The Regional Coach
I learnt to dive in 1998 at University of East Anglia (UEA). Diving was the next in a long line of watersports to get involved in at that stage of my life; I was already a sailing and windsurfing instructor, a keen kayaker and swimmer. Somehow, diving captured my imagination more than the others. This was in part due to the BSAC and the club ethos. Already being competent to take a boat to sea I was quickly used within the club to cox the boat for more experienced members of the branch. As my diving abilities grew I was able to take part in dives that a normal club sports diver would rarely be able to do because I was useful. On graduating from UEA in 2000 I moved to Leeds to do my PhD. Here I got involved with Leeds University SAC and was co-opted onto the committee within 5 weeks of arriving. In addition, during this year I did my Dive Leader (so as I could teach the Club/Sports divers the following week) and my Club Instructor.
After a year getting 18-year old students drunk as club social secretary (being a lot more responsible on trips of course) I took over as Diving Officer. From this platform my diving and instructing experience and qualifications burgeoned and despite nearly a year of illness with Glandular Fever I got my OWI in Oct 2001 and then AI in June 2004. Stepping aside as DO I realised my passion within diving was development. This is an interest that spans both my professional life and my leisure time. With this in mind I invented the role of Development Officer within LUUSAC and for 2 years ran as many SDCs as possible; often spending 3 evenings per week in a classroom with club members.
After completing my AI in June 2004 I was advised by HQ that Yorkshire was short of Instructor Trainers and that my application to to the ITDC had been accepted. On bonfire night 2005 I embarked on my next challenge; becoming an Instructor Trainer. The first task was finding the seedy hotel in Blackpool ready for the course the next day but this gave me valuable experience in finding ITS venues. Predictably, I enjoyed every minute of becoming an IT and was qualified within 12 months (this was before the updated training scheme!). My highlights were managing to work effectively after a night listening to Dennis Wigg snore, nearly having to share a double bed with Eugene and working with some of the best trainers the BSAC has. I enjoy a steep learning curve and this process was certainly that.
In July 2005 I happened to notice that the Yorkshire Regional Coaching Team was looking for a Development Manager; a role which appeared to suit me down to the ground. Hilary Child was very pleased to hear from me and I got started with my brief to come up with a development strategy for Yorkshire. Apart from thoroughly enjoying getting to try my ideas out on local divers I made a huge amount of contacts and have managed to get good percentage of the divers in the region talking to the regional team and each other.
I want my tenure to be all about visability of the Regional Team. I have a dedicated team behind me and I want us to get into the branches and really make a difference. We have been given a lot of information by NDC to get into the branches and I want the information flowing freely. We have a great development programme shaping up and along with my team I am looking forward to getting this out to our members.
Feel free to contact me about any aspect of diving within Yorkshire. I will always be happy to have a chat over the phone or conversations by email.
So What's a Regional/ Area Coach then?
We are divers who are experienced in many different things. Most of us are instructors, and many teach on the ITS.
The Regional Coach is appointed by the National Diving Officer together with BSAC HQ, and their role is to manage the region and the team of coaches and instructors.
The region is broken down into smaller areas with each area having an assigned Area Coach. Each coach will look after up to 5 Branches and act as a reference point for them. They are not there to act as policing for BSAC, but to assist the Branches in teaching, technical matters, committee issues in fact anything related to Branch operations.
In addition there are a team of instructors who teach on the SDC's run within the regions. The role of the Regional Coach is to manage a programme of local events. This is only possible due to the assistance of the instructors and the SDC co-ordinators.
The whole team is there to assist you the divers and Branches!
I wish you all safe and happy diving.
Paul Beal
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This page was last updated on : 23 Nov 2007
