State Swimming Organisations (SSOs) play a central role to deliver the Swimming Australia National Coaching Framework (SANCF) within their state. The guidance below outlines what SSOs can do to support practical application of the SANCF for long term sustainable success.
Apply the SANCF Across All State Programs
SSOs should ensure all state pathway programs, camps, coach selections, and general activities meet SANCF standards.
How to achieve this:
- Update program eligibility and coach appointment criteria to require the Australian Swim Coach Licence.
- Align all state documents, public facing collateral and websites with SANCF language and expectations.
- Share regular updates through newsletters and social media.
- Review coach selection processes to confirm only licenced coaches are appointed.
- Encourage swim coaches to use SPLASH Hub, and work with Swimming Australia to build further SPLASH Hub capability to that could enhance the development of coaches within your state.
Support Entities and Coaches to Meet Licencing Requirements
Clubs rely on SSOs for clarity and direction
How to achieve this:
- Share regular communication with entities and utilise existing information to avoid duplication or in consistent communication.
- Share any common questions or narratives that may help Swimming Australia improve communication should any confusion exist.
- Encourage clubs to lean into the SANCF and model the language and processes as set out on the SANCF.
- Guide coaches to the correct transition pathway based on their qualification or experience.
Manage State and Club Memberships to Align with the Australian Swim Coach Licence
Membership structures should reflect the new licencing system.
How to achieve this:
- Update coach membership categories to reference the Australian Swim Coach Licence as the required standard in future seasons.
- Remove outdated accreditation references from membership forms and any onboarding materials.
- Encourage clubs to check licence status as part of annual membership renewal and for states who operate an annual affiliation process, ensure Clubs are responsible to align to the SANCF.
- Work with Swimming Australia to ensure state membership systems align with SANCF expectations.
Strengthening Event Operations and Pool Deck Access
All state competitions are enabled to recognise coach attendance – on the licence.
How to achieve this:
- Update meet conditions and event positions to require the Australian Swim Coach Licence.
- Use the national verification system (once live) to confirm coach eligibility or seek assistance from the Swimming Australia Coach Development Team.
- Brief event staff and technical officials on checking licences and managing non-compliance.
- Communicate coach deck access requirements with sufficient notice, giving the coach enough time to activate their licence.
Continue to Work Closely with Swimming Australia
Strong collaboration ensures national consistency.
How to achieve this:
- Attend SANCF briefings and relay key messages to clubs promptly.
- Share feedback on challenges or support needs within your state.
- Avoid creating competing or conflicting state-specific requirements.
By applying these actions, SSOs help build a unified, safe and high-quality coaching system, ensuring every swimmer in Australia is supported by a qualified, licenced, and nationally aligned coach.
Coach accreditation and attendance at State, National and International Championships will now be recognised as a performance achievement on the Australian Swim Coach Licence.
To enable this, SSOs should follow the steps below when setting up and managing accredited events.
Step 1 – Select the Correct Event Template
Use the official State Championships Event Template when creating your event, as it activates all accreditation and recognition features.
Step 2 – Coaches Apply for Event Accreditation
Coaches attending the event should then submit their accreditation application. They must hold a current Australian Swim Coach Licence and meet event eligibility requirements.
Step 3 – SSO or National Body Approves the Application
The state (or Swimming Australia for national events) reviews and approves each coach’s application. This approval confirms deck access and enables licence recognition.
Step 4 – System Records Attendance After the Event
Within 7 days of the event finishing, the coach’s attendance is automatically added to their Australian Swim Coach Licence as a performance achievement.
Step 5 – Make Any Post-Event Adjustments (Within 7 Days)
SSOs have up to 7 days post-event to amend coach attendance if needed. After this period, records are locked for consistency.
Step 6 – Add Attendance Verification to Your Post-Event Checklist
SSOs should include coach attendance verification in their post-event processes to ensure all performance achievements are accurate and complete.
Have more questions about event recognition? Contact the Coach Development Team
