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Watersports students qualify

From the Falmouth Packet, first published Monday 26th May 2008.

Five students studying watersports courses at Falmouth Marine School gained their RYA Windsurfing Instructor qualification The qualification will now enable them to get work anywhere in the world teaching windsurfing.

Dominic Hill, Claire Johnston, Kristina Youngman, Ben Wilson James and Ala Mallinder who are all on the two-year NVQ and BTEC Watersports courses at Falmouth Marine School attended a weeks worth of training and assessment at Stithians watersports centre as part of their course. The courses, which also included two RYA Dinghy Instructor courses, were open to students and the public.

Unusually this time Phil Sanger the course trainer had organised six members from the Mounts Bay Harriers Triathlon club, to come up for a taster session for the trainee instructors to practice their skills. Their presence gave participants a real hands-on experience of working with beginners.

Yvonne Turner Mounts Bay Harriers Triathlon club said: "The two hours went by so quickly. It was a shame when we were told to get out of the water. That is until we were told that we had to sail back to the start area. For some reason I seemed to think that I needed to sail half way across the lake! A good time was had by all club members, not sure what the instructors thought of us though!"

Phil Sanger, Course Manager on BTEC Watersports course at Falmouth Marine School commented: "The students worked very hard all week and the course really was an accumulation of all the watersports training they have had so far. It is so satisfying to see them become qualified in time to fly out and take up their employment in the industry they have been training for. The Triathlon club were very impressed with there coaching skills, knowledge and overall patience of the students"

Claire Johnson, one of the students from the Marine School said: "This week has been amazing, I was really proud of myself at the end of the day after we'd taught the beginners. My students managed to complete the course set, which means they really did learn what I had taught them. I can't wait to go to France next week and spend the whole summer teaching in the sun."

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