Decision Making
Focus
- CHECK
- ABLE
- FLOW
- CARE
- Situational awareness
- Dynamic decision making
- Human factors
A WOWSA Professional Education Program
Better Decisions.
Safer Coaching.
Earn your WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification through a structured educational program focused on decision making and risk management in open water coaching.
Why Safe Coach
Every open water session is a chain of decisions.
Conditions change.
Swimmers change.
Risk changes.
Every session requires a series of judgments before, during, and after swimmers enter the water.
Safe Coach provides a shared educational framework for making those decisions with greater clarity and consistency.
The CHECK Framework
Preview the CHECK Framework
Every safe swim begins with better questions.
C
Conditions
What is the water, weather, and forecast asking of us today?
H
Hazards
What in this environment could cause harm — seen and unseen?
E
Entry & Exit
How do swimmers get in, get out, and get out early if needed?
C
Capability
Does the ability of each swimmer match the swim being planned?
K
Kit & Communication
What equipment, support, and signals are in place before we start?
Five observations. One coaching judgment.
Free Resource
Download the Free CHECK Framework Guide
The CHECK Framework is introduced in the Decision Making course within Safe Coach Foundations.
Download the complete guide to explore the framework and begin applying it to your own coaching.
- Complete framework
- Practical examples
- Printable reference
- Free PDF
Origins
Why We Created CHECK
The CHECK Framework grew out of years of reviewing documented open water incidents from around the world.
Different swimmers. Different countries. Different conditions. Yet the same questions kept appearing.
Those recurring patterns revealed a simple truth:
Safer outcomes begin long before swimmers enter the water.
CHECK distills those lessons into a practical framework that helps coaches ask better questions, recognize risk earlier, and make more informed decisions before every session.
Every safe swim is the result of dozens of good decisions that most people never notice.
Required Curriculum
Safe Coach Foundations
Safe Coach Foundations brings together two complementary disciplines.
Decision Making develops practical judgment for assessing conditions, swimmer readiness, changing circumstances, and coaching decisions.
Risk Management develops the systems that support those decisions through preparation, positioning, equipment, communication, documentation, emergency planning, and professional practice.
Risk Management
Focus
- Duty of care
- Safety planning
- Emergency preparedness
- Communications
- Documentation
- Continuous improvement
What’s Included
Structured Online Learning
Progress through structured learning modules at your own pace, designed specifically for open water swim coaches.
Practical Field Guides
Clear explanations, coaching guidance, and reference materials to support preparation before, during, and after every session.
Real-World Case Studies
Analyze documented scenarios that reveal how small decisions and changing conditions can compound into significant safety risks.
Decision-Making Frameworks
Learn practical frameworks including CHECK, ABLE, FLOW, and CARE to support condition assessment, swimmer readiness, session planning, and post-swim responsibilities.
Charts, Checklists & Visual Tools
Use printable reference materials to evaluate risk, document decisions, and prepare more consistently.
Coaching Reflection Exercises
Reflect on your coaching practices through guided exercises that strengthen judgment, risk awareness, and decision-making.
Course Assessments
Complete knowledge checks that reinforce learning and support successful completion of Safe Coach Foundations.
Immediate Online Access
Begin learning immediately after enrollment through your Kajabi course library.
Program Structure
Your Learning Path
Safe Coach Foundations consists of two required courses. Complete both courses and the associated assessments to earn the WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification.
Decision Making
Develop practical judgment using the CHECK, ABLE, FLOW, and CARE frameworks to assess conditions, swimmer readiness, and coaching decisions.
Risk Management
Build safer coaching systems through planning, communication, documentation, emergency preparedness, and continuous improvement.
WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification
Complete both required courses and the associated assessments to earn the WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification.
Credential
Earn Your WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification
The WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification recognizes successful completion of Safe Coach Foundations, including both required courses and their associated assessments.
Participants who successfully complete the program have studied a shared educational framework for decision making and risk management in open water coaching.
Credential Identity
What You’ll Receive
Upon successful completion of Safe Coach Foundations and the associated assessments, you’ll receive a professional educational credential designed to recognize your completion of the program and support your continued professional development.
Digital Credential Badge
Display on LinkedIn, your website, your email signature, and your coaching profile.
Digital Certificate
Receive a personalized certificate documenting successful completion of Safe Coach Foundations.
Public Verification
Your credential can be verified through the official WOWSA credential directory.
Two-Year Credential
Valid for two years, with renewal through continuing education to encourage coaches to remain current as knowledge and best practices evolve.
The WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification recognizes successful completion of the Safe Coach Foundations curriculum and associated assessments. It is an educational credential and does not constitute professional licensure, an endorsement of coaching services, or a guarantee of coaching competence or swimmer safety.
A Statement of Shared Professional Values
The Safe Coach Charter
Coaches are invited to read the Charter before enrolling. It describes the values the program is built upon.
- Article 01
Preparation before participation
We prepare for the conditions we may meet, not only the conditions we expect.
- Article 02
Honest assessment
We assess swimmers, sites, and ourselves without optimism or ego.
- Article 03
The freedom to say no
We accept that calling off a swim is a legitimate and professional decision.
- Article 04
Shared language
We use a common framework so that safety conversations travel between coaches, clubs, and countries.
- Article 05
Learning from incidents
We study what has gone wrong elsewhere so that it is less likely to happen here.
- Article 06
Continued study
We treat education as ongoing practice rather than a completed requirement.
Questions
Frequently Asked
What is Safe Coach?
Safe Coach® is a professional education program from WOWSA for coaches working in open water. It provides a shared framework for decision making and risk management.
What is Safe Coach Foundations?
Safe Coach Foundations is the required curriculum of the program. It consists of two courses: Decision Making and Risk Management.
How is Safe Coach Foundations different from the previous WOWSA coach education course?
Safe Coach Foundations is a completely redesigned curriculum. Rather than updating the previous course, we rebuilt the program from the ground up around two core disciplines: Decision Making and Risk Management. The new curriculum introduces practical frameworks—including CHECK, ABLE, FLOW, and CARE—that provide coaches with a structured approach to assessing conditions, evaluating swimmer readiness, planning safer sessions, and managing risk before, during, and after every swim. The course has also been reorganized into a clearer learning pathway, with updated case studies, practical field guides, self-assessments, and course assessments that support the WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification. While the mission remains the same—to help coaches create safer and more enjoyable open water experiences—the curriculum, structure, and credentialing system have all been substantially reimagined. If you completed the previous WOWSA coach education course, you'll find familiar principles, but Safe Coach Foundations introduces new frameworks, updated content, and a new credentialing structure that make it a substantially different learning experience.
What is the WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification?
It is the credential awarded upon successful completion of Safe Coach Foundations and its assessments. A coach who earns it is described as WOWSA Safe Coach® Certified.
Who is this program for?
Coaches, guides, swim organizers, and volunteers who make decisions affecting swimmers in open water — from local club sessions to organized events.
How long does it take?
Safe Coach Foundations is self-paced. Most participants complete both courses over several weeks of study alongside their coaching commitments.
Is certification permanent?
Certification reflects the completion of study at a point in time. WOWSA anticipates introducing continuing education so that coaches can keep their learning current.
Does certification guarantee coaching competence?
No. Certification indicates completion of an educational program. It does not guarantee competence, provide licensure, or ensure swimmer safety.
What happens after certification?
Certified coaches may apply the framework in their own practice. Additional educational opportunities may be introduced over time.
About WOWSA
The World Open Water Swimming Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing safety, education, governance, and the preservation of open water swimming worldwide.
WOWSA works with swimmers, coaches, event organizers, and national bodies to document the sport, support its governance, and develop educational standards for those responsible for others in the water.
Tuition
Complete both required courses and the associated assessments to earn the WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification.
Safe Coach Foundations
Decision Making + Risk Management
$119
Complete both required courses and their assessments to earn the WOWSA Safe Coach® Certification.
Enroll in Safe Coach FoundationsIndividual courses
- Decision Making$75
- Risk Management$75