7 Reasons to become a Lifesaving Sport Instructor

You will hopefully have seen that we recently launched an exciting new suite of Sport Awards as part of the National Lifesaving Academy (NLA). If you’re eligible, the Sport Instructor module is available now within your tahdah account.  

Whilst there are so many benefits to updating; here are our top seven reasons to become a Lifesaving Sport Instructor, as compiled by Qualifications and Awards Manager, Charlotte. 

Becoming a Lifesaving Sport Instructor means developing your skills, as well as the skills of the athletes you teach. You’ll learn more about Lifesaving Sport itself if you train to be an instructor, but you’ll also learn other skills that can transfer over to both your personal and professional life. For example, the role of a Lifesaving Sport Instructor fosters leadership and a strong sense of responsibility. 

Although Lifesaving Sport doesn’t directly teach athletes how to save lives, it is the only sport in the world with humanitarian origins. The heritage of lifesaving is built into Lifesaving Sport, and you, as an instructor, can impart crucial knowledge about how to help saving lives in an emergency. 

3. Career Opportunities 

Becoming a qualified Lifesaving Sport Instructor can open up career opportunities in various settings, including swim schools, leisure centres, summer camps, and community swimming pools. Lifesaving Academy Instructors are always in demand for running lifesaving lessons, which can be a great opportunity to begin a career in the leisure industry. 

Lifesaving Sport involves physical fitness and endurance, which contributes to a healthier lifestyle. Although Lifesaving Sport Instructors don’t need to keep as fit as their athletes, many instructors choose to maintain a good level of skill and fitness and some enter competitions for their Lifesaving Sport Club alongside their athletes! 

Not only this, but knowing that you are making a difference by teaching lifesaving and sport skills, as well as promoting water safety, can bring a deep sense of mental wellbeing and fulfilment. 

Water-related incidents are a significant cause of injury and death globally, particularly among children and young people. As an RLSS UK instructor, you are in a great position to positively impact your community by promoting a culture of safety around bodies of water and ultimately, helping to prevent drownings. 

Teaching Lifesaving Sport not only builds the confidence of your athletes, but it’ll also build your confidence too! You’ll practice teaching young people new information, overseeing groups of athletes, and ensuring participant safety in an aquatic environment. The more you practice these kinds of skills, the more confident you’ll be! 

Lifesaving Sport techniques evolve over time, so becoming an RLSS UK instructor involves ongoing education and training. Many Instructors find this personally enriching and enjoy keeping up with the latest developments in the field of lifesaving.