All ASSA Coaches and Swimming Teachers are required to have the following completed by June 1 of each season to be permitted on deck at practices and competitions.

Coaching Registration Requirements

1. ASSA & SNC Registration
   
   All coaches and swimming teachers on deck working with swimmers must be registered with ASSA and Swimming Canada (SNC). Please have your club registrar complete all your coaches' registrations on the ASSA website's update club info page. Once your ASSA membership has been completed each coach will receive an email prompting them to complete a Swimming Canada (SNC) membership. Following the successful completion by the coach, the coach's club will be issued an invoice for their coach's SNC membership. Payment for this invoice should be submitted to the ASSA office as soon as possible.
   
    
2. CSCTA & ACC Registration
   
   All coaches and swimming teachers on deck working with swimmers must be members of the Canadian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association (CSCTA)and the Alberta Coaches Council (ACC). Registration has now been combined into one simple online process which can be done on the CSCTA website. The minimum acceptable level of association for ASSA coaches is the Summer Swim Coach category. If you are already a CSCTA and/or ACC member coaching with a year-round (SNC) club you do not have to complete a second CSCTA/ACC membership application.
   
    
3. Background Check
   
   Coaches of the age of majority (18 & up) must complete a background check for the current season. Due to recent changes with RCMP legislation all backgroud checks must be completd through through an RCMP dispatch or local Police station. Please ensure that the VSS search is included. Once received, coaches should email, fax or mail a COPY of their backgroud check into the ASSA office.
   If you have already completed a background check as a member coaching with a year-round (SNC) club you do not have to complete a second background check.
   
   Coaches under the age of 18 are not required to submit a background check. Instead, a letter from the club president should be sent, preferably by email, to the ASSA Office indicating the coaches name, date of birth and duties. Should the coach turn 18 during the current swim season, they will need to immediately complete a background check.

Note: The above listed requirements must be completed every season prior to commencing any coaching activities.

Please send any questions, comments or concerns to your ASSA Coaches Rep.

Coaching Education Requirements

1. NCCP Certification
   
   Coaches must be certified or working towards certification as a Fundamentals Coach, Skills Coach, Competition Coach or Old NCCP Level 1 Swimming Coach. If you are not certified, "working towards" means, as a minimum, you must be registered in or have completed the Swimming 101 Coaching course (upcoming courses listed in the Upcoming Courses for Coaches section below). These are the minimum education requirements to be eligible to coach in the ASSA. For information about these levels of certification please visit the NCCP Swimming Coach Education Website
   
   Additionally, individuals currently certified as Red Cross Water Safety Instructors are now eligible to get NCCP certification as a Swimming Teacher. This will allow them to work on deck at practices only. Note: individuals with certification limited to Swimming Teacher are not permitted on deck at competitions (swim meets). For more information about becoming a certified swimming teacher CLICK HERE
   
   
   
2. Professional Development
   
   To maintain a current level of certification coaches are required to participate in an annual professional development activity. These can range from clinic attendance to coaching retreats. Please login and report all your PD activities on the CSCTA website.

Upcoming Courses for Coaches

Swimming 101 Coaching Courses - Summer 2010:

There are no courses planned for the remainder of the summer - if you are interested in hosting a course please contact Kevin Dennis at Swim Alberta for details on how to run a course in your area.

Email: kevin@swimalberta.ca

Phone: 780.415.1785

Please send any questions, comments or concerns to your ASSA Coaches Rep.

Job Postings for Coaches

This ASSA website does not currently post employment opportunities for coaches but the Swim Alberta website does.

The CSCTA website also has a Coaches Job Postings section.