Dennis is an award-winning whitewater performance coach, having received several accolades, including the British Canoeing (PaddleUK) Performance Coach of the Year and the World Paddle Award. As a member of the World Paddle Award Academy, he joins a group of the most influential and legendary figures in paddlesport.
Dennis developed a passion for whitewater kayaking at an early age, spending every available moment exploring his home county of Yorkshire and the mountainsides of Scotland, honing his skills on steep creeks and waterfalls. Inspired by Scottish legend Andy Jackson, he dedicated himself to sharing his experiences with others. This passion led him to develop highly successful coaching programmes in the UK and abroad, including pioneering youth programmes specifically delivered in Grade 4(5) steep creeks and waterfalls.
Equally enthusiastic about freestyle kayaking, Dennis has been leading the Team GB Freestyle Performance Programmes since 2013. He played a crucial role in creating the Paddle UK Freestyle Performance Pathway to promote freestyle participation and athlete development; including founding the GB Freestyle Youth Academy.
An active member of the paddlesport community, Dennis is committed to supporting projects, growing participation, and sharing knowledge and experiences. His involvement with the Paddle UK Whitewater and Freestyle Technical Groups has contributed to the development of performance and coaching qualifications. Currently, he serves as an independent advisor for numerous whitewater paddlesport projects globally, including national and international federations.
In 2011, Dennis recognised the success of the PaddleUK World Class programme in the Olympic canoeing disciplines and established similar programmes for athletes in the non-Olympic disciplines of freestyle kayaking and extreme racing. He founded the Athlete Development Programme (ADP) and the Athlete Support Programme (ASP), providing world-class coaching and support to freestyle athletes worldwide.
Dennis is widely respected for his innovative and effective coaching methods, which have significantly influenced the development of freestyle kayaking. He is committed to enabling kayakers of all ability levels to achieve their potential, with many of the most accomplished and influential freestyler athletes crediting him as a major source of guidance and support.
Through his work with the ADP, ASP, and Team GB Freestyle, Dennis has achieved remarkable results. He has coached athletes to set new world records and significantly narrow the performance gap between women and their male peers. His coaching and mentoring have made significant contributions towards over 100 international medals since 2009, with 50 (17 Gold) World Championship medals, 25 (10 Gold) European Championships, and multiple World and European Cup titles. His expertise continues to shape the coaching methodology used in freestyle paddlesport today.
FAST FACTS:
Qualification
British Canoeing (Paddle UK) Level 5 Whitewater Kayak
British Canoeing (Paddle UK) Level 4 Surf Coach
Coaching Experience
Over 20 years of coaching experience developing coaching programmes (Grass-roots to high Performance) for whitewater paddlesport all over the globe; including coaching and consulting for National Teams and National Governing Body’s.
Whitewater Experience
Extensive experience travelling the globe in search of challenging rivers, waves and represented Team GB in K1 Freestyle at the ICF World Championships in 2017.
Sponsors
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