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How to get certified as a swimming coach?

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  • 24-09-2014 1:34pm
    #1
    fuzzydunlop85
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks
    I'm just wondering how someone would go about getting certified as a swimming coach(primary school age group)? Have always been interested in swimming and am a strong swimmer. I'm applying for teacher training and thought it might give my CV a boost.
    Thanks


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    #2
    MojoMaker
    Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭MojoMaker


    Swim Ireland website has all the info you need - www.swimireland.ie - but be warned it takes a long time and a lot of €€€ to get certified to a good level.

    Best of luck with it, and be prepared to be patient :)


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    #3
    shakencat
    Registered Users Posts: 2,589 ✭✭✭shakencat


    well worth the time, I've been working in the industry for over 10 years now!!


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    #4
    AngryHippie
    Registered Users Posts: 2,625 ✭✭✭AngryHippie


    The Swim Ireland Courses are FINA approved as well, so you'll find they are pretty portable once you get up to Level 2 or 3.


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    #5
    mroon
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭mroon


    MojoMaker wrote: »
    Swim Ireland website has all the info you need - but be warned it takes a long time and a lot of €€€ to get certified to a good level.

    Best of luck with it, and be prepared to be patient :)

    When you say a long time, are you talking months or over a year?


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    #6
    MojoMaker
    Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭MojoMaker


    Have a good read over the accreditation and development section of the SI website, you should be able to plot a time curve based on the listed requirements and milestones. The theory part is relatively easy to acquire on a module by module basis but costs a few €€.

    Triathlon clubs could also be a way of getting some practical experience, very few have organised swim coaching with top level coaches and there are a lot of beginning athletes that just need very simple coaching when starting off.

    Worthwhile persevering btw - it's a really excellent qualification.


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    #7
    okane1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,147 ✭✭✭okane1


    Get involve with a club. Must clubs are always on the hunt for new people wanting to coach. Level 1 coaching is normally over two weekends. After this you get a provisional licence for 12 months and during this time you must get coaching experience (hence get involve with a club) and get (I think) 6 CPD points by attending a SI workshop/training. If you do not do this, you provisional licence is cancelled and you need to start again!

    Level 2 and 3 are only required for head coaches.


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    #8
    changepartners
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭changepartners


    Could anyone tell me generally what sort of qualifications the standard gym/leisure centre instructors who give swimming lessons would have ?

    I know that's a broad question but maybe someone could give me an idea...


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    #9
    shakencat
    Registered Users Posts: 2,589 ✭✭✭shakencat


    changepartners wrote: »
    Could anyone tell me generally what sort of qualifications the standard gym/leisure centre instructors who give swimming lessons would have ?

    I know that's a broad question but maybe someone could give me an idea...



    some have none,

    others have there swim ireland assistant teachers cert,

    then you move onto swim ireland full teachers cert,

    onward to level 1 coaching and keep going up...!

    link to the main page of coaching and teachers qualifications...
    http://www.swimireland.ie/education-development/teachercoach-courses/


    keep in mind, some swimming instructors can't swim themselves (especially when it comes to the more advanced aquatics- tumble turns, dives, starts, finishes etc)
    there is a lot to think of when signing up to lessons,
    i wouldnt sign up without talking to the actual teacher, but thats me!


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    #10
    changepartners
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭changepartners


    shakencat wrote: »
    keep in mind, some swimming instructors can't swim themselves (especially when it comes to the more advanced aquatics- tumble turns, dives, starts, finishes etc)
    there is a lot to think of when signing up to lessons,
    i wouldnt sign up without talking to the actual teacher, but thats me!

    Yeah. I had 6 lessons in the local pool and got nowhere. I had 1 with a proper coach and had a new stroke learned in a session.


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    #11
    shakencat
    Registered Users Posts: 2,589 ✭✭✭shakencat


    changepartners wrote: »
    Yeah. I had 6 lessons in the local pool and got nowhere. I had 1 with a proper coach and had a new stroke learned in a session.


    Ive had plenty of clients with exactly the same problem.

    I once taught a lady who paid ridiculous money for lessons and literally got NO WHERE.

    Sickening that people are abusing the system when its such an important life skill.


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    #12
    AngryHippie
    Registered Users Posts: 2,625 ✭✭✭AngryHippie


    Don't blame it all on the coaches.....
    You can only get out what you put in to it.

    Having a lesson once a week and doing zero practice in between may work for kids, but for an adult it is a waste of time.
    It's massively more effective to take a lesson a week and putting in 3-4 hours per week of practice time, this is not something an instructor can do for you, as with any physical activity, it is about fitness, muscle memory and knowledge all coming together to develop a skill. Skills don't happen because someone explained it to you, skills are developed through practice.

    This is however something that your instructor should have probably made clear at the start.


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    #13
    boardsusername
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭boardsusername


    Irish Water Safety run Assistant & Full Swim Teacher training courses.
    Unlike Swim Ireland you need to be able to swim to enrol in a course. They require you to have a full lifeguard qualification.


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    #14
    AngryHippie
    Registered Users Posts: 2,625 ✭✭✭AngryHippie


    boardsusername wrote: »
    Irish Water Safety run Assistant & Full Swim Teacher training courses.
    Unlike Swim Ireland you need to be able to swim to enrol in a course. They require you to have a full lifeguard qualification.

    Not Correct.

    They require safety 4 for assistants and rescue 1 for Full teachers.

    Full lifeguard qualification is Rescue 4.

    http://www.iws.ie/about/iws-awards.215.html
    http://www.iws.ie/media-gallery/swimming-teacher-award.1229.html


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    #15
    niamh.foley
    Registered Users Posts: 278 ✭✭niamh.foley


    I was looking at Level 1 Swim Teacher.. 400 Euro didnt have it at this side of Christmas.

    Is it worth While getting a Level 1 - 2 Swim Teacher Cert is there a big shortage on Swim Teachers around the Area ? wouldnt mind getting a Week-end Job as one abit of extra cash coming into the house.


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    #16
    shakencat
    Registered Users Posts: 2,589 ✭✭✭shakencat


    niamh.foley wrote: »
    I was looking at Level 1 Swim Teacher.. 400 Euro didnt have it at this side of Christmas.

    Is it worth While getting a Level 1 - 2 Swim Teacher Cert is there a big shortage on Swim Teachers around the Area ? wouldnt mind getting a Week-end Job as one abit of extra cash coming into the house.


    Huge shortage of GOOD teachers who actually want to teach and teach well.


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    #17
    niamh.foley
    Registered Users Posts: 278 ✭✭niamh.foley


    shakencat wrote: »
    Huge shortage of GOOD teachers who actually want to teach and teach well.


    I was told i would have to Level 1 Teaching Aquatics seen that i want to Teach people how to swim, but i thought i would have being
    Level 1 Coaching Swimming


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    #18
    SlowInWater
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭SlowInWater


    niamh.foley wrote: »
    I was told i would have to Level 1 Teaching Aquatics seen that i want to Teach people how to swim, but i thought i would have being
    Level 1 Coaching Swimming

    Big difference between teaching and coaching swimming. A lot more need for teachers than coaches.


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    #19
    niamh.foley
    Registered Users Posts: 278 ✭✭niamh.foley


    SlowInWater wrote: »
    Big difference between teaching and coaching swimming. A lot more need for teachers than coaches.


    So its Level 1 in Aquatics i should be looking at ?


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    #20
    SlowInWater
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭SlowInWater


    niamh.foley wrote: »
    So its Level 1 in Aquatics i should be looking at ?

    Yeap, if you want to a job teaching in your local pool. Coaching is more for better swimmers in club environment.


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    #21
    Little fish
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭Little fish


    AngryHippie wrote: »
    Not Correct.

    They require safety 4 for assistants and rescue 1 for Full teachers.

    Full lifeguard qualification is Rescue 4.

    http://www.iws.ie/about/iws-awards.215.html
    http://www.iws.ie/media-gallery/swimming-teacher-award.1229.html

    Dear angryhippie
    Do u know where u can view full details of what the IWS awards entail ? I couldn't find anything on their website. Tks.


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    #22
    willow46
    Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭willow46


    Just my opinion here but the ASA and STA qualifications are very highly recognized and respected. In my last job i brought them over to retrain all our swim teachers and lifeguards. I originally qualified as a coach in 1992 so been around for some time, STA and ASA are very good. Not everyone passed and some had to pay for the re-test. I know STA came over to Ireland but that was a few years back.
    Otherwise my kids are coached by swim ireland certified teachers and they are really good…
    Agree with Angryhippie - you get out what you put in...


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    #23
    AngryHippie
    Registered Users Posts: 2,625 ✭✭✭AngryHippie


    Little fish wrote: »
    Dear angryhippie
    Do u know where u can view full details of what the IWS awards entail ? I couldn't find anything on their website. Tks.


    I don't think that is actually published on there.
    Conctact the nearest one of the co-ordinators on the list, they will be able to tell you more.
    http://www.iws.ie/events/swim-teacher-courses.1454.html


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