Swim coaches welcome $3.9 million funding boost for women in coaching

This week’s announcement by the Federal Government of $3.9 million in funding for its National Generation 2032 (Gen32) Coach Program, supporting women in high performance coaching roles, has been welcomed with open arms by aquatic industry leaders Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia (SWIM/SCTA).

The funding for the paid apprenticeships, which includes an extra 12 months in the paid apprenticeship program, and caters for childcare support and flexible working agreements for coaches with children, ensures the coaches will be fully prepared and ready for the next steps in their careers.

SWIM/SCTA, who have been actively campaigning for the past two years for a greater representation of women in high performance coaching roles in swimming with their ‘Leveling the Deck’ initiative, which launched in 2021, aims to bridge the gap in gender equality.

SWIM/SCTA Chief Executive, Brendon Ward commented “’Levelling the Deck’ recognises that women, girls, and gender diverse people who want to participate in swimming, as coaches, teachers, and swimmers, face additional barriers on the pool deck due to outdated cultures, policies, and practices

“After noticing the lack of female representation in the sport we launched our research in 2020 and found that women only represent 23% of coaching receiving ‘Performance Coach’ accreditation. This is despite our survey finding that 72% of female coaches would like to coach within elite ranks.

“Our ’Levelling the Deck’ initiative has just launched its research findings in a comprehensive framework, with strategies to monitor and evaluate gender equality in all facets of our sport, from individuals to workplaces and even within the culture of swimming.

“Our every intention is to use our resources to widen our impact for gender equality as far as possible.”

The two swim coaches from the 29 currently listed coaches are recipients of the Gen32 program are Casey Atkins - Para on the Sunshine Coast and Brooke Kemp in Perth.

The Gen32 Coach Program is a  joint initiative between the Australian Institute of Sport, National Institute Network (NIN) partners and Australia's national sporting organisations (NSOs).

Click here to view the ‘Levelling the Deck’ framework document and findings.

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