Interested in becoming a coach for the RODS?

You've come to the right place.

The Regina Optimist Dolphins Swim Team (RODS) in Regina, Saskatchewan is an organization that helps young people become winners in every area of their lives. We are always expanding our Junior Dolphins lessons program, and are in need of great JD coaches to help us run more classes!

We prepare our instructors: we provide lesson plans, group lists, report cards, equipment, and everything you need to run effective lessons that will help young swimmers learn to swim competitively.

Successful candidates will typically be coaching 3x40-minute Junior Dolphins classes, to form a 2 hour shift at the University of Regina Pool, or 2x45-minute Junior Dolphins classes at the Lawson Aquatic Centre. We currently offer classes 4 days per week (Monday to Thursday) and are looking at Friday as well. Coaches are responsible for creating a safe training environment, and helping swimmers develop their skills. There will be some small miscellaneous administrative duties around completing report cards.

Swimming instructors will report directly to the JD Program Supervisor / Head Development Coach, Rick Whitson ([email protected]).

Requirements Before Starting

Age Requirement: Prospective coaches need to be 15 years or older as of the first day of coaching.

CRC / VSC: Coaches 18 and older will need to complete a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check prior to starting.

Respect in Sport: Coaches will also need to complete the free Respect in Sport course "for Activity Leaders" here: https://sasksrc.respectgroupinc.com/

After completing those pieces, we will register you with Swimming Canada (SNC) and the Canadian Swimming Coaches Association (CSCA), and you are good to go until November 30th (the end of our first JD session). For coaches that start after October 30th, you have one month before you have to complete any certification requirements.

Getting Coach Certification

To continue coaching with the club beyond November 30th (or one month if you start after October 30th), you need to become Certified.

Certification has benefits including improving your coaching skills, increasing your pay, and allowing the club to retain you as a coach.

There are three options to get Certified as a RODS coach:

• “Swimming Teacher”: Typically for Lifeguards
  • you can get this easily if you have “I Can Swim Instructor”, “Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor”, “Swim for Life Instructor”, or “Lifesaving Instructor”. These are all lifesaving things, you only need one to get certified, there's a really quick online application that takes about 2 minutes to fill out, but you need to have one of those Instructor classes to qualify for it. Usually people do this before or after their NL so they can get a job with the city.
  • This Certifies you for one season.
• Or “Community Sport Coach”: Typically for People with No Experience
  • We would get you to take a Community Sport Coach and Making Ethical Decisions course, which we pay for.
  • This Certifies you forever!
• Or “Fundamentals Coach”: Typically for Competitive Coaches
  • If you want to coach competitive swimmers too, we get you to take an online pre-course workbook, and next season we get you to take a Swimming 101 course.
  • This Certifies you for one season.
  • This pathway is only recommended for coaches that seriously want to pursue competitive coaching.
  • If you're not a lifeguard / swim instructor, Community Sport Coach is the most typical pathway.

Coaches will need to achieve certification in one of these categories by November 30th to coach in the Winter and Spring or next season.

Coaching for Multiple Years

• “Swimming Teacher”: Typically for Lifeguards
  • Complete your Making Ethical Decisions Online Evaluation before November 30th of your second season (paid + reimbursed by club).
• Or “Community Sport Coach”: Typically for People with No Experience
  • Once you have your Community Sport Coach course and Making Ethical Decisions training, you're good to go!
• Or “Fundamentals Coach”: Typically for Competitive Coaches
  • Complete your Swimming 301 Course, Making Ethical Decisions Evaluation, your Swimming 101 Portfolio, and Portfolio Evaluation.
  • This pathway is relatively more work, but can lead to an exciting career as a competitive swim coach!