Coaching
From your local pool to the Australian Lifesaving Team, become a pool lifesaving coach and grow the next generation of lifesavers.
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Become a Coach

BECOME A COACH

Pool Lifesaving coaches are fundamental to the development of swimming and lifesaving skills for people of all ages and abilities, encouraging ongoing participation for fun, fitness and social inclusion.

Royal Life Saving offers three levels of coaching accreditation, providing individuals with the knowledge and skills to coach grassroots participants to elite lifesaving athletes.

The Foundation Coach course equips teachers, coaches and instructors with a basic understanding of pool lifesaving sport, including its connection to swimming and lifesaving principles, explanations of core skills and events, and ways to modify pool lifesaving to cater for all abilities and facilities. Individuals may then progress to Development or Performance Coach accreditation, with a focus on coaching competitive athletes.

To become an active coach, it is recommended that candidates have a background in swimming instruction and hold one or more of the following qualifications or awards:

  • Swimming and Water Safety Teacher
  • School Teacher
  • Swimming Coach
  • CPR, First Aid and Basic Water Rescue qualifications
  • Bronze Medallion

Pathway to becoming a Pool Lifesaving Coach

Step 1. Swimming and Water Safety Teacher.

Step 2. Foundation Coach

Step 3. Development Coach

Step 4. Performance Coach

Foundation Coaches

The Foundation Coach course equips teachers, coaches and instructors with a basic understanding of pool lifesaving sport, including its connection to swimming and lifesaving principles, explanations of core skills and events, and ways to modify pool lifesaving to cater for all abilities and facilities.

This course is delivered fully online. The course is comprised of 7 modules including an assessment task (submission of 2 x session plans).

Prerequisites. To become a coach, candidates must be 16 years old, hold a current CPR certificate, and be a member of a Royal Life Saving state or territory organisation. Contact your Royal Life Saving State or Territory Office for membership information and options.

Step 1. Subscribe to the Sport Hub and establish your profile. If you are already registered on the Sport Hub, go to Step 2

Step 2. Complete the ASC General Principles and Royal Life Saving Foundation Coach Courses. If you have already completed these courses, go to Step 3

Step 3. Submit and application for accreditation as a Foundation Coach online. Candidates will receive an accreditation certificate.

Development Coach (COMING SOON)

You must be an accredited Foundation Coach to become a Development Coach.

Development coaches have the knowledge and skills to effectively plan and deliver coaching programs with a particular focus on athlete development, nurturing talent and preparing pool lifesaving athletes for ongoing success at competitions.

Prerequisites: Royal Life Saving Foundation Coach; ASADA Level 1 Anti-doping course; Play By The Rules Child Protection and Harrassment and Discrimination courses.

Step 1. Subscribe to the Sport Hub and establish your profile. If you are already registered with the Sport Hub, go to Step 2

Step 2. Complete the Royal Life Saving Development Coach online modules; attend and be assessed at a Royal Life Saving Development Coach workshop.

Step 3. Submit and application for accreditation as a Development Coach online.

Performance Coach (COMING SOON)

You must be an accredited Development Coach to become a Performance Coach.

Performance coaches have a strong understanding of the high performance sport environment, athlete development and coaching systems with a strong focus on coaching athletes for selection on national and international teams and elite success. They liaise closely with Australian Lifesaving Team management in the planning and delivery of targeted coaching programs for elite athletes, and play a key role as a presenter, assessor and mentor for aspiring performance coaches.

Prerequisites: Royal Life Saving Development Coach; ASADA Level 2 Anti-doping and Ethical Decision Making course;

Candidates for the Royal Life Saving Performance Coach accreditation include State to National level coaches that are involved in the training and management of representative teams and high performance  athletes (Australian Lifesaving Team).