Club Sessions

Club Sessions

[To be updated for 2023]

April to September: 

    Mondays

    Introduction to canoe slalom 5.30pm to 6.30pm.  Aimed at young paddlers who have some paddling skills but have not tried slalom.  The sessions will take paddlers through the basics of negotiating downstream and upstream gates.  Canoe slalom is a great way to improve your paddling skills and to gain paddling fitness. 

     Tuesdays

    Adults and Families 7pm to 9pm.  This session is open to adults and family groups.  Paddlers are divided into groups depending on what they choose to do.  Generally family groups are kept together.  All groups will focus on a mixture of training and fun and games.

    Slalom Training.  These sessions cater for all levels of ability for paddlers who have some slalom experience. Sessions will either be at Langham Farm, Symonds Yat or Cardiff International White Water (CIWW), specific dates can be found on the club calendar.

    Wednesdays

    There are a variety of sessions for young paddlers:

    • Introduction to slalom 6.45 to 7.45.
    • Fun Polo 7pm to 8pm.  This group is aimed at paddlers who have some basic skills in a boat and are looking to bring those skills into a game situation.
    • General purpose canoe and kayak sessions 6.45.  For paddlers to have fun and to improve their skills.  Two sessions available: starting at 6.45pm and 7pm.
      October to March:
      • Tuesdays - slalom training similar to April to September.
      • Fridays - Pool sessions: 8-9pm at Frome Sports and Fitness Centre (BA11 2SA). For more details see below.

      All sessions are booked through WebCollect

      Please arrive 15 minutes before session start to register and sort kit.

       

      Tuesdays for Adults

      Adults please come on Tuesdays at 7pm. We have a flexible approach and you can either join a coached group to learn skills, or you can paddle with others who just want to chill out and do their own thing. If you are looking to gain the beginner's qualification, please let us know and we will arrange coaching and assessment.

      New to Canoeing

      Adults. If you are completely new to canoeing and want to try it out with us, please come on a TUESDAY during the summer months, for a Starter session. We will help you get started. Bring a change of clothes for canoeing in, a pair of old trainers and a towel. Your first session will be a 'taster' and is free. You can then decide if you want to take it further and join the club. If you still aren't sure after your first 'taster' and you want some more starter sessions without joining the club, the charge is £7.

      Young Paddlers. New this year are our 6 week long starter courses on WEDNESDAYS.  These are designed to give total beginners the essential skills they need to join our club sessions.  The first three weeks will be spent working towards the British Canoeing Discover Award, this starts with what kit to select, how to launch, basic kayak control and all the safety aspects including how to capsize.  The second three weeks will include an introduction to polo, slalom and canoeing.  The first course will start on May 4th and a second will start on June 15th. 

       

      Wednesday River Sessions


      You need to bring a change of clothes for on the water (light clothing not jeans), or borrow a club wet suit. You also need some old footwear (not crocks or flipflops) and bring a towel. In cool weather, fleecy tops are good. We provide all the paddling kit.





      Our Wednesday evening sessions are divided up so you can pick the activity you prefer.





      Who can help you?
      Look out for people wearing the yellow or orange 'Coach/Leader bibs'. They can help you!


       The Supervisor will help you to get the kit that you need from the kit store and the boat from the boat store. You must wear a buoyancy aid and helmet that fit you properly and shoes on your feet to protect them. Take care when you carry your boat to the river.

      The Instructor for the session is there to help you get started and will coach you during the sessions. However he or she also has the responsibility for everyone's safety during the session, and so you must do as he or she asks.

      After the session – please put all the kit away that you have used.
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      Pool Sessions


      Fridays 8pm-9pm, September to April at Frome Sport and Fitness Centre. Cost Members: £4.00 per person.  Non-Members £7.00.

      You will need to bring swimming costume and towel. We provide all the paddling kit. You get to paddle for half an hour.

      Our pool sessions are generally quite informal. Some people use the sessions as a good way to get started. Others practise rolling and some practise playboating moves. We always have a coach on hand to help if you need it/ask for it, but pool sessions are not the 'coach-led' sessions that our Wednesday sessions are. The intention is that some sessions are taken over for canoe polo.

      All sessions must be booked and paid for in advance throughWebCollect
      We split the evening into two half-hour sessions running from 20:00 to 20:30 and from 20:30 to 21:00.  We use the large pool for paddling and allow a maximum of 16 boats in the pool at any one time.  For those who have attended in previous years please be aware that we DO NOT have access to the small pool this year.

      People who can help you:

      The Supervisor for the session is in the yellow T-shirt. He or she will help you to get a boat and the kit that you need. If you need any help during the session ask the Supervisor.

      The Instructor for the session wears a green T-shirt. He or she is there to coach paddlers and will help you if you go up and ask. The Instructor will spend a little time with you, teaching you a technique or paddling stroke so that you can go off to practise it.

      The Sports Centre Lifeguards. They take responsibility for everyone’s safety. We must follow the normal pool rules.

      How the session works:
      • Come to the Frome Sports Centre and meet us in the foyer, 19:45 for the 20:00 session and 20:15 for the 20:30 session.  
      • You will be given a coloured wrist band for the session you have booked.
      • On some nights we play a game of canoe polo in one of the sessions. These dates are advertised in the Calendar and on Facebook.