same error is not made again. Stuart Smith

[garya]

The BCU are currently promoting their 'Indoor Kayaking' competition which is clearly not kayaking and involves no water. Is this their proposal for dealing with access problems?

There is a creeking / WW one is in development too. It invlolves mounting an ergo paddling machine onto the back of one of those rodeo rageing bull machines. You paddle away while it tries to throw you off or until you throw up. Longest survivor is the winner.

Gary A

[Simon Westgarth]

I had thought about commenting previously but I think the latest issue hits an all time low

Unfortunately several SCA members will have received CoDe instead of the their Canoe Focus this month. A mix up in the mailing house that the BCU use to distribute both publications has caused this. The SCA has identified which SCA members will not have received Focus and is getting these magazines sent out asap. This has never happened before and we're really sorry that this has happened now. We are doing everything we can to make sure the same error is not made again. Stuart Smith

Communications from a national body on this forum, well done chaps, but then again the SCA have a reputation of being a little more accessible.

[stuartsmith]

Unfortunately several SCA members will have received CoDe instead of the their Canoe Focus this month. A mix up in the mailing house that the BCU use to distribute both publications has caused this. The SCA has identified which SCA members will not have received Focus and is getting these magazines sent out asap. This has never happened before and we're really sorry that this has happened now. We are doing everything we can to make sure the same error is not made again. Stuart Smith

We have managed to get the balance of Canoe Focus copies sent Friday to the SCA office. We've got address labels prepared ready so hopefully the magazines will arrive with us tomorrow and we'll be sending the "missing" Focus copies out to those SCA members that haven't yet received theirs. Apologies for the delay. Stuart

[Flo]

Did anyone else noticed the request for a CRB with the BCU tucked into the oddly folded last page?

[GillD]

Did anyone else noticed the request for a CRB with the BCU tucked into the oddly folded last page?

I mentioned it to the clubs welfare officer who knew nothing of it. What'll happen if coaches don't have a CRB by then?

[Adrian Cooper]

As far as I understand it coaches who do not have CRB will not be 'revalidated'. Of course this makes no difference to their ability to coach.

Clubs and their welfare officers will need to make their own judgements as to whether such coaches should be deployed. It would be helpful if if the BCU could provide advice as to the risk assessments which would be relevant in those circumstances.

[BaldockBabe]

But if coaches don't coach kids why to they have to have a CRB? Or I have missed something?