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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CANSail? How is it different than the White/Bronze etc. levels?
Click here to learn more about CYA's new CANSail program.
I was a certified coach in the old system. Where do I fit into the new CANSail system?
All coaches certified in the "old" system must take a CANSail technical course, professional development course or CANSail Accreditation Module in order to certify CANSail levels. Coaches are not required to take any of these courses until January 1, 2015, at which point only CANSail levels will be valid. Many clubs are requiring their coaches to complete this update in 2012 or 2013 in order to transition to CANSail before the required date. This update is a free one-day course available throughout the spring.
If you were certified as a White Sail or Bronze Sail coach, see this chart to determine where you fit into the CANSail system.
What do I need to bring to my clinic?
When you arrive at your course, you must arrive with the following:
- Course manual (downloaded from the BC Sailing website)
- Paper and pens
- At least 4 copies of blank lesson planning templates (will be emailed to you by your LF)
- Water bottles and snacks (you’ll have lunch/dinner breaks, but water and snacks will keep you alert during the long days!)
- Sailing and coaching clothing (for technical and professional development courses) – make sure you have a whistle!
- Pre-course assignments (for technical clinics and program manager module)
- Anything else included in the email that you will receive from your Learning Facilitator about 2 weeks before your course starts
What does “Assessment” mean?
Assessment takes place at the technical courses. Candidates are assessed on professionalism as well as safety and a variety of topics related to their instructor levels. Upon a successful assessment at the course, the candidate will leave the technical course as trained.
What is “In-Training”?
In Training means that the instructor has not completed all of the mandatory tasks required at the training clinic (i.e not submitted a lesson plan, acted in an unprofessional manner, absent for part of the training, missing pre-requisites). This instructor can not teach or pay the CYA dues until he or she has completed the assignments.
What is “Trained”?
Trained means that the instructor can teach sailing and certify sailors at the level they have been trained at. For example, if an instructor has been trained in CANSail 1 & 2, this instructor can teach and certify sailors at these 2 levels. The instructor has to pay their instructor insurance to CYA prior to teaching sailing.
How long can I stay “Trained”?
A sailing instructor can stay trained for 2 years from the day they became trained. Within that 2 years, the instructor must complete an evaluation, or will lose the trained status.
How do I become “Certified”?
After the trained instructor has worked at a club or school for a while, or when the instructor feels he/she has enough practice to comfortably run a safe and effective lesson on and off the water, the trained instructor can request an evaluation. Evaluations are done at evaluation clinics (usually in September), with BC Sailing regional coaches at their club with their sailors or with MOSS coaches who travel across the province all summer long. In some circumstances, a request may be made for an Evaluator to travel to an instructor’s home Club or School for an evaluation.
What is an evaluation?
Evaluation takes place when a trained instructor feel they are ready to fully grasp all aspects of teaching a safe, productive and quality lesson to sailors at the right level of abilities. Evaluators look for an instructor’s ability to take what they learned in their Fundamental and Technical clinics and apply it in a practical setting. When an evaluation is requested, the Evaluator will email the evaluation package which includes the checklist and the requirements for a successful evaluation. On the day of the evaluation, the trained candidate teaches a land lesson, an on water drill and debrief and the assigned evaluator goes through the checklist to make sure the candidate qualifies as certified.
What is the Coach Boat Safety Course?
The BC Sailing Coach Boat Safety course is all about safe coach boat driving skills and on-water rescues. It has been approved by CYA as a swimming prerequisite, and is the recommended swimming award. Candidates are tested on first aid on the water through practical exercises as well as a written on land test. All the candidates will perform maneuvers in a coach boat, including stopping, docking and approaching a boat. On-water rescues will also be performed. Upon successful completion, the candidate will receive a BC Sailing Coach Boat Safety certificate.
What order should I take the courses in?
There are a few recommendations due to safety or for proper understanding of the course. It is required that you have your PCOC before taking a Technical or Boat Safety course. We strongly recommend that you take your First Aid before any Technical course or Boat Rescue. The Fundamental must be taken before a Technical or Professional Development course.
I just took my CANSail 1 & 2 technical and I don’t have any coaching experience yet. Can I still take a Professional Development course?
Yes! The professional development courses are for all coaches regardless of experience. The only exception is the Program Manager module, where candidates should have some coaching or administrative background, or are wanting to do more administrative work with their sailing program.
What are the CYA Instructor/Coach dues?
To complete the registration process, trained and certified instructors must submit current prerequisites to BC Sailing and remit annual coach/instructor dues to the CYA office. These annual dues cover the cost of instructor liability insurance as well as contributing to the program development. Only registered CYA instructors can award CYA levels. This fee covers the calendar year, until December 31.
For the full list of benefits and more information, visit the Instructor page on the CYA website.
How long does my certification last? When will I have to recertify?
The certification period for all LTS and LTR instructor levels is 36-months to the end of the calendar year. For example, if you completed your clinic in May 2012, your level would expire December 31, 2015.
If you upgrade within this time, however, the expiry for all of your levels gets upgraded as well. For example, if you successfully complete the CANSail 1 & 2 clinic in 2012 and CANSail 3 & 4 in 2013, all of your levels will expire December 31, 2016.
