to all schools and instructors,
you can now certify your students free of charge using Kite safe association learner cards. just download the file attatched, print out the cards and fill them out for each student. the learner levels can be found out the following link. please print them out and keep them handy for certifying your students.
http://www.kitesafeassociation.com/cert ... -cards.php

Certification can be a very useful thing for a small number of people who ride at spots that require it. As time goes by more places may require it but currently it seems fairly rare. Does anyone have a list of spots that require a certification?

The other big question is who will recognize these KSA cards? And if anyone can print these cards and fill them out to their own desire, how is it possible to keep these certifications legitimate?

Has KSA contacted any of the jurisdictions that require proof of "certification" in order ride there?

these cards are level one and are for students. they are to be used between schools only. the next stage will be the level 2 cards where the student will be certified as a rider, able to ride upwind. this will have to be done at an IKO or KSA school. for a small fee the rider will get a real plastic ID card with their photo on it.

I can appreciate your efforts Mike, but having no criteria for instructors to get these cards is a (very) bad idea. Any person who wants to pose as an instructor can download the cards and use them to compete with legit instructors. As unqualified/ uninsured instructors are a MAJOR source of the problems, that should be addressed before anything.

I'd like to point out a noble move by The Kiteboarder Magazine that other industry folks should take note of. They are going through their school/ shop directory listings to make sure that the instructors are certified AND insured and all necessary paperwork in place. My last box of magazines had a form that I have to fill out and submit with proof of insurance in order to be listed.

THAT is how it should be right there, Industry Dood'z........

Props to The Kiteboarder Magazine!

www.kiteboardingtampabay.com

i agree that instructors should be certified however most people are becoming certified by sitting in a classroom. i did the IKO ITC several years ago and came out with no idea how to teach. an instructor course needs to include a month of shaddowing and being shaddowed.
the KSA will be developed in stages. being able to certify students is just the first step. there are alot of instructors out there who have given up on continually paying IKO but they are still issuing iko cards.