I just got an email with a list of courses run in the area next term if anyone wants to do them.

2 Oct               Foundation Safety & Rescue Training (FSRT)

                        This will be run in the Lichfield area. Cost will be £30 excluding BCU fees.

9-10 Oct          2 day first aid course (16 hour)

This award is suitable for all BCU courses and is a mixture of classroom and lots of practical sessions. The venue is still being confirmed but is likely to be within the Birmingham area. Cost will be £60, excluding certification fees.

16-17 Oct        Coach Level 2 transfer course

The transfer course has been increased to two days to give us more time to cover all the content of this award. This is aimed at existing level 2 coaches (or above) who wish to transfer to UKCC. It will be run at Upton Warren and cost will be £80, excluding BCU registration costs.

23-24 Oct        Whitewater Safety & Rescue course (WWS&R)

This will be run in N Wales. Cost will be £60 excluding accommodation and BCU certification fees.

6-7 Nov           4 star Leader Open Canoe training course.

The venue for this is still to be arranged but is likely to be N. Wales. Cost will be £60 excluding accommodation.

11-12 Dec       4 star Leader Whitewater (kayak) training course.

The venue for this is still to be arranged but is likely to be N. Wales. Cost will be £60 excluding accommodation.

With all the above courses, booking is via Ian Dallaway. It is important to book early for these courses as they have filled up quickly in the past. More information on all the above is available on request.

Email:ian.dallaway (at) bt (dot) com

It's that time of year again when we need to register to play in the national leagues; more precisely Open Div 4 Central.

We were the only team last year to beat the winners, and we can be those winners next year! The tournaments are spread out throughout the year and will cost you around £10 to go to.

Anyone that's played this year can play, but we have to choose a squad of 10 players. There are plenty of spaces though, so if you want to play, post below!

Hello there!

Not many weeks of me inflicting my dubious coaching on you left now! Thought I'd write a general e-mail of some stuff.

If you have been intrigued by the miniscule amount of training we have done and would like to learn more, the pages I wrote here are a start: link . They contain stuff on basic paddling, ball skills, training drills, strength/power/flexibility training, tactics, fitness training. Why not have a go!? If you are wondering where to start, I would go for basic paddling skills and core strength (particularly rotation), the latter seems to help the first a lot.

I hope the training yesterday was of some use! During the run through of the corner set piece we were certainly seeing results. Unfortunately there weren't as many opportunitiespresent or taken to score nice goals like that in the real games! Still as more general points to take away:

-If you are running in to shoot, do soon a route where there are no defenders marking you.

-Almost every spectacular looking goal is made by good passes from other players, and a good clearing of a gap by other players, the shooter just finishes it off. Give and take credit to/as a team!

-Don't be afraid to be the one who initiates a bit of team work during a game or especially at the start. If you get on the pitch and have a little discussion of what you're going to do, you might enjoy building some sort of game plan and executing it more than ignoring your friends and participating in what I would consider to be a demoralising free for all.

-Channel your inner rage into your effort levels and your concentration, not your mouth!

Glad the sprinting was of use too (not my idea, can't claim credit for that).

This e-mail has been long and emotional. I might go and run a couple of kittens through a wood chipper to make myself feel more manly again.

G