Investing In Yourself
April 14, 2020
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work”
- Identify opportunities. There is a huge amount of content out there on social media, websites etc so before you start diving into these why not take a moment to consider what your learning needs are. If you are working your way through a qualification, why not take the chance to review where you are at on this journey and see if there are new needs for your progression or feedback to take a second look at. While you might not get the answers you were hoping for, it’s always incredibly powerful to ask your paddlers what they think your strengths and areas for development are. One of the features of successful learners is that they don’t just work at what they’re already good at, they also work at the areas they need to improve. So if, for example, you have very good technical knowledge, why not consider different areas like coach-athlete relationships, planning, pedagogy, skill acquisition and so on.
- Knock on doors. One of the joys of the modern world being so closely connected is that it’s easier than ever to ask wise people good questions! You’d be amazed by how open many experts are to having separate 1:1 online calls or answering questions on social media if you ask them politely. So, seek out your paddling and coaching heroes and ask them questions; the worst they can do is say no and my experience has been that they rarely do this!
- Share your expertise. On the flip side, you might find other coaches coming to you and asking for your thoughts. Be a good coaching citizen, share and offer to help if you have some time.
- Curate your own learning. This is the trickiest part of online coach development, there is so much content out there, the hard part is knowing what to pick up and what to put down. Spending time identifying your learning needs at the start will make this much easier. Try not to flit between different areas too much and always check the validity and credentials of any information that you come across. We’d recommend taking a look at the British Canoeing online coach learning opportunities, sportscotland CPD offering as well as UK Coaching’s CPD offering which includes lots of free materials which were previously only for subscribers and is temporarily available for anyone.
- Ask for help. If you’re keen to learn and progress yourself during this time, please get in touch with us and we’ll happily direct you to the most relevant support for your needs.
Doug MacDonald, SCA Coach and Pathway Developer
This is part of a 3-piece series written by Doug to provide support and guidance for coaches during the COVID-19 lockdown. To view them all, please click here. We have also released hints and tips for how clubs can stay together whilst staying at home, how clubs can help their members, and how you can use this extra time at home!
HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS
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Coaches Community Event 8 & 9 November 2025 at Grandtully Station Park
Save the date!
Adventure awaits! The Scottish Women's Paddle Symposium (SWPS) is just around the corner, and while many sessions are fully booked, we still have a limited number of non-residential tickets available for a fantastic range of paddling experiences.
Are you passionate about paddlesports and eager to share your knowledge? We’re offering two upcoming Tutor Orientation Events that could be the perfect next step on your journey.
