Steps to Become a Swim Coach

Clubs and coaches must be aware of the requirements to become a registered coach and ensure that these items are agreed to and understood before entering into an employment or volunteer contract. Follow the hyperlinks found throughout this document for more information.

Minimum Requirements:

  1. Age: Coaches must be a minimum of 15 years of age.

  2. Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check

    • Coaches that are 18 years of age and older must submit a Criminal Record Check and a Vulnerable Sector Check (CRC/VSS).

    • Swim Sask must receive this within 14 days of commencing coach duties.

    • Swim Sask very strongly encourages clubs to have this as a condition of employment and that

      the club must receive this as final hiring step and prior to 1st day of employment.

  3. Respect in Sport (RiS)

  • All coaches must complete Respect in Sport (RiS) online training at: Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders - Getting Started (respectgroupinc.com)

  • There is no charge to do this. If a coach as already done this for another sport, they need login to their RiS profile/account and add Swim Saskatchewan as one of their member organizations.

  • If a coach has completed RiS more than 5 years ago - they will have to re-take it, as the sport of Swimming has a requirement to re-certify every 5 years.

  • Swim Sask strongly encourages clubs to have coaches complete these requirements as a condition of employment and that it must be done prior to 1st day of employment. (Note: the policy does say that they have 14 days of commencing coaching duties, however Swim Sask encourages prior to.)

4. Coach Education/Certification

  • There are 3 paths a new coach can chose and are listed below. For more information click here NCCP Programs – Swimming Canada

  • To coach at sanctioned swimming competitions on their own, as coach must have taken 101 course.

  • Coaches that take the Community Coach Course or are a Swimming Teacher, may only attend

    sanctioned competitions while being supervised at the competition by a Certified coach.

  • Swim Sask highly encourages clubs to put the requirement of taking one of these courses in their

    coach contracts to ensure the coach meets the minimum training and education requirements.

    PATH 1: Swimming Teacher - Swimming Teacher – Red Cross, I Can Swim, & Lifesaving Society – Swimming Canada

•

If a new coach is a current certified swim teacher with either Red Cross or Lifesaving, they can become a NCCP Swimming Teacher in Training (receive equivalency status).

  • If the person is a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor (WSI) or a Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor (LSI) have them complete either the either the Red Cross or Lifesaving application at: Swimming Teacher, Red Cross, I Can Swim, & Lifesaving Society – Swimming Canada

  • There is no charge to complete this application and takes about 2 minutes to complete.

    NOTE: A SWIMMING TEACHER in TRAINING MUST BECOME SWIMMING CERTIFIED by Nov 30th or June 15 for summer coaches, of their second season. To do this the coach must successfully complete Making Ethical Decisions. There are two ways to do this:

July 13, 2021

a. Take the Making Ethical Decisions Online module at a cost of $50 and then complete the Online Evaluation for free. To find and enroll in a Making Ethical Decisions module go to: Upcoming Courses - Coaches Association of Saskatchewan

OR

PATH 2: Community Sport Coach (must be 15 years) - Community Sport Coach – Swimming Canada

If a New Coach has no previous Swim Teacher or Swim Coach Training and does not have Red Cross WSI or Lifesaving or any previous swim coach training, then they are required to take either the NCCP Community Sport Coach or NCCP Fundamentals Coach Course:

  • A list of courses can be found at: Coach Courses – Swimming Canada

  • A person can register for any course across the country; they are all the same course.

    NOTE: The COMMUNITY COACH course is only valid for 2 seasons. A coach must progress and take the SWIMMING 101 (Fundamentals Coach) Course by their third season.

    PATH 3: Swimming 101 Fundamentals Coach Course (must be 16 years) - Fundamentals Coach (Level 1) – Swimming Canada

    If a New Coach as no previous Swim Teacher or Swim Coach Training and does not have Red Cross WSI or Lifesaving or any previous swim coach training, then they are required to take either the NCCP Community Sport Coach or NCCP Fundamentals Coach Course:

  • A list of courses can be found at: Coach Courses – Swimming Canada

  • A person can register for any course across the country; they are all the same course.

  • To take a Swimming 101 Course, a person must first complete the 101 Pre-Course

    workbook prior to registering for the course. To complete the 101 Pre-Course workbook, go to: Online pre-course workbooks – Swimming Canada

    NOTE: A coach must attend all dates and times listed for the course they register for - the course all must be done via one course.

    IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LINKS FOR NEW COACHES

    Canadian Swim Coaches Association (CSCA): All coaches must be a member of the CSCA and complete the CSCA screening questions as part of the online Swim Sask/Swimming Canada registration process with the club. Coaches are sent this link after the Club Registrar initiates the coach registration in the Swimming Canada Registration system AND the invoice to the CSCA is marked as paid.

    PD Points: To maintain training and certification coaches must continue their professional development (PD) and earn at least 20 points every 5 years: Maintenance of Training & Certification – Swimming Canada

    Swim Sask Coach Membership, Policies: Learn more here: Swim Saskatchewan: Coaches

  1. Go straight to challenging the Online Evaluation and pay $85. This is done via their account in the NCCP database called “The Locker” at: www.coach.ca

  2. A coach needs their NCCP # to login to do this. Swim Sask can look up their number but cannot provide the number to the club unless the coach gives us permission to do so.

July 13, 2021