General Certification Requirements:

General Requirements for all Instructor Candidates:

  • Be a full ACA member

  • Be at least 18 years old

  • All participants must acknowledge personal compliance with and demonstrate general knowledge of the purpose and significance of the ACA’s Essential Eliligibility Criteria

  • Understands and acts in accordance with ACA’s Code of Conduct

  • Demonstrate general knowledge of inclusion initiatives

  • Successfully complete an Instructor Certification Workshop (IDW and ICE)

  • Upon successful completion, register with the Safety Education and Instruction Council

  • Have and maintain first aid and age appropriate CPR

  • Demonstrate a general knowledge of paddlesports and the ACA

  • Demonstrate the ability to appropriately perform and teach all of the following material, unassisted, in the appropriate venue

  • Instructors are expected to be able to demonstrate, teach, and model everything on the official ACA skills course and assessment course outlines which correspond to their level/craft and in the appropriate venue

*Participating in these courses does not guarantee certification

Instructor Certification process:

To become an ACA Instructor, an Instructor Candidate must:

  • Participate in an Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) and pass an Instructor Certification Exam (ICE). These courses are offered either as separate courses with time between for skills and presentation development and practice or can be offered concurrently (at the discretion of the Instructor Trainer) as an Instructor Certification Workshop (ICW).

  • Perform paddling skills consistently with demonstration quality

  • Demonstrate effective teaching skills

  • Demonstrate technical knowledge of paddlesports

  • Demonstrate appropriate safety & rescue ability

  • Demonstrate effective group / course management and positive interpersonal skills

  • Represent and promote the ACA and paddlesports in a positive manner