Testimonials

I often receive kind words from folks after they’ve experienced my private lessons, video tutorials and flight clinics, so I figured I’d share some of those comments here… If you’d like to provide your own testimonial for addition to the website, please use the form on my contact page – thanks!

Absolutely the best way to improve your overall skills as a pilot, and I believe extremely important when you are trying to get your team in sync with one another and upping the cohesiveness as a whole unit. Worth every penny for time on the lines with JB!

Rachael Nikkola / WA USA

Thank you John for sharing your knowledge, and kiting skills. Your love for kiting is so obvious in your interactions with not only us but everyone on the beach. Loved watching you whether it with the little ones on the beach or the oblivious adults walking into our lines. You are very kind and patient. Much appreciated your time.

Linda Marsland / WA USA

I had an absolute blast the last two days at a quad line clinic! John’s skill level and abilities are astounding, he helped me break bad flying habits and get back to basics with a lot of patience and plenty of valuable advice. It was so much fun and helped fan the flames of the passion I have for kiting as a whole, I’m looking forward to getting out there more and putting what I learned into action. I even did team flying for the first time!!

If you’re on the fence about taking a clinic or wondering if it’s for you, don’t be! It is a fantastic opportunity for people of every skill level and I’ll definitely be doing it again soon!

Ted Rea Jr / OR USA

Just got done with 3 days of lessons with John Barresi and all I can say is WOW!  At the end of the first day my head was ready to explode from all the things that I had learned and I still had two more days to go. John is a fantastic teacher not to mention one of the best if not the best sport kite fliers in the world. John has the ability to teach any level of flying and to be as technical as your mind and body can handle. My level of flying increased immediately the first day. I have never met someone who is so dedicated, enthusiastic and passionate about sport kites. John truly lives and breathes sports kiting and has an encyclopedia of knowledge that he is willing to share.

The time I spent with John becoming a more skilled pilot would have taken me years to learn on my own if at all. John has a great easy going personality and made learning a lot of fun. If you seriously want to improve your flying skills and knowledge about sports kites I highly recommend John Barresi, he is well worth the investment. One last important note, John loves good ice cream and I’m now convinced it’s his favorite food and part of his required daily diet.

Rick Helmonds / CA USA

After attending my fourth clinic over the course of two years, my respect for John continues to grow. He is such an amazing instructor, who has the ability to use multiple different styles of teaching, depending on what works best for the individual. John easily adapts his techniques to match your skill level, which ensures that you will succeed.

He wastes no time with kites on the ground, using airtime to explain and/or demonstrate what is required. There is constant positive reinforcement coming from John’s mouth… hearing him say “Niiiice!” and “Beautiful!” are a reminder that you are not only learning, but more importantly, improving. When he sees you doing something wrong, or knows of a way you could do it better, John will gently suggest that you “try this instead”. He’s a wealth of information with tips and tricks about everything from unwinding your line to rolling up your kite at the end of the day, and everything in between.

Not only did I learn a great deal of valuable information and skills this weekend, I also now have many drills and exercises I’ll be working on as homework in the days to come. There was such a positive vibe among our group, with so much laughter, I’ve yet to wipe this perma-grin off my face.

Sari Becker / BC Canada

I attended John’s 2015 rev clinic in Atlantic Beach, NC and in 2 days of lessons my flying skills and confidence improved tremendously. John took time with each student to improve their individual skills. The clinic was attended by novice to expert flyers. The education plan lead us up to a group fly on the last day, I was concerned and nervous about this since I consider myself a novice flyer, but with John Barresi training I was standing shoulder to shoulder with my classmates. John’s training style is laid back and fun, his sense of humor is very calming and helped me to remember the tips he shared with us. I can’t wait to have the opportunity to attend another clinic offered by John.

Mark Heatley / NC USA

You talked a bit about how each time you travel, it changes a part of you and you carry it with you. The amazing part is… That YOU bring that to EVERYONE that you interact with. I didn’t feel that I was being “instructed”, but instead, “coached”, in a very caring and understanding manner. You were never abrasive or short with me, not even ONCE, which is amazing to me. I never felt criticized or judged, I was just able to be myself, at exactly the kiting level I was at that moment. Even when I forgot something you just told me, you just told me again. AMAZING. You also celebrated every small achievement with me, no matter how small.

Pam Wolf / ND USA

I have been flying Revolution kites since 2008. My wife was introduced to them in 2014. It was our goal to be able to fly together as we had seen other couples do. We enlisted the aid of John early in 2015 through a series of 3, 3-day lessons for my wife and me.

John’s teaching style and ability to help bring novice and experienced flyers along is amazing. He assisted my wife in developing her flying skills at a rate that she may have never achieved on her own. In just a few months time, her skills have progressed to where she is able to fly with other on the line. He helped me fine tune my techniques which has allowed me to take my flying to the next level.

Our favorite pastime has become getting away for the weekend where we can fly kites together. For anyone new to Revolution kites who are wanting to get started off on the right foot, or who simply want to elevate their flying skills, time spent with John will be a tremendous benefit.

Mark Freitag / WA USA

Investing in a 3-day lesson with John is one of the best things I’ve done since I started flying dual-line kites. He quickly diagnosed many issues I’d been having with slack line tricks and demonstrated the correct techniques on my own kites, saving me countless hours of trial-and-error. With a calm and easygoing demeanor, John introduced new skills and helped me refine existing skills, always pacing the lessons to push me a little beyond my comfort zone without ever becoming overwhelming. He also taught me the finer points of kite tuning and adjustments that are helping me extend the wind range and squeeze the best performance out of my kites. I recommend John’s instruction to anyone who’s ready to take their kite flying to the next level.

Brian S. / CA USA

I have attended many rev clinics hosted by John Barresi over the past 6 years, from beginner to intermediate to team bootcamps where three teams learned a choreographed routine to music.
The most recent clinic I attended was a small mini clinic with just six fliers including John.

John Barresi applies a “calm” yet assertive teaching environment and will ensure you apply yourself to your limits and beyond!

His ability to take fliers from various skill levels , put them together in a group and teach to all to accomplish formations and control with your kite is one of his greatest attributes. I have never walked away from John without learning something new. If you are struggling as a beginner or want to gain confidence flying in groups or just want to be challenged… John’s charismatic and energetic teaching skills will leave you feeling energized and with a sense of accomplishment no matter what your skill level is!!!

Brian Achenbach / WA USA