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Governance & Membership

Our Rules

  • Have fun while making good decisions.
  • Support and encourage the growth of others.
  • Include everyone.
  • Do your best and trust that everyone else will, too.
  • Be kind, even when others may not be in return.
Club Workout

Our Bylaws

Download Bylaws

Last updated: January 19, 2025

Membership Application

VOCC LogoWe have no paid staff; all coaches and assistants are volunteers. If invited to the club, dues are currently set at $20/month/person (with a 20% discount for multiple family members).  Dues are used to cover the cost of boat storage, equipment upkeep, and purchasing new club equipment. We will also have fundraisers from time to time to purchase new equipment and support team travel to Nationals or Trials.

Liability insurance requires membership in the American Canoe Association which is $40 a year (if you go to Nationals or Team Trials, there’s an additional ACA fee for a racing license).  Beginners do not need a racing license!  Just get a Competition Membership and choose Ventura Canoe and Kayak Club as your “Paddle America” club when given the opportunity.

Please join the ACA before completing the application below so that you have your ACA number. You will need to provide us with your American Canoe Association membership number in the application.

  • You will also be asked to take part in the age appropriate Safe Sport training by the ACA and sign a waiver as a Member of the ACA.  (Minors do not have to do SafeSport training – but it is encouraged.) To access the SafeSport platform, register with SafeSport here.
  • Please know that all coaches, volunteers, and adult athletes who interact or with minors must take part in SafeSport training.
  • All members must also sign the ACA liability waiver annually.  (If you signed a waiver for a “beginner” class, you still need to do this again on the ACA’s website.)

Once your club membership is approved, you’ll be given access to our TeamReach account.

Complete the Membership Application
  • Members are responsible for purchasing their own PFDs hopefully in the first six months, their own paddles sometime in the first year, and should be working towards owning their own boat anytime after their first year of paddling.
  • All paddlers 18 and older, and all volunteers must also take the (free) SafeSport course provided by the US Center for SafeSport.  Information about this program is provided on the American Canoe Association website.  (Athletes under 18 have an option to take an age appropriate version of the SafeSport training, too, and are encouraged to do so.)
  • You may pay club dues with a credit card, or preferably set up automatic bank transfers (or via check), which helps the club pay far less in processing fees.  We will invoice you quarterly via email from Wave Accounting for payments.
  • Club dues are non-refundable.

Volunteers

All coaching staff and other volunteers must complete the American Canoe Association’s SafeSport online training.  Coaching staff must also maintain valid CPR certificates and are encouraged to become certified by the International Canoe Federation as coaches. 

All adults working with youth will also have a  National Center for Safety Initiatives background check.