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Leisure

STA Podcast

stapodcast

Welcome to the STA podcast, discussing all things swimming, lifesaving, first aid and leisure operations. Join the STA team and a special guest each episode to dive deeper into a specific area or topic within the wonderful world of leisure.

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  • 36 episodes
  • Updated July 22

Episodes36

Newest first
  • Aug 27, 2025 · 45 min

    Swim School Management

    Join Kayle Brightwell and Chris Rees from World of Swimming as they dive into the ins and outs of running a successful swim school. From recruiting and developing swim teachers to managing day-to-day operations, this episode covers everything you need to know to take your swim school to the next level.

  • Jul 30, 2025 · 47 min

    Safeguarding Me

    Ali Beckman and STA's Jodie Davis discuss the position of trust and how we safeguard ourselves as aquatic professionals.

  • Jul 16, 2025 · 24 min

    Stronger Together: How STA Membership Benefits Swimming Teachers

    What does it mean to be part of a professional swimming community? Mark McNichol, STA’s Member of the Year, dives into the benefits of membership, how it supports professional growth, and why every swimming teacher should consider joining.

  • Jul 2, 2025 · 28 min

    Lighting up the deep end - The WellyWeight story

    The family behind WellyWeight share how a playful idea from their daughter turned a homemade dive toy into a glowing hit with kids, parents, and swimming teachers alike.

  • Jun 18, 2025 · 48 min

    Learning to swim in Australia

    Rhiannon Kocmar from SWIM Coaches & Teachers Australia discusses learning to swim in Australia, the challenges, the initiatives and programmes offered.

  • May 21, 2025 · 35 min

    The benefits of video stroke analysis

    Stuart Hacker from the Swim Cube discusses the benefits of video stroke analysis - how it works, who it’s for, how it can help you improve, and why you might want to give it a try.

  • May 7, 2025 · 43 min

    Cold water and ice swimming

    Leon Fryer is one of the founding coaches of Swimyourswim, member of the International Ice Swimming Association and specialist cold water / ice swimming coach. Today we are discussing all things cold water / ice swimming, how to start, what we need to be aware of, ice swimming as a sport and Leon will be sharing his top 5 tips.

  • Apr 23, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min

    The importance of being trauma informed and the impact we can then have within aquatics

    In this episode, Janine Ramsey from Trauma Informed Aquatics discusses the importance of being trauma informed and the impact we can then have within aquatics. Janine has extensive experience and qualifications in swimming teaching, swim teacher education, counselling, traumatic stress and child safeguarding. She is currently a Child Safeguarding Advisor for the Department of Health, in Tasmania, Australia and provides specialist consultancy services to the aquatics industry worldwide in the area of trauma-informed aquatics. Often the term expert can be overused, however Janine is a true expert within this field and incredibly passionate about educating people on being trauma informed.

  • Apr 9, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min

    What it means to be inclusive

    Within this episode Antoinette Spear, General Manager at Autism Swim, discusses what it means to be inclusive, inclusive language we can use and some top tips /changes we can make to ensure we are supporting everyone within our lessons, and facilities. Autism Swim are the world leaders in inclusive aquatics, offering high quality online specialist training in aquatics and neurodiversity and they now have Autism Swim Approved providers in over 26 countries, incredible.

  • Feb 26, 2025 · 45 min

    The role adults have within baby and pre-school lessons

    This episode features Ali Beckman, STA President, who discusses the role adults have within baby and pre-school lessons, the impact they have and what swimming teachers need to consider in order to support adults within lessons.

  • Feb 12, 2025 · 56 min

    All things apprenticeships

    This episode features Zac Cheek, Head of Apprenticeships at Excel Me, who discusses what an apprenticeship is, who can be an apprentice, the benefits to the apprentice as well as the employer, and importantly busting some common myths which surround apprenticeships.

  • Jan 29, 2025 · 36 min

    The importance of swimming and what makes it great

    This first episode, features Kaylë Brightwell, STA’s Director of Education, and Jodie Davis, STA’s Aquatics Development Officer, discussing the importance of swimming and what makes it great.