Level 5 coach Development Day 4

Observing Pete Catterall coaching freestyle (ex GB freestyle coach) at Mile End Mill.

Wants and needs chat

Comparing what they do as warm up compared to what they say they want, then choose a coaching location, based partly on need and partly on student preference (they didn't want to work the middle hole). Looking for ratio of paddle to body/blade, wanting 10 to 90 seeing the opposite.

Looking for the same ration on wave surfing, flat with little edge, wave spinning in the bottom hole. Thinking about position first, then snap the body round. Too much edge relative to the green face causing blow offs, so working on reducing edge.

Using wooden model for demo's, and showing body action whilst on the bank.

Asking what percentage of the spin is on paddles and how much on torso rotation, then get them to work on reversing the ration. How do you want me to tell you this, I can give you the answer or you can work it out (caters to their preferred learning style).

Moving on - that wave was not rewarding you for doing it right due to surging so lets change venue. Getting them to the middle hole which is more predictable.

Briefing on the bank by the middle hole using a laminated sheet to sketch out the zones of the site and where we are working and using what. Back to positioning then working on the edge and body rotation.

Bandwidth feedback - giving feedback above a given level of performance and when they are below a certain level, leaving a band in which we don't give feedback.

Discussed limiting factors, such as psychology and injury.

A major highlight for me was when Pete pulled them off the wave and got them to turn the boats without paddles using body movement, edge and weight transfer, then to try and transfer that body english to the wave. This stood out as a key freestyle movement to initiate all the moves and emphasising the 90/10 body/boat to paddle ration Pete spoke of earlier.

Afternoon session

Being coached in river boats by Spike
Students me and matthias
Wants me, get to know my relatively new boat
Matthias to get back into kayaking after a long layoff.

Spike got us working on the rapid above the ramp on break ins and break outs, trim and for me, wing style forward paddling.

Top drop, a couple of runs on the boof move to the left thinking weighting and unweighting, then lifting feet on the boof. Down to the wave below the bottom wave, get on the wave, then restricting the task by cutting down paddle strokes. This tightened focus and forced me to solve the task differently, bringing in much more use of trim, esp. unweighting the front to get over the trickier bits, a good site for this. Advanced coaching in non advanced water. We then moved this to the top wave of the bottom drop to do a similar task in a different environment and to identify what tactics lead to success.
Then a play on the bottom wave for fun, trying to apply the principles coached to the others in the morning.