Over the weekend before last we had an SPA training course running. The 4 candidates were super keen to learn and absorb all the information I could give them, despite the wet conditions on day 1! We stayed inside as long as was practically possible, at the Haverfordwest climbing wall, looking at group belaying and the use of an indoor wall, along with some of the problem solving aspects of the syllabus, but eventually ventured out into the rain at Newton Head.
Newton Head SPA training
A large part of the SPA training is looking at personal skill, and despite deciding not to lead due to the wet rock, the group practised a variety of different set-ups and personal abseils. The guys really were a credit to themselves with the weather and how much we were able to cover. We ended the day dry and had a brief look at the elements of a group set up for the next day…
On our second day of the SPA training, we had Bryn visiting. He’s the head of Mountain Training in Wales, and part of being a provider is that we have moderation visits ever so often, so the guys at Mountain Training can see what and how we are delivering and that its inline with the syllabus and to a high level. It was great to have him there to share ideas and pick his brain, and I’m pleased to say the visit was a positive one! We got a good report which is always nice to hear!
The day was spent looking at a plethora of group set ups, with top and bottom ropes and group abseils being explored, in a variety of different situations to really cement the learning process with the guys. We finished with a mini “mock assessment” so the candidates could get an idea of how an SPA assessment might run, before a de-brief and looking at the next steps… A fun weekend with really nice candidates, and I’m looking forward to the next SPA training!
SPA training group abseil skills