September 3, 2010 – Columbus, Ohio. Six members of Wisconsn Parkour, LLC attended the first-ever ADAPT parkour coaching certification program held in the United States. All six achieved certification, making them among only thirty-two certified parkour coaches in the United States. Of these thirty-two, only two are women. Wisconsin Parkour's Alissa Bratz was the first female practictioner in the United States, along with Michelle Hewitt of Indiana, to obtain this prestigious certification. Wisconsin Parkour principal members Joseph Kluz, Travis Tetting, Chad Barrett, Jonathan Allen, and Zack Taylor also achieved certification at this landmark event. The ADAPT certification program, developed in the UK by Parkour Generations, is the first of its kind in the world and is designed to provide quality control for parkour instruction by holding parkour coaches to rigorous teaching standards. Previously, ADAPT certification was only available in Europe. Through a special arrangement with Parkour Horizons in Ohio, parkour masters Stephane Vigroux, Dan Edwardes, and Chris Keighley offered the certification program to a limited group of American practitioners. Interested certification candidates came from several states, with the largest representation from Ohio and Wisconsin. All six attendees from Wisconsin passed the program and earned certification. Currently there are only 32 ADAPT-certified parkour coaches in the U.S. “It's really an honor to be among the first in the U.S to achieve this certification. Parkour is still new in the United States, and to be recognized in this way by the European founders of the discipline is a distinct privilege. For so many Wisconsin practitioners to get ADAPT certified means that parkour can take root in Wisconsin in a way that ensures its longevity and legitimacy. Wisconsin can be a leader in parkour in the United States.” says Wisconsin Parkour's Alissa Bratz of Madison. Bratz was one of only two American women to certify. Zack Taylor of Wisconsin Parkour says, “Achieving ADAPT certification is an extraordinary opportunity to further our development as practitioners. Not only does it provide a standard for excellence in our own training, but it offers our students assurance that the founders of parkour believe us capable of teaching it to others. I feel so honored that we have been given this chance, and extremely proud of everyone else in our group for having done so as well.” For additional information: www.wisconsinparkour.com www.parkourhorizons.com www.parkourgenerations.com Add Comment |
