The remit of a swimming coach is a wide one – you could be teaching someone who can't swim or a London Olympic 2012 contender. Your job is to guide top swimmers to swim faster, better and more efficiently and to instil newcomers with confidence, to learn swim with confidence without recklessness.
Who can I work for?
Swimming pools and/or teams, leisure centres, gyms or for yourself as a freelance.
Where and when can I work?
Largely around the pool but not often in it. Much of it can be office based, drawing up exercise and fitness routines and targets, etc. Some time will be spent going to races and galas.
What can I earn?
A staff coach can expect at least £15K a year. A freelance coach can expect £15-£20 an hour. Sometimes a bit less, but occasionally much higher, depending on your client base, especially if it involves Olympic swimmers.
What are the benefits?
The satisfaction stemming from the fact that one day, even unbeknown to you, your training might have helped save someone's life. Pride in your competitive charges' performances.
Are there chances of promotion?
You might start at a swimming club as a junior or assistant coach, but, with experience, you might set up your own coaching business or setting up your own swimming school, employing your own staff.
What will I be responsible for?
- Looking for new clients via marketing and advertising.
- Admin – accounts, keeping a client diary, making new bookings and cancellations, etc.
- Overseeing individual or group training sessions, displaying all the strokes and breathing techniques.
- Getting clients into regular swimming, exercise and diet routines that they can take home with them. Target goals will also be set up.
- Attending races with clients.
- Going through the client's swimming mindset and psychology – especially if they're at a competitive level – with a view to being really motivational.
- Tidying up/collecting equipment at the end of sessions.
- Keeping tabs on the latest developments in sports science/swimming techniques.
- Charting the progress of your charges with continuous assessments involving times, distances, etc.
What qualifications do I need?
The ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) qualification usually unlocks the door to this career path. You'll get full teacher status if you pass Level 1. You can become an assistant teacher if you pass Level 2. Visit www.swimming.org/britishswimming for details.
Do I need any experience?
Well, it would help if you had a successful competitive career in amateur or professional swimming. This helps fast-track you in the profession, especially if you are a known name. But, as we know from the more high-profile sporting worlds of football and cricket, the best players don't necessarily make the best coaches – and vice-versa. Some employers look at your credentials and background in coaching before any formal swimming coaching qualifications. Obviously, you don't have to be an Ian 'Thorpedo' Thorpe to teach non-swimmers and novices, but if you haven't done some competitive swimming at amateur level, forget competitive coaching.
What attributes are needed?
An inside-out knowledge of swimming and its mechanics and a decent swimming ability. A fair degree of physical fitness. Patience. Good organisational skills and an ability to juggle a whole network of clients. Brilliant powers of motivation, getting clients to believe in themselves.