Swimming isn't exactly dangerous. Of high school sports, it ranks as the 9th most dangerous, coming in behind even cross-country running. It does, however, have a lower tolerance for failure. Make a mistake playing soccer, and you pull a muscle. Make a mistake swimming, and you could drown. Because of this, swimming coaches receive special training and instruction in making sure their athletes are safe.
Governing Body
USA Swimming and the American Swimming Coaches Association both provide certification, minimum qualifications, competition rules and safety guidelines for competitive swimming. Although they vary in specifics, they have similar approaches to ensure swimmer safety during practice and competition. For both, safety starts with safe coaches.
Barriers to Entry
Before even applying for coach certification, both organizations require coaches to possess two vital safety skills. They must be very strong swimmers, identified either by field testing or a provable competitive record. They must also carry current CPR/AED certification. This combination means that even aspiring coaches have the basic skills needed to rescue swimmers in trouble.
Athletic Skills
To become certified by either organization, a prospective coach must train in lifesaving, coaching methods and sports injuries. Both organizations offer certification courses that cover these skills either individually or in a blended curriculum. Prospective coaches who have already completed the appropriate courses elsewhere can apply to have a specific requirement waived.
Coaching Skills
Certified coaches also receive training in coaching safety, pedagogy and crowd control skills. As in most sports, swimming injuries during practice happen most often when the athletes grow bored and out of control. By learning how to structure and run practices effectively and engagingly, coaches can reduce injuries.
Social Safety
Certified coaches also undergo a background check as part of the certification process. Although a long-past mistake or unrelated misdemeanor won't disqualify a coach, felonies or crimes that demonstrate lack of judgment or any inappropriate behavior with minors immediately bar an applicant from coaching. Because, as family safety expert Gavin DeBecker points out, the overwhelming majority of abduction and molestation cases are perpetrated by somebody the child knows, such as a coach or teacher, this step is a vital part of athlete safety that many people fail to consider.
References
- ASCA: Certification
- USA Swimming: Certification
- "Protecting the Gift"; Gavin De Becker; 2000
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