Education and Training Team

Kiteboarding Australia launched the KA Curriculum in 2015. We licensed the British Kitesports Association developed training system to allow Australian’s to have access to a top quality, locally appropriated (it’s been developed to suit Australian conditions), and cost effective way to become a part of the industry. Adopting this system has also allowed us to develop further training tools for the recreational kiter. These are being released.

KA is working to become the Australian recognised standard for kiteboard instruction. This means ensuring good quality schools are part of the system, and that continued improvement is made on safety standards and template documentation.

KA has been given a grant from the Victorian Government through the Play it Safe By the Water industry action group. This grant is being used to develop an online training tool for recreational kiteboarders to learn more about the theory behind weather forecasting, site assessment, tides, safety systems and more. This interactive tool is being developed by Open Learning and will allow all our members and friends to be safer on the beach.

 

Mike has been teaching kitesurfing since 2000 in many locations around Australia and the world. Aside from extensive delivery of learn to kiteboarder courses, Mike has delivered many hours of advanced wave riding coaching, as well as race coaching for Australia’s top female racer. In addition, Mike has run many clinics for kids and advanced freestyle riding in association with Andy Yates and other advanced freestyle coaches. In 2009, Mike initiated the first schools‐based kitesurfing program in Australia teaching year 7, 8 and 9 students twice a week in Summer for afternoon school sport. Mike has a passion for quality teaching, practical safety and providing a fun environment for everyone that comes in contact with kiteboarding. He believes in ensuring quality lessons across the board to maximize the number of people who pursue the sport past their first lesson.
Mike’s diverse experience including both coastal off the beach conditions and boat-based deep water teaching make him an ideal person to lead the development of an Australia-wide best practice kiteboarding curriculum.