Application Info

Anyone who is interested in becoming a WPA Certified Instructor must submit their background with credentials for review by the WPA Instruction Board. The board will select the best-qualified applicants and determine the each applicant’s initial potential certification level.

Most instructors will need to complete Class I and be evaluated for a higher status based on each instructor’s credentials and background that should include experience in the following areas but not limited to:

Water safety: Lifeguard, Harbor Patrol, Boating Safety and instructor.
Safety Authority: Fire, Police, Paramedic, EMT, Doctor, Nurse and instructor.
Water Sports background: competitive and instructor.
Water knowledge: Ocean, surf, lake, river, and white water.
Achievements: list all water sports and other applicable background.
- Instructor/Coach: list all water sports and other applicable sports.

Group and or company classes can be requested with four or more that needs to be reserved at least 3 weeks in advance and to include all of the above requirements for each applicant.

WPA members receive a $25 discount on each course.

We look forward to providing the best practices with stand up paddling water safety education to pass on for your future lesson plans and staff. Feel free to contact us if you need any additional information.

Acceptance into the Program

All applicants will be notified in writing within 10 days from his/her date of application whether or not he/she has been accepted.

Securing Your Spot

Once you are accepted, you will secure the date you’d like to attend with a $50 non-refundable deposit that will be applied toward your course fees. Course fees must be paid in full prior to the start of the course.

The deposit and course fees are payable via [LINK: Pay Pal on the WPA website].

Refund and Cancellation Policy

Student Reschedule or Cancellations

Because the WPA has the highest commitment to quality courses with small instructor to student ratios, we book our instructors in advance and are unable to issue refunds for cancellations on the course. However, we can reschedule your course date with administration fees as follows:

More than 14 days notice: you can move to another course location and/or date with only a $75 administration fee.
Less than 14 days notice: you can move to another course location and/or date with an administration fee of 25% of the total course cost.
7 days notice: you can move to another course location and/or date with an administration fee of 50% of the total course cost.
Less then 7 days notice or no notice; you forfeit your deposit.

WPA Cancellations

The WPA will do everything possible to avoid having to cancel or postpone our courses. There are a few times when this will be unavoidable.

Weather postponements: if a course date needs to be cancelled or postponed due to poor weather then we will substitute pool sessions for the open water sessions and you will be given the option to finish any missing course segments at another date.

If you need to finish missing course segments for reasons other than weather cancellations you can do so for $75/day during a future course date.

Insufficient attendance: WPA reserves the right to cancel and reschedule any course date if there are less than 4 students registered.