Introducing Catherine Beresford, Owner Of ASI Accredited School SupSkiFit, UK

Meet Catherine Beresford, owner of ASI accredited school, SupSkiFit. With paddling locations both in the heart of Greater Manchester, UK, and on the wonderful coastline of Anglesey, Wales, Catherine truly has built her dream into something to be proud of.

ASI caught up with Catherine to talk about the first blossoms of her love for paddling and how they bloomed into something very special.

ASI: Hi Catherine, if we begin by dipping into your background?

Catherine: My background is very varied in that I started out from school as a Ski Instructor, fulfilling my dreams of teaching abroad. Near 30-years later I continue teach each weekend in the winter on the dry ski slope at Runcorn, Cheshire, UK.  

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.

ASI: How did you become involved in SUP?

Catherine: My past passion has been water-skiing where I was introduced to 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 brought the board over to Anglesey where the family have grown up, progressed quickly and started to get interest from friends and other family members.

ASI: What made you choose ASI in becoming an instructor?

Catherine: I originally qualified through a different training organisation, however, then I went onto paddle with MCSuP and in order to teach with them I had to become an ASI Instructor. ASI is world recognised and therefore to be qualified to their standards means you work hard for the recognition.

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 my time, introduce 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 Recognised school.

ASI: Which leads perfectly to the next question of what made you choose ASI accreditation for your school?

Catherine: The sport has grown so much over the last two years that I want and need to stand out from the rest and be able to offer something different. Being ASI accredited not only puts my school and reputation significantly on the SUP Map, it means I can offer SUPwise and SUPActiv which enables clients to go away with certificates competencies they can be proud of.    

ASI: What is the day to day working life of an ASI Instructor?

Catherine: For me personally, this is a hobby that I have turned into a business that is run alongside my main work as an EHS Specialist. Therefore, each day is different and I can be as busy as I want to be. In the height of summer, a day would start by getting all the necessary gear together, travelling to the chosen location, unpacking/unloading the gear, meeting the clients, pre-lesson paperwork and the lesson kicks off from there. There is a lot of planning such as wind direction, weather, suitable locations, tide times etc. 

At the end of the lesson/day you are then gaining feedback, loading the gear back up, then cleaning, washing the wetsuits/gear ready for the next day’s lessons. The job is far more than just being an instructor and holds far more responsibility especially in terms of safety, planning and people management.

ASI: What are the best things about being an ASI instructor?

Catherine: 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 work, so worthwhile.

ASI: What is special about your location/s from a SUP perspective?

Catherine: SupSkiFit runs out of two main areas. One being a canal environment, and Anglesey which is a coastal environment. The two different locations offer very different paddling experiences. 

Canal paddling is very calm, controlled waters and great for teaching beginners. The coastal environment is not only very scenic, but is far more open and more hazardous. That said, SupSkiFit has been set up to manage the risk, educate people in tides, weather, wind and onshore hazards with the ethos of, if I can stop one RNLI callout my work is done.

The area of Porthdafarch on Anglesey is so special to me as it’s my childhood 2^nd home and to be able to share this special place with clients on a paddle board has given me great satisfaction.

ASI: Do you have any interesting, memorable or positive stories that have happened to you whilst instructing?

Catherine: 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.

ASI: If you could offer someone considering a career in SUP instruction one piece of advice, what would it be?

Catherine: SUP for me personally is a seasonal sport (unless you live somewhere with year-round sun and warm water). Someone wanting to make an actual career out of the sport needs to carefully consider all areas of SUP business and talk to people in the sport to gain an insight of the hard work that is required.  

Like any sport, being an instructor doesn’t mean you are good at teaching.  Being an allrounder, safety conscious, experienced, and to accept that things will go wrong and you have to learn from them are all things to consider.

ASI: Are there times you feel like you have the best job in the world!

Catherine: Last summer (2021) was my first summer running SupSkiFit as a brand and from April to Oct I had put 140 people through paddle school. When the sun’s out, you are on the beach, on the water you feel like you are free. I have to pinch myself at times to realise what I have achieved. It’s hard work at times, but yes, I am immensely proud what I, along with Newry Kayaking and Grip Adventure have achieved in the summer of 2021, and 2022 is only going to be bigger and better.

A huge ASI thank you to Catherine for allowing us a glimpse inside the workings of her school and how she highlights that with hard work and dedication, dreams can become reality.

If you fancy becoming an ASI SUP instructor like Catherine then click here to find out how to get started and make your dream job a reality!