2018 Awards of Excellence Winner Profile: Domenic Cowdell

Winner Name: Domenic Cowdell
Club: North Cottesloe SLSC
Category: Trainer of the Year
What Year Did You Join Surf Life Saving: 2012
Achievements:

• I began to ski when I was 21, then became a ski instructor and ran a ski school.
• I then moved to Australia, became a surf lifesaver and became an accredited trainer

When Domenic moved to Australia in 2012, he hit the beach running and hasn’t stopped, taking on trainees across many surf life saving courses to ensure the best skills possible are displayed on our beaches.

Over the past season, Domenic guided and trained surf life saving volunteers through their Surf Rescue Certificates, Bronze Medallions, Radio Operator Certificates, Skills Maintenance Checks, Cadet Training and various other courses, and also improved training resources for members.

1. Tell us something interesting about yourself!
   I spent 20 years in mountains teaching skiing, climbing and mountain biking in different countries around the world; England, Switzerland, Andora, France and the US. My wife and I were married on the ski slopes in France.
2. Did you grow up with the beach? If so, where was your home beach?
   Not at all. We use to go down to Brighton (UK) every summer for 4 weeks but that was 400km away.
3. When you’re not down at the beach, what keeps you busy? (Study, work, other hobbies?)
   Mountain biking, skiing, diving, travel, getting my four-year-old into trouble and harassing people about their requals.
4. What does Surf Life Saving mean to you?
   Developing community spirit and increasing peoples physical and mental skills.
5. What is the best thing about your Surf Life Saving Club?
   At North Cott, the best thing is definitely our active training programme – not that I am biased in any way. 
6. What is your most memorable – whether it be funny, happy, tear-jerking or exciting – moment you’ve had during your time with surf life saving?
   Being involved in a resuscitation on the beach and seeing how well patrol members performed together especially having trained several of them.
7. How has Surf Life Saving shaped who you are today?
   I go a job out of it – I now work in Surf Life Saving WA’s Training and Education department as a Training & Education Development Officer.
8. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in joining Surf Life Saving?
   You can get out of it as much as you want to; it is up to you to decide what you want and how much work you want to put in.

Domenic’s Red and Yellow Flag Cake