[WalkerFit]

Hi guys,
Following the sad demise of UKKA I have decided to start up a Kettlebell Organisation, provisionally known as Great Britain Kettlebell Association.

The overall aims of this will be to promote safe and effective kettlebell training and coaching throughout the UK and promote kettlebell training.

Founder Membership may cost either £10 or £20 to allow set up of website etc- I wil keep you posted of this as it occurs.

The structure will be as follows:

UKKA Instructors will be allowed to "transfer" in at the rank of KB Instructor following application and approval of the GBKA HQ.

CERTS:

We will run 3 levels of certification:
a ) KB Leader Course (Basics and safe training)
b ) KB Instructor Course (Comprehensive, group training, rehab, sports etc)
c ) KB Coach Course (Absolute- all available KB information)
We will seek to get these courses REPS accreditted but the quality of tuition and subsequently cascaded to your trainees is the vital aspect here.

WEBSITE:
We will run a comprehensive website which will contain:
UK Instructor database
Publish articles by Instructors/Members
Advertise events

EVENTS:
We will seek to run at least one event per year per region and also one national competition. This will be kettlebell based
We will run other competitions too that contain a kettlebell element but not exclusively- so more like Tactical Strength Challenge etc.
We will host regular workshops and seminars with guest speakers and also special skils based workshops

DISCOUNTS:
Substantial discounts from a top kettlebell supplier for all members and instructors also discounts on functional equipment.
Certs wil be at a greatly reduced cost than other providers but quality control will be high and if people do not attain the required standard they will have to resit (free).

For those who expressed an interest in attending the UKKA Foundation Instructor Course that was scheduled at CF Tyneside- I will offer the GBKA Instructor Course at £150. Please contact me by email with any enquiries to do with this:
crossfittyneside@hotmail.com

This post has been edited by Davie: 19 January 2010 - 07:33 PM
Reason for edit: fixed typo

[Davie]

As a UKKA instructor, I am sad to see the organisation come to this. Will be interesting to see what happens/comes of this situation.

Good luck with this Ben!

[WalkerFit]

A brief note regarding what I intend to do regarding certifications in GBKA.

Following an initial meeting- at least one "Coach" will be selected for each region in the UK. North East, North West, Midlands, South West, South East, London, Scotland, Northern Ireland.

The appointed coach will have overall responsibility for their region and will be empowered to "run it" however they see fit and organise events, workshops, seminars, within it.

"Instructors" will also be able to do this but will do so in consultation with the regional coach.

Any funds from this will be kept in that region's "fund" for further events, equipment, travel to national events, hire etc.

"Coaches" will be able to run "Instructor" certs within their region. The syllabus will be provided by myself to all "Coaches"- However another "Coach" from another region MUST conduct the exam/assessment prior to certification. A small percentage of the cert cost will come back to GBKA HQ for website/admin costs.

All UKKA Instructors will automatically become "Instructors" in the GBKA and details will be transferred to our database.

"Coaches" will either be approached or if you feel that you want to perform this role you can email me a letter detailing your experience, ideas and what you would bring to this role.

This system will ensure that people have the autonomy to "freelance" within their own region and promote safe, effective kettlebell usage- within a national framework- without having to check with HQ over every minor detail.

Naturally due to myself and co-founders Jack Lovett and Barry Gibson being based up in the North East- HQ will be based here- but any meetings will try to be as central as possible for all parties.

Feel free to contact me for any more details.

Ben W

[FK Pimp]

What happened to UKKA?
I would have thought they would be booming with the rise in the "sport".

[WalkerFit]

Stan Pike messaged me that he had disbanded UKKA due to a lack of interest.

In light of this I am setting up the GBKA to ensure quality training and tuition prior to any of the big training providers moving in to feed off the carcass and promote poor quality "Instructor" certs. The lineage, heritage and ethos will always be traced back, and credit given, to Stan and Rob, to whom credit will always be given for what they have done for kettlebells in the UK.

Some people have accused me of "grave jumping" but honestly nothing could be further from the truth- the main motivator is and always has been "promoting safe, effective kettlebell use in the UK". At least with myself and others wihin this community at the helm we can impart a degree of quality control, structure and expertise that would otherwise may not be found now UKKA ha folded.

I would like to go on the record and state that I wish Stan, Rob and any of the UKKA former hierarchy in whatever they choose to do next and I am very grateful for their wisdom and expertise that they have chosen to give to me over the years. The original ethos and motivation is underriding this whole new GBKA adventure.

Ben W

[Chet]

Website Post:

Following the recent disbanding of the United Kingdom Kettlebell Association (UKKA), CrossFit Tyneside owner Ben Walker has decided to take the baton and set up a new kettlebell organisation. The Great British Kettlebell Association (GBKA) aims to continue the good work of the UKKA.

Ben Walker says:

“The overall aims of this will be to promote safe and effective kettlebell training and coaching throughout the UK and promote kettlebell training…

…I am setting up the GBKA to ensure quality training and tuition prior to any of the big training providers moving in to feed off the carcass and promote poor quality “Instructor” certs. The lineage, heritage and ethos will always be traced back to Stan and Rob, to whom credit will always be given for what they have done for kettlebells in the UK.”

For more information contact Ben via CrossFit Tyneside.


View this on the website

[rushend]

good luck with the venture!

look forward to seeing some events and comps.

[ginge]

HI Ben,

Great to hear that you have taken on the reins for a UK KB assocation. I did the instructors course with Rob and Scotty last Apr. Unfortuately I wasn't in a posostopn to do much coaching with an impending deployment to afghan. One of the great things about the UKKA was that they wouldn't compromise their standards and they looked back to progress for the future.

It sounds like things are in safe hands.

Best of luck

Stu