Instruct With Us: Tips for Kiteboarding Instructors

Are you looking to become a kiteboarding instructor yourself? Maybe you’d like to teach your mates, or you might already be a kite instructor, who understands that a great instructor is ALWAYS learning.

This summer, we’re inviting you to Instruct With Us. We visited kite schools around the country to find Australia’s Best kiteboarding instructors; the guys with years of experience, the biggest kite schools and thousands of hours logged in the water; then asked them to share their biggest instructing secrets!

Try these kiteboarding instruction tips for yourself, share them around your kite school, or pass them on at the beach.


“When a student holds fear in their mind, they cannot learn. Muscles tense up, sensitivity on the bar disappears; and worst of all – they do the ‘lock and hold’. An instructor who can identify fear (tight grip on the bar, tension in both arms, fearful look in their eyes) can also help the student overcome it. Talk through it, demonstrate safety skills and reassure your student and they will have much faster success!”

Instructor: Mike Walker – Owner and Instructor for 14 years.
Location: Sunshine Coast, Australia.
School: Kitethrills

kitethrills.com.au


"Avoid the dreaded Tea-bag... One of the most common mistakes I see from students trying the waterstart is a lack of understanding about the 'upstroke'. The first 10-20 meters seems to be mastered quite consistently, it's the continued riding from then on, that requires students to understand how to generate power while the kite is flying UP as well. Ask your student to practice waterstarts with the kite going from low to high, it'll help a lot!"

Instructor: Chris Sal – IKO Examiner
Location: Melbourne, Australia
School: Kite Republic

 


“Teaching a student to fly for the first time, just ask them to try and keep the kite stable with their body relaxed. Keep their thumbs off the bar to avoid an aggressive hammer-style grip. Keep both their hands close to the center of the bar to avoid over-steering. If they can’t relax, tell them to sit down and fly and/or get a smaller kite.”

Instructor: Christian Bulota – School manager
Location: Perth, Western Australia
School: Action Sports WA

 


"Tell students that they don't have to step out of their comfort zone, but to give it a little kick around the edges, expand it and try something new. If then end up face down in the water, awesome! They probably just tried something new, learnt something new and progressed their riding. You don't have to be the best rider at the beach to be the best instructor either, if you love it, do it. Finally , there aren't many jobs that pay you to hang out at the beach, how could anyone not love it! "

Instructor: Woz Kearney – IKO Head Instructor
Location: Brisbane, Australia
School: Kitepower Australia

 


“6 months of the year the wind in Geraldton, WA goes off!! Consistent 25 knots on a weekly basis challenges me to ensure my students gain all the safety knowledge they need to kite safely in these conditions. Self rescue is my main focus and practicing this skill in the water gives students a real sense of confidence.”

Instructor: Ben Tomasino - IKO Head Instructor
Location: Geraldton Western Australia
School. KiteWest Water Sports and Tours

 


"To teach controlled (smooth) launching and landing to students, tell them to slide the kite sideways, up (for launching) or down (for landing). If you tell students to simply fly the kite up, or down, they usually turn it straight for 12 o’clock! Keep that sideways position, and keep it slowly sliding sideways until it gets to 12 o’clock, or somebody catches it."

Instructor: Makan Fouladi - IKO Lv 1
Location: Brisbane, Australia
School: Kitepower Australia (QLD)

 


Remember, the Best kiteboarding instructors are ALWAYS learning!

Instruct with Us...