EDDIE IZZARD

IQL UK PROMOTION
Retain young swimmers with Rookie
Declining swimming numbers could spell disaster for pool operators.
Fortunately, the RLSS UK’s Rookie Lifeguard Programme can help.
Working with the industry,
the RLSS UK has
developed a number
of initiatives specifically
designed to help
operators attract new swimmers and
retain existing pool users.
The highly successful Rookie Lifeguard
Programme has proved to be a particularly
useful tool for retaining younger
swimmers, allowing operators to keep
children coming to their centres for
longer. More than this, operators implementing
the nine core awards over one
10-week term can potentially achieve a
gross income of £3,000.
ROOKIE LIFEGUARD FACTS
The scheme begins with Stage 1 of the
Bronze Award and progresses to Stage
3 of the Gold Award, starting off at an
ability level suitable for new swimmers and
progressing to the level where Rookie Lifeguards
perform life-saving tows.
Rookie Lifeguard is part of the National
Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS)
developed by the Amateur Swimming
Association. It can also be run as a standalone
course by junior lifesaving clubs,
leisure centres and swimming schools
and as part of school swimming lessons.
The Rookie Lifeguard Water Safety Award
fulfils all of the Key Stage 2 water safety
elements of the National Curriculum.
Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness
Centre has run the RLSS UK Rookie
Lifeguard Programme for more than six
years. Operated by Places for People Leisure
in partnership with Wolverhampton City
Council, the centre has four swimming pools
comprising a 25m main pool, a 15m pool, a
toddler pool and a leisure waters pool.
The centre runs a comprehensive
programme of swimming lessons accommodating
some 3,000 children. Rookie
Lifeguard has proved a useful way of
retaining children after its learn to swim
programmes. Designed for eight to 12 year
olds, the nine awards teach a variety of
life-saving skills including survival, rescue,
Many Rookies progress to RLSS UK’s
Survive and Save Lifesaving programme
and some even continue the pathway
to become RLSS UK pool lifeguards,
completing the National Pool Lifeguard
Qualification (NPLQ).
life support and water safety. These skills
can not only save lives - one girl prevented
her baby brother from choking to death by
using the techniques she’d learned during
Rookie Lifeguard - the programme also
allows operators to retain children for an
additional three years.
The centre runs five, 30-minute Rookie
classes each week, 50 weeks a year.
“Rookie has been very successful for us.
It’s not simply an income generator; we
retain children in our aquatics programme,
and introduce life-saving skills to them.
Rookie is viewed as a natural progression
from our swimming lessons and we
also pick up children from other centres
in Wolverhampton that don’t offer the
programme,” says Donna Bristoll, operations
manager at Places for People Leisure.
The programme also helps to retain
staff. Those holding a Level 2 Swimming
Teacher qualification and a Lifesaving/
Lifeguarding qualification can qualify as a
Rookie Lifeguard Instructor.
“Rookie is a great way for our teachers to
develop and add another string to their bow.
All they have to do is apply for the instructor
pack available from Lifesavers Direct (RLSS
UK’s online store) and complete the conversion.
It’s an easy way to get more skilled and
happier staff,” says Bristoll.
For more information
contact Danielle Peel at:
E: mail@iql.org.uk T: 01789 773 994
Or visit: www.rlss.org.uk
sportsmanagement.co.uk issue 4 2015 © Cybertrek 2015 63