USA Swimming Coaches Safety Curriculum
USA Swimming initiated the Coaches Safety Curriculum in September 1987
for the 1988 membership year. USA Swimming coach members are required to
show current proof of training in First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
(CPR) and Safety Training for Swim Coaches.
Local Swimming Committees (LSC’s) enforce these requirements largely
through the membership function. Justification for the requirements may be
found in legislation passed over the years by the USA Swimming House of
Delegates. The following passages are found in the 2001 Rules and
Regulations.
Article 202.3.2 "….all persons acting in any coaching capacity in a
sanctioned event must be coach members of USA Swimming, Inc."
Article 501.7.2 "All coaches of USA Swimming clubs, including seasonal
clubs, shall join USA Swimming as coach members and shall satisfactorily
complete safety training required by USA Swimming."
Enforcement in Membership
When persons apply for coach membership, they must meet the full Coaches
Safety Curriculum requirement to be registered. They will not be allowed an
interim coaching (grace) period.
Enforcement at Meets
People without a coach membership will not be allowed to participate in any
coaching capacity at any USA Swimming sanctioned competition. This
restriction includes being barred from the deck area at all Local Swimming
Committee, Zone, Sectional, Junior National, National and International
qualifying competitions.
If an offending person refuses to comply with these provisions upon initial
warning, all athletes on that person’s club shall be designated as
"Unattached" for the entire competition, unless the club has some other USA
Swimming coach member present. It shall be the responsibility of the meet
referee, or his designee, to enforce these provisions.
This "last resort" option of unattaching athletes exists only when the
coach does not fulfill the Coaches Safety Curriculum and refuses to leave
the deck when asked to do so by meet management.
Athletes should not be forced to swim unattached simply because their USA
Swimming coach is not able to accompany them to an USA Swimming meet.
Instead, in keeping with LSC policy, the athletes should be assigned to
another coach, the host team or a designated marshal.
Enforcement at Practice
Failure of a coach to satisfy the Coaches Safety Curriculum requirement
will be grounds for termination of coach membership status and loss of
insurance coverage.
Clubs that continue to conduct a program with coaches who have failed to
satisfy the Coaches Safety Curriculum requirement risk termination of
membership and loss of insurance coverage.
Membership Application
All course certificates must be valid on the date of application for
membership. Coaches should submit their certificates (or copies, if allowed
by LSC policy) of the First Aid, CPR and/or Safety Training for Swim
Coaches courses (front and back) as adequate proof of training. If an LSC
Membership Chair doubts the authenticity of a copy, he/she has the right to
request access to the original cards.
It is the responsibility of the coach to renew all certificates in a timely
manner.
The First Aid, CPR and STSC expiration dates will appear on the stub of the
coach’s membership card. The earliest of the expiration dates will also
appear in bold letters on the front of the coach membership card.
Example: If CPR expires on May 15, 2004 the following wording will appear
on the front of the coach membership card:
VALID THROUGH MAY 15, 2004
Clubs must have at least one properly registered coach to register as an
USA Swimming club. This does not change the fact that all club coaches must
fulfill the safety requirements. As defined in the rulebook, a "club" must
have at least one coach; group members that do not fulfill this requirement
may join only as "organizations."
Coaching Assistants
An athlete member may assist an USA Swimming coach member. However, it is
imperative that the USA Swimming coach member be on deck with the non-coach
member and maintain "direct line of sight" at all times. If exercising sole
supervisory responsibility, the non-coach member must obtain training and
become an USA Swimming coach member.
How to Obtain Certifications
First Aid and CPR
A list of acceptable First Aid and CPR courses can be found
on the Requirements and Equivalents page.
Coaches should check the list to be sure the course they are taking is
acceptable. Taking First Aid/CPR courses that are not on the list will not
be acceptable for coach safety certification.
The Adult CPR certificate represents an acceptable standard of training;
coaches who feel they need different training because they work with
younger athletes may take other approved CPR courses that include training
specific to those ages.
Safety Training for Swim Coaches
Coaches must complete one of the following to receive Safety Training for
Swim Coaches certification:
1. The full Safety Training for Swim Coaches course (8 hours)
2. Safety Training for Swim Coaches Review Challenge (4 hours)
PREREQUISITE
None. Any individual, whether or not they hold a current certificate may
participate in the Review Challenge. If the non-certificate holder does not
pass the Review Challenge, then he or she should be referred to a full
course and will not be allowed to attempt the Review Challenge again.
Current certificate holders (see those listed for Review Course) may repeat
the challenge as long as their certificate remains current.
CONTENT AND FORMAT
The Review Challenge is a flexible-format training that consists of the
written exam and the following in-water skill tests:
- In-line stabilization techniques
- Assists and Rescues
3. Safety Training for Swim Coaches "Written Exam Only" Challenge
PREREQUISITE
Any individual who holds a current basic level certificate or instructor
authorization in one of the following is eligible to participate in the
"Written Exam Only" Challenge:
- Lifeguard Training (Cert. 3416)
- Basic Lifeguarding (Cert. 3408)
- Lifeguard Training r. 94 (Cert. 653460)
- Emergency Water Safety (Cert. 3413)
- Community Water Safety with Optional Session (C3002)
CONTENT AND FORMAT
The "Written Exam Only" Challenge is a flexible-format training that
consists of the written exam only. The written exam may be administered
one-on-one or in a group by the Health and Safety Administrator or an
approved instructor.
Becoming a Safety Training for Swim Coaches Instructor
Those wishing to be STSC instructors must complete all of the following:
1. Possess a current ARC certificate in one of the following:
- Water Safety Instructor
- Water Safety Instructor Trainer
- Lifeguard Training Instructor
- Lifeguard Instructor Trainer
- Basic Water Rescue Instructor.
2. Possess a current Safety Training for Swim Coaches certificate (see above).
3. Have a competitive swimming background. (This should be determined by the
Local Swimming Committee and local American Red Cross Chapter.)
Waiver for Coaches with Physical Disabilities
Effective December 1, 1998, coaches with physical disabilities who are
unable to participate in the skill demonstrations required to pass these
courses can apply for a Safety Certification Waiver. For additional
information, contact your Local Swimming Committee Membership Chair or USA
Swimming’s Member Services Coordinator at (719) 578-4578.
Things to Remember
- LSC Registration/Membership Chairs are not police. It is the responsibility
of the coaches to renew and keep up with their certificates.
- All claims or incidents of bodily injury or property damage must be
reported immediately to USA Swimming National Headquarters and Peak
Insurance Group. Use the Report of Occurrence form.
- If you don’t know the answer to an insurance question, just ask. We are
here to lend support. Call Carol Burch or Mary Illich at USA Swimming
(719-578-4578) or Sandi Blumit at Risk Management Services, Inc.
(1-800-777-4930).
- If a USA Swimming coach is teaching private lessons on his/her own time to
USA Swimming athletes, USA Swimming insurance is not in force for either
the coach or the swimmer.
First Year Educational Requirement for Coaches
Article 501.7.4 "All coaches of USA Swimming clubs, including
seasonal clubs, who register for the first time as a coach member, shall
complete coaches’ education required by USA Swimming prior to receiving
their coach membership for the second year."
This educational requirement is in addition to the safety requirements
described above. Within 4-12 weeks after the LSC Membership Chair processes
the membership application, first year coaches will receive a packet
containing information about the educational requirement and an order form
for course materials. Upon successful completion of the requirement, the
coach will receive a letter from the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA).
The letter must be shown to the LSC Membership Chair prior to registering
for the second year of coaching with USA Swimming.
ALL COACH MEMBERS OF USA SWIMMING MUST BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE COACH AND CLUB TO MAINTAIN INSURANCE PROTECTION.
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