Ask a new paddler what the difference is between a helm and a coach, and most will guess. Ask what "Coach Level 2" actually means, and even fewer will know. The British Dragon Boat Association runs a modular scheme that covers both, and understanding it helps you see where your own training is headed, whether you want to steer a boat safely or start coaching a crew yourself.
Two tracks, one scheme
The BDA Modular Coaching Scheme splits into two tracks that build on each other. The helm track teaches you to steer and control a dragon boat. The coaching track teaches you to coach a crew, on the water and on land. You cannot skip straight to coaching. Basic Helm Level 1 is the prerequisite for every award that follows, on either track.
The helm track
Basic Helm Level 1 covers boat control, briefing a crew before you launch, race rules, and what to do in an emergency. It is the first award anyone takes, and it is what lets you take a boat out with confidence rather than guesswork.
Advanced Helm Level 2 builds on that. It qualifies you to steer a crew safely over any normal racecourse and in any normal conditions, not just the calm water you trained on.
The coaching track
Coach Level 1 gives you the skills to coach a crew safely, both in training and in racing. You need Basic Helm first, because you cannot coach a crew safely if you cannot control the boat yourself.
Coach Level 2 goes further again. It lets you helm and coach crews under all normal training conditions, supervise other people's helm training, and bring new members into the sport. There is also a Centre Coach Level 2 award, calibrated for recreational centres and schools rather than racing clubs, with less racing content and more focus on introducing beginners.
Coach Level 3 and Level 4 sit above these. They are senior awards, assessed by the BDA Director of Coaching working alongside a Level 4 coach, and they are not something DBX delivers.
What this looks like at DBX
At DBX, coaching is led by people who have been through this scheme themselves. Coach Kit, DBX's co-founder, holds BDA Level 3, raced for Great Britain, and chairs the Windy Pandas charity crew. Coach Jean, also holds BDA Level 3 and was on the GB squad. Coach Will, focuses on team development and getting events delivered smoothly on the day. Between them they cover the coaching side of the scheme, and DBX runs BDA helm and coaching awards for clubs from Basic Helm right up to Coach Level 2.
Why the paperwork matters
Every award in the scheme is certified by the BDA Director of Coaching, and every candidate needs current BDA membership to take one, which is where your personal liability insurance comes from. Awards are club-based: they are delivered and assessed locally, by a Level 3 coach, rather than at some central exam centre. That is why it matters which club runs your training, and who is coaching it.
Where to start
If you paddle with a club and want to steer, Basic Helm Level 1 is where you begin. If you want to coach, the same award comes first, then Coach Level 1. If you already helm and want to take on more responsibility for your club's crews, Coach Level 2 or Advanced Helm Level 2 is the next step.
DBX runs BDA helm and coaching awards from Basic Helm to Coach Level 2, based on the scheme set out by the British Dragon Boat Association. If you are not sure which award fits where you are, get in touch and we will talk you through it.
