Bunny Johns (USA)
2017 Class | Advocate
Bunny Johns stands out for her sport-changing facilitation of how the process, technique, and safety of whitewater paddling instruction was taught and shared across the USA.
Bunny was an instructor and trainer (1976-2000), American Canoe Association (ACA) Training Committee Chair (1979-1981), and Department Head, Vice President and President of Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) from 1976 to 2000. The NOC’s whitewater paddling school developed of one of the largest US cadre of elite instructors during this timeframe whose influence accelerated students learning and safety as whitewater kayaking surged in popularity. Bunny’s leadership in the development, refinement and dissemination of instructor certification and whitewater rescue best practices shaped the de facto standard in whitewater canoe and kayak paddling instruction adopted by the American Canoe Association (ACA) in the early 1980s, whose standards became widely adopted. She was the leader of the world’s first open source code written specifically for elite whitewater kayak instruction; supported the first-ever adaptive kayak instruction program for paraplegics and amputees at the NOC. Under Bunny’s tutelage and leadership, the extraordinary NOC white water kayak and canoe instructors developed different strokes and improved rolling techniques. Bunny empowered and encouraged instructors to really dissect the physics of white water flow, stroke placement and boat position. Bunny Johns empowered and achieved fundamental breakthroughs from her instruction team, including herself as lead instructor trainer, always focused on constant improvement in 3 areas:
- What is the most effective way to teach this?
- Can we break it down and make it understandable?
- How can we do this better? How can we do it safer?
