Coaches Rating

[adventurechick 0]

After I have 200 jumps, I would like to go through the coaches rating course through Skydive University. Do you all have any suggestions on things I can be doing/working on before I take the course? I'm going to start sitting in on First jump Courses to see how people teach, but would like some more suggestions!

PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860
SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233

[skybytch 273]

Do a lot of jumps with fresh A license holders. Work on your slot flying skills - you want to be able to stay right with the person regardless of whether they are backsliding, turning or falling straight down the tube.

Work on your awareness (both altitude and what's going on around you) in freefall and your recall (the ability to remember and then to tell what happened in freefall to someone else after the jump).

Get the IRM. Read and reread the coach section.

Break out your SIM and read and reread the ISP, focusing on the categories that a coach can do and on the first jump course material.

Definitely get the FJC sections of the card done before you go to the coaches course if you can.

[adventurechick 0]

Thank you!!!

PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860
SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233

[AggieDave 6]

Also sit down with a trusted and very experienced coach, have him/her teach you as a student how to do those things listed in the SIM (ground training). Especially the ones that are tested during the course as per the IRM. Get it videoed if you need to. Base your outline on the teaching, as long as it covers everything listed in the SIM and the goals outlined in the IRM.

Remember, the point isn't to barely pass the course as shown in the IRM, the point is to be the best coach you can be for your students. Teaching the best techniques in the best way for how your student can and will learn.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[matthewcline 0]

Are you doing the USPA Coach Course or the SDU Coach Course?

The advice above is good for the USPA one and will also have some for the SDU Course, but my understanding is they are not the same and have some differences.

Working with Students is fun and rewarding (really!), so go forth and enjoy!

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[DJL 235]

Quote

Working with Students is fun and rewarding (really!), so go forth and enjoy!

Don't forget that you learn best by working with people who are better than you. Yeah, you'll start to figure out what kind of squirrely shit students do but that doesn't mean your flying skills are adequate to make up for both of your mistakes.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[adventurechick 0]

I'm going to take the Skydive U course!

PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860
SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233

[Eagle7 0]

I recently took and passed the USPA/SDU Level 1 Coach Course in DeLand. Two common (in-air) things to look out for are:

-Be careful of distances between you and a student. There is a tendency for candidates to move too far away from the student during drills.

-When looking up at a student during drills there is a tendency for candidates to back slide especially if they are flying in the Mantis position and you need to compensate for this.

I suggest you talk to SDU Course Evaluators Kim Worthington, Yuki Tsuji or Laticia Craig. They are all at DeLand. Rob Laidlaw is a great person and you will learn a ton from him.


Good luck!

[adventurechick 0]

Laticia is one of my good friends who told me about the Skydive U course... so I'm sure I'll get some good thoughts/advice from her!

PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860
SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233

[popsjumper 2]

My $0.02:

Work on knowing what you are talking about.
You can teach the basics to students fairly soon IF you:

-Work on flying skills - staying close enough to observe and give corrective signals.
-Work on observation - seeing AND remembering what you saw.
-Work on Category G and H knowledge and skills.
-Work on teaching - how/when to, and get comfortable with it.
-Work on being positive and giving constructive critizism.
-Work on being able to pick up on clues students will give you on whether or not they "get it" on the ground.


And above all,
-Work on fending off the guys that are trying to get into your pants...except for me of course.





j/k, Gail...good luck.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[adventurechick 0]

Thanks andy!! You are a sweetheart!! :o)

PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860
SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233

[Icon134 0]

Others have given great advice. more or less you need to learn to fly your spot... regardless of how the other person is flying.

Like others have said, I also really enjoy jumping with new students (and some older students )

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[riggerrob 643]

-Work on being positive and giving constructive criticism.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

After you have listened to their version of the skydive, emphasize some things they did right.
Pick two or three points where they need to improve and practice corrective measures on the ground.
Finish the debrief with a reminder of three things they did right.