Introducing ASI SUP Instructor, Catherine Beresford

UK. Introducing ASI SUP Instructor, Catherine Beresford, passionate about educating and seeing client progress through her ASI accredited school, SupSkiFit. Taking to the Cheshire dry slopes in the winter months and swapping this out for the Anglesey Coastline during the summer, Catherine promotes sea safety and other lessons learnt through ASI in her highly enjoyable SUP lessons and tours.

If you want to learn more about her journey and the experiences she values from gaining her SUP Instructor status, read on…
 

What is your background?

My background is very varied in that I started out from school as a Ski Instructor, fulfilling my dreams of teaching abroad, and near 30 years later I continue to teach each weekend in the winter on the dry ski slope at Runcorn, Cheshire. In 2002, I stepped onto the Health and Safety ladder through pure chance really, grabbing the opportunity to develop skills, and have enjoyed 20 years as a health and safety specialist on the Railway. Add to this my passion for being on the water with the paddle board, and SupSkiFit was launched in Winter 2020.

 

What got you involved in the sport?

My past passion has been water-skiing where I was introduced to a paddle board by one of the ski club members.  It started out pretty precariously I can tell you, but I kept little goes in between ski sets and then purchased a board. I quickly brought the board over to Anglesey, where the family have grown up and progressed quickly, and started to get interest from friends and other family members.

 

Why did you become an ASI instructor?

From the age of 17, I have always taught sport (skiing and in the past water-skiing), and quickly realised that SUP was a sport I could bring to Anglesey and work with. Therefore, I started on my training journey as a SUP Instructor.

 

I love teaching people, getting to know them, seeing them progress, and I saw a big opportunity to bring a rapidly growing sport to an area where I love to spend most of my time, introducing it to others in a safe and enjoyable way. Roll on 12 / 18 months I have achieved multiple paddle qualifications and now run an ASI accredited SUP school.

 

What are you doing now?

SupSkiFit has now been up and running and is in its 2^nd full summer season. This year has already seen SupSkiFit teach over 200 ski lessons during the winter of 2021/22, our SUP bookings have been steady, increasing more into July / August. My main ethos is to introduce people into the sport in a safe manner, and currently promote sea safety, wind, trip planning and safety equipment, as well as delivering the lessons / tours. The summer schedule is busy from lessons on the canal to lessons and tours around the Anglesey Coastline.

 

What do you like about being an ASI instructor?

Being an instructor in any sport gives you the ability to watch clients enjoy and learn a sport that you are passionate about. When the sun is out, shining on the sea or canal, you are outdoors, doing what you love, meeting like-minded people.  The recognition and positive feedback I receive makes the hard and sometimes exhausting so worthwhile.

 

Tell us about funny or interesting or nice situation that has happened to you with instructing?

When taking people out on Paddle Tours around the coast, I always try to educate people about the local area, beaches, and hidden treasures. I am very lucky to have a good friend by my side who is always there to give the “Paddle History Lesson” whilst out at sea.

I also talk to clients about my background in teaching and health and safety and how I got into SUP, as I think this gives people reassurance about my credibility and experience.

 

The feedback over the last few years speaks for itself, and the appreciation I get, the friends I make are all just brilliant.

Turn your watersports hobby into your dream job with ASI, enquire here