Sunshine Coast swim coach Ash Delaney calls for mandatory swim training

A high school swim coach and former Olympian says he’s ’in full support’ of a renewed push for swim safety in Queensland following the deadliest year for drownings on record.

St Andrew's Anglican College swimming head coach Ash Delaney (right) and champion swimmer Kyle Chalmers. Picture: Facebook.

St Andrew’s Anglican College swimming head coach Ash Delaney has echoed calls for mandatory swimming lessons in schools amid the deadliest year on record for coastal and ocean drowning deaths.

Surf Life Saving Australia released data in January revealing coastal and ocean deaths in 2021-22 reached the highest number on record of 141.

The comments stem following calls from Steve Titmus, the father of Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, for a “certificate to swim” to be completed before Australians start high school.

“It’s crazy in a place like Queensland that it isn’t compulsory,” Mr Titmus said.

“It should be part of the enrolment into a school, the fact that you’ve got a certificate and you know how to swim.”

Education Queensland’s website says schools are encouraged to include water safety and swimming as part of the delivery of the Australian curriculum and Education Minister Grace Grace has reassured the lessons are compulsory, despite parents raising concerns about the delivery of the vital lessons.

St Andrew's Anglican College swimming head coach Ash Delaney. Picture: Facebook.

Delaney, 36, said he ‘would be in full support’ of mandatory lessons and better awareness.

“We live on an island and so much of our lives and our culture is surrounded by water so for people to go through education and with that to be incorporated I think is very important,” he said.

“Even just looking at the statistics of drownings in the last year it’s frightening so I know it would definitely help and be a good initiative.”

Australia's the Men's 4x100m Medley Relay Final winning team (left to right) Geoff Huegill, Ashley Delaney, Brenton Rickard and Eamon Sullivan celebrate during the XIX Commonwealth Games at the Dr SPM Aquatics Complex in Delhi, India on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010. Picture: Tracey Nearmy.

The former national-record holder and Olympic and world championship medal-winning swimmer, said better access and cheaper funding could also help contribute.

“I do think more can be done and that also comes down to access to pools and things like that,” he said.

“It’s still relatively expensive for private lessons where you might have one session for 30 minutes or an hour per week but if they’re incorporating it into schools it would help educate parents as well as the school and their students.”

The call for action had been strongly supported by one of Gympie’s most experienced swim instructors, Liz Manthey, and Rockhampton’s Caribeae Swimming Academy head coach, Jodie Shanks.