" - It's not the fish that you catch, it's the peace of mind you take home at the end of the day - "
COACHING FOR SCHOOLS
FREE COACHING
DDAS Juniors can offer local schools free fishing sessions to give students a chance to experience fishing, maybe for the first time.
Fishing can bring a lifetime of experiences for those that choose to take it up as a hobby. Many opportunities that enable this to happen are missed because the first impression that a lot of people get is that it is boring and a waste of time.
What we can offer is instruction from experienced anglers, some with over 40 years of angling experience. They will, where possible, be able to coach participating students on a 'One to one' basis, to ensure that they receive the best experience for the duration of the session.
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Thanks to the Angling Trust, all our coaches are fully DBS checked to be able to work with children.
BENEFITS OF FISHING
There are many beneficial reason to go fishing and we try to nurture them.
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Appreciation for the creatures they will encounter and their health and welfare.
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Educating new anglers will have a positive effect on the environment. Charging young people with a personal responsibility to look after the spaces in which they will pursue their sport, can only be beneficial for everyone.
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Fishing can be a social sport. Friends are made through our club that wouldn't be made otherwise. Some of these relationships can last for lifetime.
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Angling has been scientifically proven to help with conditions such as Asperger's, ADHD, Depression and PTSD. Quieter, more withdrawn children can find personal achievement through fishing. Similarly, an over active mind can be calmed by the need for stillness during a fishing session.
LET'S TALK FISHING
Angling is a multi faceted sport and, like most things in life, the deeper you go, the more you will discover. DDAS Juniors can deliver to local schools a twenty to thirty minute presentation on the various kinds of activities that we can offer to students.
Using our purpose built display stand, flags and banners, along with some fishing equipment, we can talk to students about a wide variety of topics.
Most important of those is how the fish themselves play such an important role in educating new anglers. Strong emphasis is placed on how participants need to have a responsibility to the animals in their care. How fishing equipment has evolved to cater for the needs of the fish and not just about catching them at all costs and how angling can become a healthy obsession. Taking young people away from the chains of social media, gaming consoles and You Tube, and getting them outdoors, in to the fresh air and appreciating nature.
ACTIVITY DAYS
Our school activity days are usually towards the end of the summer term and during 'event weeks', but we can organise training sessions pretty much anytime of the year. Our club has an amazing group of volunteer helpers, as well as our regular coaches, to deliver one to one coaching whenever possible.
Although we have been host to groups of up to 16 students in the past, smaller groups of 6 to 10 students are better so everyone gets the best experience from the day.
Sessions are usually 2 hours long. So if there are a large number of students wishing to attend, they can be broken in to two groups, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
We always try to use venues that will be better logistically for the location of the school, but Harbourbridge Lakes in Chickerell has been a firm favourite because of the very obliging inhabitants there. The club is hoping to have a new venue at Silverlake in Warmwell very soon, which should provide us with yet another venue to entertain Juniors.
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Everything you will need will be provided for you. From seats and chairs to lovely wriggly maggots (even maggots aren't as bad as you think once you get to know them). All you will need to bring is some open minded enthusiasm and a willingness to learn some new things.
For students over the ages of 13, a rod licence waiver will need to be acquired prior to the event from the Angling Trust. (for those that don't already have one). The DDAS Junior Secretary will be able to arrange this for you. Additional information will be required to complete this arrangement. Names and addresses, etc.
ARRANGING A SCHOOL EVENT
Even if fishing is 'not your thing', I would strongly advise that students are given the opportunity to at least try it out for themselves. Proper guidance is essential to get the experience of REAL fishing and that is what is on offer here.
A wise person once said, "Get 'em into fishing and they'll never have any money left for drugs or drink!"
I have seen fishing turn around the fate of many a lost soul, sometimes even during our school sessions!
The outdoors and a wider world are waiting for students to embrace it...
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If you like some more information or to arrange a meeting for further discussion, then please contact the DDAS Junior Secretary, Graham Howard, on any of the following.
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By email to: juniors.sec@d-das.com
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Facebook messenger at DDAS Juniors
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Mobile No. 07368213313
or landline 01305 263184