Coach's Guide to Gymnastics Australia Coach Accreditation Ages 14+ 2026

From the Coach Accreditation Policy V1.14 (March 2024), the Fundamental Gymnastics Coach Accreditation is the entry-level accreditation and covers all gymsports:

• You must be 15 or older to hold it, and you can start working towards it at 14.
• You complete all parts of the accreditation, with the on-the-job training done under the direct mentorship of an accredited Club Coach Educator.
• On completion you move from Technical Associate Member to Technical Member and receive Technical Member benefits.
• Your first 12 months of Technical Membership are free, starting on the completion date, which becomes your annual renewal date. This does not apply if you were previously a Technical Member (Coach or Judge): you pay full fees on renewal.
• You can then coach independently up to and including Foundation Level 2 skills (once a Club Coach Educator has deemed you competent in the gymsport-specific skills), and Foundation Level 1 and 2 at State/Territory events subject to State/Territory approval. You cannot coach at Gymnastics Australia events.

From the Coach Accreditation Policy V1.14 (March 2024):

Requirements: hold a Beginner or Fundamental Gymnastics accreditation (or an exemption from Beginner), and be 16 or older to enrol in the face-to-face component. Complete all of:

• on-the-job training (the Intermediate Workbook, including 20 supervised coaching hours)
• the online Intermediate Coaching Principles Course
• the online Intermediate Gymsport Coaching Course
• the Intermediate Gymsport Face to Face Course

Exemptions (full or part) are listed as including: qualified or pre-service (1+ years) PE teachers; Launchpad Ignite! certificate holders; holders of a Certificate II Sport Coaching or above, Certificate II Sport and Recreation or above, or Certificate III and IV in Fitness; holders of a GA Intermediate or above gymsport accreditation (including lapsed ones); and holders of a Level 1 accreditation or above from another sport. The list is not exhaustive. There are generally no exemptions for ASC General Principles, early childhood education qualifications, or teaching diplomas and degrees (other than PE). Apply on the form from your State/Territory Association.

Teacher Technical Membership: a reduced-rate option for pre-service or qualified teachers who teach gymnastics within a school curriculum, at Intermediate or Advanced level only. It does not include insurance, and the holder cannot coach at a Gymnastics Australia competition.

From the Coach Accreditation Policy V1.14 (March 2024):

Advanced (most gymsports, including WAG): hold Intermediate or an exemption, and be 17 or older for the face-to-face component. Complete the online Advanced Coaching Principles with assessment tasks, the online Advanced Gymsport Course with assessment task (both alongside workplace training), a current First Aid Certificate, and the gymsport face-to-face course. Salto training is a critical component and has no exemption unless you already hold an Advanced or higher accreditation that includes coaching a salto.

Advanced Silver: hold Advanced or an exemption, be 18 or older, and attend a FIG Level 2 Academy Program achieving 80% or more for both theory and practical components, plus a First Aid Certificate. A FIG Level 2 Certificate holder may be exempt. Special circumstances training is not available.

High Performance: hold Advanced Silver, be 18 or older, complete pre-course learning, and attend a FIG Level 3 Academy Program achieving 80% or more for both theory and practical components, plus a First Aid Certificate. Special circumstances training is not available.

Each of these accreditations stays active only with annual updating and Technical Membership renewal.

From the Coach Accreditation Policy V1.14 (March 2024):

• Beginner Coach (superseded by Fundamental): coaches under supervision only. Cannot coach saltos or skills with inverted rotation involving height and flight.
• Fundamental Gymnastics Coach: coaches independently up to and including Foundation Level 2 skills, once an accredited Club Coach Educator has deemed them competent in the gymsport-specific skills (for example, bar skills if their on-the-job training had no bars). Can coach Intermediate-level skills only under supervision, and cannot coach saltos.
• Intermediate Coach: coaches independently at Intermediate level. Cannot coach saltos or skills with inverted rotation involving height and flight unless they have completed the Advanced Tumbling and Spring Module.
• Advanced Coach: coaches at Advanced level, at Gymnastics Australia and State/Territory events.
• Advanced Silver Coach: coaches at Advanced Silver level, at Gymnastics Australia and State/Territory events.
• High Performance Coach: no restrictions in the gym or at competition.

To coach a salto (flight and rotation of 360 degrees forward or backward, without hand support) or skills with flight and inverted rotation without hand support, you must hold Advanced accreditation or above (excluding RG and AER), or hold a current Advanced Tumbling and Spring Module (Module 1) for ACR, GfA, MAG, TRP, TUM or WAG. Drills in preparation for a salto can be coached under supervision.

From the Coach Accreditation Policy V1.14 (March 2024) and the 2026 WAG Technical Regulations V1.1:

• Working With Children Check: everyone attending a face-to-face accreditation module that involves children (presenters, assessors, observers and participants) must provide evidence of a valid Working With Children Check, or equivalent under State or Territory legislation. The host organisation of the module must make sure all participants hold one.
• Member Protection Declaration: GA must enquire into the background of people who coach or have regular unsupervised contact with children. When you renew Technical Membership you acknowledge the Member Protection Policy through a Member Protection Declaration, and make a disclosure if you do not agree with it. If you are unsure whether you need to disclose, do not continue the renewal: contact integrity@gymnastics.org.au or call GA on 03 8698 9700 to speak to the Integrity Team.
• Policies to follow: the Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, Member Protection Policy, Social Media Policy and Disordered Eating Prevention and Early Intervention Policy.
• Reporting: under the National Integrity Framework, anyone in gymnastics must raise a concern about a child's welfare or inappropriate behaviour with Sport Integrity Australia. Failing to report is a breach of the Framework.

From the Coach Accreditation Policy V1.14 (March 2024):

• An accreditation is only active while you are a current GA Technical Member. It is not recognised if Technical Membership lapses or is suspended.
• Renew Technical Membership every year online through the member portal (GOL). You need the required updating points under the Updating Policy to renew.
• Renewal emails come two months and one month before the renewal date, and a further email one week after the date says membership is no longer valid.
• Your renewal date stays the same if you pay within one month before or two months after it. If you pay later than that, the date becomes the payment date.
• The fee is one combined amount covering Gymnastics Australia and your State/Territory Association.
• Insurance cover applies only to current Technical Members, for activities at affiliated clubs or GA/State sanctioned events.
• A new Fundamental Gymnastics coach gets 12 months free Technical Membership from the date they complete the accreditation, unless they were previously a Technical Member (Coach or Judge).

From the Coach Accreditation Policy V1.14 (March 2024):

• A First Aid Certificate is an accreditation requirement for a coach with an Advanced accreditation or above. For Advanced, a coach must hold a current certificate or complete a course before enrolling in the face-to-face course. Advanced Silver and High Performance also list a First Aid Certificate.
• The accepted courses are HLTAID011 Provide First Aid (formerly HLTAID003) or HLTAID012 Provide an emergency first aid response in an education and care setting (formerly HLTAID004).
• The certificate must be renewed every 3 years, and CPR must be updated annually for it to remain valid. GA recognises first aid training for 3 years from the date on the attainment certificate.
• Registered nurses and paramedics are exempt on presentation of a valid AHPRA registration number or similar proof.
• Course codes and content change regularly, and GA says it will inform coaches of updates.

From the Coach Accreditation Policy V1.14 (March 2024):

• Beginner Coach: must coach under the supervision of a certified Supervisor at all times, until an Intermediate accreditation is awarded. Clubs must make sure this happens. Up to three Beginner Coaches can be supervised by one Supervisor, who must be on the gym floor in proximity to them.
• Certified Supervisor: a current Technical Member with a current GA coach accreditation at Intermediate or above, who has completed the Gymnastics Australia Online Supervisor Training course. GA highly recommends a Supervisor is at least 18.
• Trainee Fundamental Gymnastics coach: completes all on-the-job training under the direct mentorship of a Club Coach Educator, who must be a current Technical Member, hold Intermediate accreditation or above, be at least 18 and have completed the GA Club Coach Educator Accreditation course.
• Intermediate Coach training for Advanced: needs a mentor holding Advanced accreditation or above (where possible in the same gymsport). The mentor does not need to give direct daily supervision, except while the Intermediate Coach coaches skills in the Advanced Skills Matrix for that gymsport.

The policy does not set class ratios for recreational classes.

From the Coach Accreditation Policy V1.14 (Appendix 2) and the 2026 WAG Technical Regulations V1.1:

Minimum accreditation to coach in women's artistic at Gymnastics Australia events

• Australian Championships: Level 8-10 needs Advanced Silver (GA recommends Advanced Silver). Future International, Junior and Senior need Advanced Silver (GA recommends High Performance).
• National Clubs Carnival: Levels 1-2 need Intermediate. Levels 3-4 need Intermediate (GA recommends Intermediate plus the Advanced Tumbling and Spring Module). Levels 5-6 need Advanced (GA recommends Advanced Silver). Levels 7-9 need Advanced (GA recommends Advanced Silver). Level 10 needs Advanced Silver. Future International, Junior and Senior need Advanced Silver (GA recommends High Performance).
• A coach must hold a WAG accreditation for Levels above 1-2 (a MAG accreditation or GfA Intermediate can cover Levels 1-2).
• Beginner and Fundamental coaches cannot coach at Gymnastics Australia events. A Teacher Technical Member cannot coach at a Gymnastics Australia competition.
• State/Territory events have their own extra requirements set by each State/Territory Association. A Beginner coach can only coach on a State/Territory competition floor under supervision.

On the floor at national events: the number of coaches on the floor cannot exceed the number of competing athletes from each State or club (a single athlete may have 2 coaches). Coaches must be actively coaching to stay on the floor, must not film or photograph athletes during competition or warm-up, and must not sit or lean on the podium or use a mobile phone.