Credentialing

[soulpatch]

I have been hearing about different associations and instructor training and I am wondering if any are legit, worth investigating or just to rely on the individual instructor's skills.

Heck, I have surfed for close to 40 years with no formal instruction and I seem to have fun and go big when I want to.

I'd love to read perspectives on this.

Saludos

[FLandOBX]

As in all industries, kiteboarding has good instructors and bad. If you know a good instructor with a good reputation in the kiting industry, and if you are comfortable that he or she could teach you (clear communication + organized teaching style that works for your particular learning preferences), then I think you should book your lessons with that person, regardless of credentials. If you don't know a qualified instructor, then I think that an IKO or PASA certified instructor would be your best bet. With IKO or PASA, you'll get a lesson plan than has worked for others and is somewhat "standardized", plus an instructor who should know how to tailor lessons to your particular needs and styles. There are no guarantees in life! So some IKO and PASA instructors are good, but others....not so much. Whomever you select, try to do some research on the school/instructor ahead of your lesson to make sure feedback from prior students is positive!! Most important, IMHO, do take lessons!!

[soulpatch]

Thanks.

I had three lessons at the end of last season here in Nayarit but there was no continuity.... my first instructor I really liked but we didn't go out for two days after my first lesson due to no wind and then the shop asked him to leave because he did not want to take me out when other instructors were taking people out and they couldn't even get kites to stay up in the air.

The second two days were learning to communicate with the new instructor and some body dragging and then trying to launch. I launched but staying up was challenging as well as landing since my launches all seemed to include a lot of air time!
It was fun and I will get it but I feel I need a few more lessons under my belt to really avoid the getting hurt part of this sport.

I know it is sometimes about turning and burning on a time limit but I live here so that isn't a consideration for me.

[tautologies]

Obviously things might have changed but I got a an IKO certification in a game of poker (I've never taught lessons).
The people who actually went through instruction back then did so when there was literally no wind, which doesn't preclude from going through lesson plan.

I would probably try to ascertain reputation as many people are really good kiteboarders and that teach do not know how to transfer skills in a systematic manner.

[soulpatch]

Jajaja, that's funny!

Yeah, reputation is what I will stick with.

Thanks for the input.