Three days of learning, laughter and rescue practice —
and I’m now a qualified STA Level 2 Open Water Swim Coach.
The course was everything I hoped it would be — challenging, hands‑on, and packed with learning. We covered everything from coaching principles to risk management, session planning, and open water safety. It all came together on the final day with rescue and recovery practice, which was equal parts intense, eye‑opening and genuinely good fun.
What made the experience even better was the group of people I trained alongside. There were laughs from start to finish, plenty of shared nerves, and an immense amount of fun both in the classroom and out in the water. It reminded me exactly why I love the swimming community so much — supportive, encouraging, and always ready to lift each other up.
I came away from the course with a real boost in confidence — not just in my own abilities, but in my understanding of what swimmers need to feel safe, confident and supported in open water. The insights from both the training and the people around me has been invaluable, and it’s given me a fresh perspective on how we can continue building a positive, encouraging community that welcomes all levels of swimmers.
Most of all, I genuinely enjoyed every minute of it. That mix of learning, laughter and shared challenge made it an absolute pleasure to be a part of and I’m proud to have qualified.
A huge THANK YOU goes to our tutor, Leon Fryer from Swimyourswim whose knowledge, patience and passion for open water coaching made the course exceptional.
