OCPI
The Outriggerzone Community Paddling Initiative is a nonprofit-led program for developing outrigger canoeing and va'a in British Columbia, Canada. With a focus on coach education for youth and novice programs, our expert team visits communities and clubs throughout British Columbia to offer a range of clinics in support of anyone looking to include outrigger canoeing in their community. The program is a joint endeavour between Outriggerzone and Hana Hou Paddlesports and is completely FREE. We provide introductory clinics, coaching clinics, steering clinics, and can offer guidance on club setup and programming. We also provide equipment for all clinics and are available for equipment demos at events throughout the province.
The Outriggerzone Community Paddling Initiative offers on-site clinics and event support across British Columbia.
Clinics are led by Program Director Brendan Curson. Brendan is a certified coach and learning facilitator with the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and the Coaches Association of Canada with a background in Education. Over the past 20+ years, Brendan helped develop paddlesport programs throughout western Canada as well as the NCCP coach education materials and the Long Term Athlete Development framework for paddlesports. In recent years, Brendan has focused on outrigger and va'a development for youth while competing and coaching for Canada internationally.
Through this initiative, Brendan will bring OC1, V1, and OC6 canoes to your community and work side by side with your coaches and community leaders to improve the skills of paddlers and coaches alike. Clinics can range from 2hr introductory sessions to multi day clinics covering a variety of topics. Brendan also offers guidance for new or would-be paddling groups and provides canoes and support for races. Please reach out to Brendan if you'd like to learn more or invite him to your community!
Schedule
Check our calendar to see when we will be in your area!
Regions we will visit are blue events
Races we will attend are green events
Booked clinics are orange events.
If there is no orange event on a day, we are available. Just get in touch to arrange a clinic!
Clinics
An integral part of the Outriggerzone Community Paddling Initiative is coach education. By providing skill development and learning opportunities for coaches, we hope to see positive leaders delivering fun, safe, community focussed paddling experiences in communities across BC. We encourage anyone who wishes to step into a leadership role in their team, club, school, or community to participate in the clinics we offer and teach side by side with our team.
Intro to OC6 & OC1
Introductory clinics are geared to new and novice paddlers. Working side by side with coaches and community leaders in your community, we provide base OC6 and OC1 instruction while ensuring community leaders have the foundation to lead future groups. Topics include:
Safety
Equipment
Positions and communication in a canoe
Paddling technique
Games
Intro to steering, racing, and V1
These clinics are geared to paddlers looking to take the next step in their paddling and leadership skills.
Rudderless V1 - Start your V1 journey by learning the basics of paddle steering and rigging your canoe effectively
OC6 Steering - Poke, draw, and paddle steer your team with confidence using the skills learned in our steering clinics
Sprints & Distance - Get a better understanding of outrigger canoe racing. Talk techniques, tactics, and learn the magic of sprint turns
Services
Race Support
Event and equipment logistics is challenging, especially for junior programs, newer clubs and paddlers who lack equipment, or those relying on ferry travel to get to events. The Outriggerzone Community Paddling Initiative and Hana Hou Paddlesports want to help alleviate some of these challenges by providing equipment for paddling events which coincide with our clinic calendar. Clubs and paddlers can contact us to arrange for equipment at events across BC.
Equipment for junior (19 and under) teams and paddlers - FREE with reservation
Equipment for adult teams and paddlers - rental available with all proceeds supporting this program. - OC6 Unlimited (Hydra or Mololo): $300 - OC1/V1: $50 - OC2: $100
Club Setup and Program Guidance
One of the goals of the Outriggerzone Community Paddling Initiative is to support the growth of clubs and programs that utilize outrigger canoeing and va’a as healthy lifestyle options for their communities. We are happy to help community leaders navigate this process and assist in finding the connections needed to create a home for your new venture.
Equipment Demos
All our equipment is available for demo during our stay in your area. If you are looking for a new canoe or paddle, contact us to arrange a time to take one for a tour of your local waters.
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