American Canoe Association

 SEI Focus

December 2006

ACA Announces New SEI National Director

The National Office is pleased to announce Jeremy Oyen as the new National Director of Safety Education and Instruction. Jeremy has an extensive background in paddlesports and outdoor recreation/education. For the past six years, he led and developed Cleveland Metroparks Institute of the Great Outdoors into a premier outdoor education/recreation instructional program. During that time, the program won numerous regional and national awards, including the National Boating Education Advancement Award for their inclusive (adaptive) paddling program. Prior to Cleveland Metroparks, Jeremy worked as the manager of a major outdoor specialty retail shop in Cleveland, Ohio also serving as the paddlesports buyer for the 2-store operation. He additionally owned and operated Erie Island Adventures, a coastal kayak instruction and guide service.

Jeremy holds numerous ACA instructor certifications, including:

Basic Coastal Kayak Instructor Trainer

Essentials of River Kayaking Instructor

Essentials of River Canoeing Instructor (solo & tandem)

Adaptive Paddling Workshop - Equipment Instructor

As SEI Director, Jeremy will oversee the ACA's national instructor program. If you have any questions, concerns, issues or just want to say hello, please feel free to contact Jeremy directly at 703-451-0141 ext. 13.  Email him at joyen@americancanoe.org.

New Option for Completion of Instructor Update

Along with other stated requirements for re-certification, Instructors are required by policy to participate in an Instructor Update once during the 4-year certification period. In an effort to increase the opportunities to receive Instructor Updates, the process by which instructors receive update credit has been expanded effective immediately.

Instructors can complete the instructor update requirement via one of the following methods:

• Participation in an Instructor Update.
• Participation in an IDW or ICE at the appropriate level (at the discretion of the facilitating IT).
• (NEW!) By co-teaching a skills course at the appropriate level under the supervision of an IT in that discipline and completion of a review of ACA Policies & Procedures (at the discretion of the facilitating IT).

Please remember to specifically request update credit when course reports are filed with the national office.

ACA's Quality Commitment: Instructor Certification Reports

Many of you encountered problems with paperwork filed in 2006 including slow distribution of instructor certification cards. These problems have been addressed and rectified. If you are aware of any outstanding reports that are greater than 30 days old, please contact the National Office immediately.

Here is ACA's Quality Commitment for filed instruction reports:

1) An email confirmation will be sent to all reporting instructors, ITs and ITEs when the paperwork is received in the SEI department. This includes both skills and certification reports.

2A) When an instructor trainer/educator submits certification paperwork, the report will be processed and certification cards mailed within 14 days of receipt (assuming provided information is complete).

2B) If information is incomplete or incorrect, the national office will notify the instructor trainer to obtain the correct information (including payment). All efforts will be made in order to resolve questions and issue instructor cards within 30 days of initial receipt of certification report. (See Instructor Certification list below.)

3) A confirmation email will be sent to the IT when certification cards are issued (if appropriate). 

If you send in a report and do not receive a confirmation email, please call or write to Sarah Mason, Assistant SEI Director, at 703-451-0141 ext. 19 or smason@americancanoe.org. 

Above all else, we wish to say thank you and acknowledge the outstanding efforts of you, the ACA Instructor, Trainer, or ITE.  Please continue to provide feedback and identify ways to improve our instruction program and processes.

Instructor Certification Levels

Please note the following levels of Instructor certification.  Use of titles other than those listed will delay the issuance of Instructor Certification cards.  Canoe certifications must list "Solo," "Tandem," or both.

Introduction to Kayak

Introduction to Canoe (Solo and/or Tandem)

Essentials of River Kayak

Whitewater Kayak

Advanced Whitewater Kayak

Essentials of Kayak Touring

Basic Coastal Kayak

Open Water Coastal Kayak

Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayak

Essentials of River Canoe (Solo and/or Tandem)

Basic River Canoe (Solo and/or Tandem)

Whitewater Canoe (Solo and/or Tandem)

Advanced Whitewater Canoe (Solo and/or Tandem)

Essentials of Canoe Touring (Solo and/or Tandem)

Freestyle Canoe (Solo and/or Tandem)

Moving Water Rafting

Whitewater Rafting

Essentials of River Safety and Rescue

Basic Swiftwater Rescue

Advanced Swiftwater Rescue

Contact SEI Director Jeremy Oyen if you have questions or requests for future SEI Focus topics.

 American Canoe Association
7432 Alban Station Blvd, Suite B-232
Springfield, VA 22150
Phone: (703) 451-0141 / Fax: (703) 451-2245