L2 and L3 training and assessments - - KAYAKING EXPLOSION!

[Maryanne]

Alright guys, we have eight seven six five four club trips left this year and in that time we can run L2 and L3 training and assessments.
16th of February - L2 training & L3 training
23rd of February - L2 training & L3 training
2nd of March - L2 training & L3 training
9th of March - L2 training & L3 training
30th of March - Ball (boatercross / Wicklow trip)
6th of April - Paddlefest
13th of April - L2 and L3 assessments
and the trip on the 20th of April will be under next year's committee.

L2 Assessments
To sit a L2 assessment it is recommended that you have completed 10-15 hours of kayaking, so this is a realistic goal for refreshers who turn up consistently to pool sessions and river trips from now til the end of the year and for freshers who have turned up to 5-6 river trips.
Here's the list of all the skills needed for the assessment: http://canoe.ie/en-us/awardsqualifications/skillsawards.aspx#_Toc286832618
With one change: Low brace turn has been changed to "turning on the move"

L3 Assessments
To sit a L3 assessment it is recommended that you have completed 80-100 hours of kayaking, so it is a realistic goal for freshers who have turned up consistently to pool sessions and river trips (especially river trips) since the start of the year and for second years who have been working on developing their skills from last year.
Here's the list of skills needed for the assessment: http://canoe.ie/en-us/awardsqualifications/skillsawards.aspx#_Toc286832619

Preparation and practice
In general a pool session would be 20-30mins paddling and a river trip would be 2-3 hours kayaking.
L2 and some L3 skills can be taught in the pool, so it's worthwhile coming to a pool session with a to do list of strokes/techniques you'd like to learn, strengthen or polish, but since the assessment (and indeed kayaking in general) will be outdoors Saturday club trips are the most beneficial ways to practise. L3 especially expects kayakers to have good awareness of rivers and experience with moving water, so coming on Saturday trips is crucial!

Which one should I do?
If you'd like to go for an assessment but are not sure which one to go for come to pool sessions and river trips and ask for feedback on what level you're at.

What happens on an assessment?
Assessments are run nearly identically to club trips, there's an instructor who leads the trip and keeps an eye on everyone, does a bit of coaching, you show off and then at the end you get feedback. Swimming does not mean you fail (let's squash that urban myth right now) and regardless of passing or failing you get a great day's paddling and we'll still love you.

I'm interested, what should I do?
Post up here if you're interested, but more crucially your name should go up on pretty much all of the threads in the Saturday trip section from now on (link: http://forum.ucdcanoeclub.com/index.php/board,3.0.html)
Getting out on the water and getting the maximum amount of experience possible will be a huge help.
Also keep an eye on the Competitions and Training section of the board for extracurricular training (link: http://forum.ucdcanoeclub.com/index.php/board,51.0.html)

I already have my L3, what can I get out of the last 8 trips?
I'm glad you asked! Check out this thread on rescue development aimed at second years: http://forum.ucdcanoeclub.com/index.php/topic,11328.0.html
Attendance at Saturday trips is key in any goal setting anyone does!

Interested:
Deividas Rainys
Garbhan Gorman
Cillian Totterdell
Steven Mulrooney
Conor Mohan
Briain Gannon
Michelle Carty

[Scabidas]

I would definitely be interested in L3 assessments before the end of the semester and i should be able to make all of the river trips from now on bar the one on Saturday. May even ask to see if people wanna go on some private trips, do they count ?

[Maryanne]

I would definitely be interested in L3 assessments before the end of the semester and i should be able to make all of the river trips from now on bar the one on Saturday. May even ask to see if people wanna go on some private trips, do they count ?

Great stuff! Yeah, private trips are definitely good, as long as you have some rescue/coaching types, then you'd get loads out of it!

[Scabidas]

I would definitely be interested in L3 assessments before the end of the semester and i should be able to make all of the river trips from now on bar the one on Saturday. May even ask to see if people wanna go on some private trips, do they count ?

Great stuff! Yeah, private trips are definitely good, as long as you have some rescue/coaching types, then you'd get loads out of it!

Great thanks.

[Rachel]

Sigh, I'd love to get my L3 if I could.. your list doesn't have the date I'm home for (Saturday 16th of March) though so maybe not. Anyway, hi  hopefully I'll be able to come to a pool session anyway (I'm actually back from the 13th-19th) to see you guys, I'll be supposed to be doing my essay so anything to help me procrastinate..!

[Niall Finch]

Sigh, I'd love to get my L3 if I could.. your list doesn't have the date I'm home for (Saturday 16th of March) though so maybe not. Anyway, hi  hopefully I'll be able to come to a pool session anyway (I'm actually back from the 13th-19th) to see you guys, I'll be supposed to be doing my essay so anything to help me procrastinate..!

But Raaaaachael ! We're on Spring Break that week - can't you stay for longer !

[Garbhan]

Yup Lv3! and Devidas I up for some extra paddling whenever.

[Chunderdragon]

I suppose i should get my level 3 then...

[Steven Mul]

Would love to have level 3 by the end of the semester Extra paddling trips sounds good to me too a drunken cormac mentioned friday sluice sessions

[paulmcnally1]

This whole working life crap means I can't get out to the pool and river as often as I'd like. Do you keep hours logged so I can do extra stuff over the summer with ICU and maybe do the L3's early next semester before the liffey descent?

[Conor Mohan]

I suppose it's about time I started working towards the level 3 !

[Briain]

yeah i should really get my level 3 at this stage!!

[Maryanne]

This whole working life crap means I can't get out to the pool and river as often as I'd like. Do you keep hours logged so I can do extra stuff over the summer with ICU and maybe do the L3's early next semester before the liffey descent?

Hey Paul,
we don't keep hours logged, but to apply for a L2 or L3 skills course you won't be asked for a log of hours paddled so that's ok!

The hours in the top post (10-20 for L2 and 80-100 for L3) are really just guidelines, the best way to get comfortable in a boat, develop skills and pass an assessment is by getting out on the water as much as you can.

If you're not able to come out regularly due to work it might be worth looking in to other places to kayak as well as with us, we have your Tuesday and Thursday nights covered as well as Saturdays but if other days in the week suit you better you could supplement with other courses (eg kayaking.ie, canoe.ie) some of them run courses of a specific length to get people to L2/L3.

[Maryanne]

Have a read over the L2 syllabus / L3 syllabus before the pool sessions this week!

There should be plenty of people in to coach: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aj2XcJ_-5TFIdHVxN3NaN2JZckc4dThqbEVnNFd3N3c#gid=0

And don't forget to sign up to this week's river trip (02/03/2013) http://forum.ucdcanoeclub.com/index.php/topic,11353.0.html

[KatieMcLoughlin]

I'm interested in L3 training but Final Year is currently ruling my life so don't know how much time I can give to river trips and pool sessions anymore