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Tasha qualifies as a windsurf instructor and starts work at Club Vass
I’ve just completed my fourth week working on the beach at Club Vass. It’s been a whirlwind!
Working here is everything that I thought it would be and more... The first week I took my first group of beginners on my own. I was quite nervous at the start, but I quickly relaxed into it and all my Fish training has really prepared me for it. My first group were awesome. All very quick to learn and they really enjoyed their week. It was so rewarding watching the smiles on their faces as they progressed and enjoyed windsurfing!
The second week was amazing. Two of my friends, Stef & Sam, from back home were out here. It was also Divas week and Jo Scott asked me to teach the beginner Divas. I was so chuffed to have been asked to do Divas week. Jo, Amy & I taught the group’s various levels. Divas was so much fun as we had loads of social events to do in the evenings like cocktail night, meals out, live music and not forgetting the Vass BBQ on Wednesday night!
Jo also organised a 'sail away' where the whole group varying from beginners to the advanced sailors windsurfed across the bay to a little beach, where we all had a picnic lunch. It was a great day which everyone really enjoyed. During Divas week the teaching is really flexible, so I was able to teach the group each afternoon as well as the morning. This enabled them to progress so fast. We also did a few group chats & sessions with all the ladies (no matter what level) learning together which was great fun.
it's a girl thing ...
The Vass BBQ on Wednesday was great fun. The boys did the 'Plate Dance' for the ladies which went down well (this involves a lot of almost naked guys, some paper plates and baby oil!) & us girls from the beach did the 'fly by'. I was pretty nervous about the fly by but now I have done it its not that bad! Divas week ended with a prize giving and group photo & all the girls seem keen to come back for another Divas week later in the season. See www.windsurfdivas.com for more info.
My third week was an awesome one as I was able to shadow Chris teaching the advanced intermediate group. Chris is such an amazing teacher & I learnt so much. The advanced intermediates were working on things that I am still working on such as water starts, carve gybes and super fast tacks. So it was a great opportunity to work on my personal windsurfing skills as well as learn about how to teach intermediates. I really hope to be able to do my intermediate teaching upgrade at the end of the summer so it was a great learning opportunity.
working on my personal skills
My fourth week I taught another beginner group. They were a great group of happy enthusiastic people who were keen to learn. I was really chuffed with their progress. On the second day we all managed to sail upwind to the video tower, which was a great achievement for complete beginners who had not even stood on a board a day ago! We also did lots of light wind freestyle which they all took to as though they had been doing it for ages. Very fast learners!
I taught the group for three days and then unfortunately I fell ill so Jamie had to take over teaching them for the remainder of the week. I am now on the mend and looking forward to taking my next group on Saturday.
Teaching at Vass so far has been awesome. The other instructors on the beach are all such great people who have made me feel very welcome at Vass. They have been really helpful during my first few weeks, helping me to settle in.
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