Opportunities for Athletes
SLSNSW offers several sport-specific athlete pathways within NSW to help SLSCs engage and retain patrolling members who are also athletes wanting to participate in surf sports competitions.
Competitors develop through enjoyment, motivation and the enhancement of personal skills. A competitor’s physical, mental and social development is aimed at individual excellence through teamwork and camaraderie.
Development clinics are the first step in this pathway for new members to Surf Sports wanting to lead into competition and currently competing members who aspire to represent NSW in Surf Life Saving.
Development opportunities exist in the following areas: SLSC coaching programs, specialist water, beach, boats, pool and IRB competition clinics, regional sport academy programs, athlete academies, Australian high-performance programs and various representative teams at different levels of the organisation.
For more information on the development opportunities available for surf sport athletes, please contact the SLSNSW Surf Sports team or visit the SLSNSW Athlete Pathways webpage.
Opportunities for Coaches
An SLSC coach educates, trains and assists developing member athletes with an interest in surf sports. They provide advice on both tactical and technical surf sports skills. In many instances, athletes develop to become SLSC coaches to help prepare other athletes or groups of athletes for events and competitions.
Coaching SLSNSW offers development opportunities alongside most athlete development programs. The objectives of coaching development are to:
- Increase the quality of coaching delivered by SLSC, state and national coaches
- Promote a high level of lifesaving skills of members from junior to masters through education, training, junior development activities, coaching and accreditation
- Increase the numbers of coaches, officials and competitors in NSW.
SLSC members who become an accredited coach help ensure the SLSC is providing a quality service to athlete members as the accreditation is endorsed by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC). The fundamentals learnt in the new coaching courses are easily transferrable to other sports, which are also endorsed by the ASC’s National Coaching Accreditation Scheme (NCAS).
Members can register their details on the SLSNSW Coaching Database to ensure they receive the latest coaching communications along with education and development opportunities.
For more information on the development opportunities, courses available and re-accreditation requirements for surf sport coaches, please contact the SLSNSW Surf Sports team or visit the SLSNSW Coaching webpage.
Opportunities for Officials
Accredited Surf Sports Officials are required to officiate competition at all levels of competition and are essential to any surf carnival or event success
.
There are development opportunities for members to become one of four levels of accredited officials, three of which require re-licensing every 4 years. All levels of officials’ accreditation share three basic objectives:
- To educate members to administer their duties successfully
- Ensure each member appointed an official at any carnival, event or championship has the best understanding of surf sports.
- Ensure there are sufficient qualified officials available to conduct surf sports activities at all levels.
Members can register their details on the SLSNSW Officials Database to ensure they are notified about any upcoming official nominations for future SLSNSW events.
Some branches require SLSCs participating in a competition to fulfil a quota of officials to compete in a carnival. Individuals must be nominated for appointment by the relevant SLSC, branch, state or national representative to officiate at competitions. More information about officials and their duties is within the latest SLSA Surf Sports Manual.
For more information on the development opportunities available for surf sport officials, please contact the SLSNSW Surf Sports team or visit the SLSNSW Officials webpage.