It’s great getting out on the water, and at times the chance to have some time alone is one of the biggest draws. Spending some time with the water, immersed in nature can help with mindfulness and inner peace. However, paddling is also an incredibly social sport that is enhanced when the experiences are shared. One easy way to share those experiences is with a club. There are actually loads of reasons to join a club, and ways to pick a club. So here are our top reasons to join a club.
Social Paddling
Clubs are filled with like minded people, all of which enjoy being out on the water. Joining a club is a fabulous opportunity to meet these people and make some new friends. These new friends may open up new locations for paddling adventures, encourage you to try new ways of paddling, and give you the confidence to progress your paddling.
Access to Coaching
Most clubs have a set of experienced and reliable coaches at the heart of them. This means that everyone who joins can access coaching in the club sessions. Having the chance to improve your knowledge and ability is always a positive and will only improve your safety. You’ll also be learning alongside those paddlers who you see regularly and are at ease around. All of this allows for progression of your paddling, improved confidence, and extra fun.
Safety
Surrounding yourself with paddlers adds to your safety while on the water. The knowledge and experience of these paddlers can help to direct you in situations where you may be unsure. Learning to prepare your safety kit, how to use it, and practising this is a huge benefit of being in the club.
Equipment Borrowing
We all know that kit is one of the most expensive parts of paddling. And given an endless pit of money we would have one of everything. Unfortunately, for most of us this isn’t the case. However, most clubs have a stash of kit, kayaks, canoes, SUP’s, paddles, and everything else you might need. All of which you can have access to for sessions to give it a go and save some money. On the flip side, you may be tempted into some kit you never thought you’d need.
Competitiveness
Although many use paddling as a way to relax and unwind, some see the competitive side. There are many competitions across the paddling disciplines, and clubs are a great way into these. Many clubs have competition sections to them, focusing on entering and supporting club members at events.
When picking a club….
So now you know why clubs are so awesome and important, how do you choose one? Simply head to our ‘Finding Paddling Clubs’ page and look at what clubs are in your area. As you peruse the clubs you’ll notice a few logos popping up next to some. These are accreditations that they have worked towards and been awarded from Paddle UK, signifying they are of a certain standard or excelling in what they do.
- Quality Club is Paddle UK’s club accreditation scheme. If a club has achieved Quality Club accreditation it means that they are voluntarily working with Paddle UK to continually improve standards at their club. They will have been able to evidence that they have excellent measures and processes in place with regard to Safety, Safeguarding, Governance and Equality Diversity & Inclusion, which go beyond the basic requirements for club affiliation.
- Champion Club Accreditation – This Club focused development programme works with clubs across England to improve the opportunities in several key areas in paddlesport by supporting clubs to attract, retain and increase participation.It shows that the club has an ongoing commitment to improve as a Champion Club. They are currently available as the following
- #ShePaddles Champion Club
- Talent Champion Club
- Clear Access Clear Waters Champion Club
- Junior Champion Club
It is important to note that some clubs will specialise in certain aspects of paddling, so recreation, slalom, polo etc. So do your research on the club before going along. So there you go, all the reasons why clubs are an amazing way to progress your paddling and make new friends. Joining the right club for you can be life changing, taking paddling to the next level.
