INDIANAPOLIS– The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has added a course for swimming coaches to its lineup of sport-specific online courses available through the NFHS Learning Center at www.nfhslearn.com. 

       “Coaching Swimming” was developed with assistance from the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) and focuses on how to administer a student-first swimming program.

       Topics covered in Coaching Swimming include recruitment, pre-event management, interscholastic coaching philosophy, differences in club and high school teams, communication and risk management. The course also teaches the basics of the four competitive swimming strokes, start variations and flip turns, and it highlights information from the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Book.

       “It is important that coaches have a strong foundation in skills and a strong concern for the safety of their athletes,” said Arvel McElroy, NISCA president-elect. “Completing [Coaching Swimming] provides this opportunity. I applaud the NFHS for its forward-thinking vision to provide certification programs for coaches.”

       NISCA is a volunteer organization that supports high school coaches of all aquatic sports.  It is dedicated to coaches education and athlete recognition.

       “The NFHS is pleased to partner with NISCA and looks forward to offering Coaching Swimming to coaches nationwide,” said Dan Schuster, director of NFHS Coach Education.

       With the addition of Coaching Swimming, the NFHS now has 35 online courses, including two core courses – Fundamentals of Coaching and First Aid, Health and Safety – and 16 sport-specific courses.