Skill Level: Expert | Prerequisites: Familiarity with Rivers and Teaching

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Rate

Person (Ages 18 and up): $785

This price includes all equipment, instruction, catered, picnic-style lunch and transportation from our base to and from the paddling sites.

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2025 Dates

May 16-18 & May 31- June 1

Sept 26 -28 & Oct 11-12

Start/End Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Daily

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About

American Canoe Association (ACA) Instructor Certification workshops are designed for individuals who want to teach flatwater, moving water, or whitewater kayaking, canoeing, SUP or swiftwater rescue.

Our highly experienced ACA Instructor Trainers present the most up-to-date teaching and paddling techniques. Each ACA Instructor Certification course has two parts: an Instructor Development Workshop, in which the Instructor Trainer presents teaching techniques and works to improve the paddling skills of aspiring instructors; and an Instructor Certification Workshop, in which the aspiring instructors teach a mock flatwater, moving water, or whitewater course.

Certification in any of these courses is based on both paddling and teaching skills and is not guaranteed at any level. These courses are only for those with intermediate to advanced paddling skills with some teaching experience.

We offer ACA Instructor Certification in the disciplines of River Kayak, River Canoe, Swiftwater Rescue and Stand Up Paddlboard. The American Canoe Association offers instructor certification at up to 5 different levels with each level requiring a progressively greater understanding of paddling and rescue concepts, as well as an ability to teach and execute those concepts in progressively more difficult rapids. To get more details about instructor criteria you can go the American Canoe Association link.

If you are interested in working in the paddlesport field, ACA certification is considered "the gold standard" for the industry and paddlesport instructors. For eligible candidates Zoar Outdoor offers an in-house certification program. For more information go to the job page on Zoar Outdoor's main website or contact Jim Sullivan, Director of Instruction Programs at 413-339-4010 or jim@zoaroutdoor.com.

Class Size:

• Instructor-to-student ratio: 1:5. Maximum clinic size: 12

Clothing/Gear

What should I wear?

While some of the flatwater areas we use are quite warm in June, July, and August, the Deerfield River is always cool, regardless of the time of year or air temperature. When packing your paddling clothes, please plan accordingly, especially if you are coming early or late in the season (April, May, September, and October). Our clinics will run rain or shine.

Wear items such as:

• Synthetic long underwear, garments made of polypropylene, capilene, or some polyester/spandex blend.
• Fleece or wool socks
• Bathing suit
• Fleece or wool jacket/sweater (early/late season or if you tend to chill easily)

Other items to bring:

• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Retaining strap for glasses
• Nose plugs
• Towel
• Required medications
• Extra money for snacks, t-shirts, etc

Zoar Outdoor will provide:

• boat
• wetsuit
• paddle jacket
• booties
• life jacket
• helmet
• paddle
• sprayskirt
• We provide a catered picnic-style lunch on all our full day clinics.

The following statement is required by state law: "Before placing your order, please inform your server if a person in your party has a food allergy."

We do not use nuts in our food, but can not guarantee that the ingredients in our meals do not contain nuts or other food allergens. If you have food allergies or other special dietary needs, we strongly suggest you bring your own bag lunch in non-glass containers and we will pack it with the other lunches on your trip. Please inform our office at 413-339-4010 or info@zoaroutdoor.com if you intend to do this.

(If you own your own equipment, we suggest you use it in the clinic to get used to its quirks.)