A short piece on the time/effort to gain some of the Instructional qualifications i hold

BASI level 2 Snowboard instructor
This was almost a year of work, The BASI level 1 course was a 5 day long training and assessment course, i did this in Xscape Yorkshire The coach was Nathan Craig, little did he know but that course changed the next decade of my life.
BASI 2 was 2 weeks in Zermatt, Switzerland, this was a step up in every way from the L1, a hard 2 weeks, Mark Petty was the trainer, and similar to Nathan, my life changed after that course. The main change being i was now qualified to coach snowboarding around the world, in every country apart from France. i took time in the Italian Alps every winter for about the next 15 yrs.

MIAS L5 Mountain Bike instructor/tutor
A number of courses, starting with 2 days in Wales with Craig Nelder we went through the MIAS pathway together, progressing through the levels to L5 in around 12 months, this allowed me to run courses to train and assess other people to become MTB instructors

Snow Sport England Ski instructor level 1
A course taken in Snozone, 3 days long, with a month of consolidation and mentoring from Brian Ayres. I took this qualification mostly because my employer at the time paid for the course, they needed instructors with multiple snowsports qualifications. I must admit, I snowboard for love, ski for pay. It was never going to be the obsession my other sports where.

Climbing Wall Instructor. CWI and Rock Climbing instructor RCI
Training and assessment in Foundry Climbing centre Sheffield. The manager there, Mike Adams had told me, get a qualification and i will give you a job. I did. He did. a fantastic bloke to work for, under his support they paid for my next 2 qualifications,
Climbing Wall Development Instructor CWDI and Rock Climbing Instructor RCI. Climbing became an obsession, and still is.
I now work freelance and get to visit many climbing walls weekly, plus regular work outdoors in the Peak District.

Paddle Sports.
After experience with multiple governing bodies and qualification awarding bodies. My comments on PaddleUK are quite negative. The pathway to qualifications is not clear, and the website is a pit of long links that lead nowhere.
Paddle Sport Leader, this allows me to take people on differing crafts for a paddle with some restrictions, limited to under 200m from the shore, and winds under force 4.
Paddle Sport Instructor, this lets me give taster sessions and basic beginner level instructions.

Saturday lesley and i headed to Wharncliffe. A great afternoon climbing, the sun was not baking but it was very warm humid, sweaty. The Wharncliffe Crags where Hot Grit and water was what we needed. Gallons of the stuff.
Lesley made me very proud, she topped her first HVS. Well done to her.

Sunday we got to play in water, millions of gallons of the stuff, at Underbank reservoir on the Paddle Boards, I am starting to feel more confident, and learning to control the craft so sillyness is taking over and i am trying to learn some tricks, the latest being a very unsuccessful kickflip on the SUP.
If you watch to the very end of this video you can see my first and terrible attempt.

Another manic time for Everything Awesome starting on Wednesday with 3 days in Ambleside. donating some time to the Ambleside Sports we had a fantastic, hard, dirty and rewarding time, every July Lesley and i go to Ambleside. We work at the traditional lakeland sporting event, This has fell running, grass track cycling, Cumberland wresting, and way more, an awesome day out for many thousands of people.

Friday a visit to Malham Cove, some. hardcore Sport climbing takes place here, and some cave diving that we are not trained for yet.

Saturday started with some work in Foundry Climbing, giving a group of enthusiastic people their first introductions to climbing, followed by a trip to Underbank Reservoir for some Stand Up paddleboarding,

And to cap the weekend off. Sunday was spent with some CPD. i took part in a Paddle Sports Safety and Rescue course. This gave the knowledge to deal with dangerous situations in sheltered water environments.
Everything Awesome aims to be able to provide some instruction and leading for Paddle Sports in the next yr. We have access to some Awesome qualified instructors who can give you a great introduction to the sport.

Just a typical weekend in the Everything Awesome Household, Friday night we where at Underbank Reservoir, neatly avoiding the guy that charges a £10 to launch, we think he had gone home. I got lucky to have lesley from LDrehab paddling with us.

Saturday Morning i had 5 fantastic folk came along for some coaching on jumping with a mountain bike.
One of the customers was Dan, from DCOutdoors, it was awesome to coach a fellow sports coach, as i knew any feedback would be relevant.

Then Sunday, lesley again rock climbing at Crowden Great Quarry

A Peak District Doubleheader: From Sheffield Walls to Burbage Rain

This past Saturday unfolded as a thrilling doubleheader, taking me from the indoor climbing walls of Sheffield to the rugged beauty of the Peak District for a Happy Birthday gift. It all began with an Adult Intro session at the Foundry Climbing Centre. Here, I had the pleasure of meeting five wonderful and enthusiastic individuals, all eager to embark on their climbing journeys. The session focused on equipping them with the fundamental skills needed to become safe and independent climbers. We delved into the art of knot tying, ensuring they could confidently secure themselves and their partners. The importance of proper belay technique was also a vital aspect of the session, as it forms the foundation of safe climbing practices.

After a rewarding morning spent empowering these new climbers, I hit the road with a renewed sense of excitement. My next stop was Burbage North, a legendary gritstone crag nestled within the Peak District National Park. Here, I was greeted by a lovely family celebrating an 11-year-old’s birthday in a truly unique way – a climbing adventure! Unfortunately, the weather gods didn’t seem to share in the celebratory spirit. As we began our ascent, the heavens opened, unleashing a relentless downpour.

Undeterred by the rain, spirits remained high. We embraced the challenge, and the climbing continued. Despite the less than ideal conditions, the birthday girl displayed remarkable determination and focus. It was truly inspiring to witness her enthusiasm for the sport, even amidst the downpour.

To add a touch of excitement and utilize the wet conditions, I decided to set up an abseil. This provided the family with a thrilling descent, adding a new element to their climbing experience. Despite the rain, it was clear they were having a fantastic time exploring the wonders of the Peak District.

Looking back, the day could only have been improved by one thing – cake and chicken legs! While the rain may have put a damper on the scenery, it certainly couldn’t dampen the celebratory spirit. Witnessing the joy and determination of these individuals, both at the climbing center and at Burbage North, served as a powerful reminder of the pure enjoyment climbing can bring. It was a day filled with learning, challenge, and a healthy dose of wet weather adventure!

www.everythingawesome.co.uk