PoolWorks Magazine

PoolWorks LIFEGUARDS.INSTRCTORS.PROGRAMMERS.LEADERS

JUNE 2021 ISSUE 1

WHATS THE SIXTH SENSE FOR YOUR HOME OFFICE?

What's My Underwear Job? f

Calling all PLAYfessionals

SPOTLIGHT ON PAUL REYNOLDS COMMUNITY CENTRE

CONTENTS POOLWORKS MAGAZINE | JUNE 2021 | ISSUE 1 On the Cover: Payten Wilson, Lifeguard/Instructor. City of Estevan. Estevan, SK

05

THE FITNESS FORECAST

What does lifeguard fitness look like?

07

SPOTLIGHT ON A FACILITY Paul Reynolds Community Centre, NFLD

13

TRAINING TUNE-UP 4 training ideas to use with your teams to practice skills and keep staff safe

27

HOWE TO INSPIRE DURING UNINSPIRING TIMES Take a look at 5tips to help lead a team during challenging times

33

BECOME A FRONTCRAWL MONSTER 4Drills to help improve the most common stroke we love so much!

WHAT'S COMING UP CONNECT

NEXT ISSUE

AVAILABLE SEPT 1, 2021

CONTACT ME

Articles from:

Do you have a great idea for

Leslie Kunz - Why We Do What We Do?

an article? Do you have

Megan Miller - Nutrition and Lifeguarding

knowledge on a topic that

Kimiko Hirakida - Swimming Lessons Students

needs to be shared? Perhaps

and their Skills as We Escape the Pandemic

a fun photo that would be an

Kevin Paes - Leadership Lessons to Live By

amazing addition?

Fun items like: What's your terrible mermaid name?

Energizers & teambuilders to use with staff

I want to hear from you!!!

PoolWorksMagazine@gmail.com

COURSE

Maybe you just want to

LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

message to tell me what you think? I am interested in what is working well for you. Of course, I want to know what isn't working too. Remember to be kind though.

What direction do chickens swim in a pool?

Cluck wise.

I read a book called The Swimming Pool. It started out rather shallow but had a very deep end.

Had to swim away from a shark the other day in my swimming trunks. No idea how he got into them. ***punsandoneliners.com

POOLWORKS MAGAZINE |

2

DECEMBER 2016

PROFILE

I HAVE A SECRET.

I love aquatics, surprised?? No probably not. I also love all the ideas that this industry comes up with. We are ingenious, enthusiastic and passionate for what we do.

But our industry is also riddled with challenges, considered a high risk activity, staff that are often young and lack experience, and a constant pressure to come up with new and fresh ideas to get people through the doors.

So let's help one another out!! Over the years, I have gathered ideas, documents, and most importantly friends. who I plan to exploit, highlight, and lean on during this next adventure. With this publication I hope to help connect us all with a little more. I am excited to put everything into one fresh and fun publication that you will see seasonally. JustPOSTMODERN to PAINTING. Stella clarify...that is spring, summer, fall and winter.

Not alternately paints in oil and watercolor second winter, third winter, or however many mother nature likes to throw our way.

So maybe my aquatic love, isn't much of a secret but creating this certainly was, even Take many of the people in a peek into a day these pages weren't aware of what really in thethey life of had budding artist Stella Young, signed up for. But here it is...it feels vulnerable when and how she improves you tell someone a secret as you don't always know her craft the reactions other will have. I will wait and hope you all react in a positive way (hint,hint -fingers crossed) I hope you find as much joy in flipping through these pages as I did putting it together.

JO EN

Y.

Erin Wilson

POOLWORKS MAGAZINE | 3

LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE ON THE COUCH. POOLWORKS MAGAZINE |

4

Fitness Forcast I was reading an article I found on the International Life Saving Federation’s website that states “Experts in the field of lifeguard training and rescue believe that lifeguards need to be able to demonstrate a reasonable level of fitness. It is presumed that lifeguards would have sound swimming and water rescue skills” This probably seems like such an obvious statement to many of us. I have been in the industry for many years, and it has only been in the last 5 years that I have started talking fitness to anyone who will listen. When you mix in a pandemic with these growing concern about lifeguard fitness levels and I start to question if we have a perfect storm brewing??? Through the pandemic we have been teaching lifeguard and WSI courses, at my facility and because of this I have witnessed firsthand the effects not swimming regularly have had on our often-young staff and candidates.

With facilities being shut down and pool schedules being consumed with patrons fighting to get in, it seems lifeguard training and fitness are at the bottom of the priority list.

However, this may be the time when fitness is more important than ever.

Unfortunately, many of our staff they may not be able to access the pool like they used, and they have also had most of their extra curricular sports halted or decreased this past year. I even have staff who are too young to meet the minimum requirements to go into our local fitness centre. How are these staff going to stay fit enough to lifeguard our facilities and patrons?

Are they fit enough to perform a water rescue on someone twice their size or do CPR for over 10mins? Do our instructors still have the ability to demonstrate stroke proficiency?

We need to ask ourselves, what is considered a reasonable fitness level when it comes to lifeguards?

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5

Try this out!

The ILS article does provide some recommendations for swim performance testing. The recommended standard is a 400m swim in a specific time and/or 50metres in 50sec.We use these, or some version of them in every lifeguard program.

They work, they are accepted, and they are boring.

Let’s face it, they are repetitive and feel like a lot of work… especially that endurance swim, Augh.

I don’t pretend to know what the future holds for lifeguards and swimming instructors but from where I stand, they need support, encouragement, and motivation. If they are anything like me, trying to improve their fitness, they need to be pushed..

Perhaps that push comes from a buddy, a friendly competition, or a unique workout that doesn’t even feel like work, but it does need to be less about having to do something and more about wanting to do it.

In Estevan, we set out to try and take the repetitive fitness skills we so often do in aquatics and jazz them up a bit. Our newest way to make fitness fun has been to take a journey around the world challenging staff to perform lifeguard skills from a different country or sometimes even different organizations. We have tried lifeguard skills from South Africa, Dubai and China, just to name a few places. We have also tested our fitness by trying out skills from the Navy Seals and the Army. Each month, we post a new challenge, and each challenge has its own unique sticker which the lifeguard receives when they successful complete the challenge.

Sometimes they find success and honestly sometimes they do not, but they are having fun challenging themselves to try something different while working on their fitness. What more could I ask for?

600m 100m(4-25m lengths) Frontcrawl warmup 4-25m sprints odds-frontcrawl, even-backcrawl 50m (2-25m) flutterkick 4-25m sprints odd-breastroke, even-choice 50m (2-25m) dolphin kick on back 2x50m brick tow. (try at least 10lbs) 100m Cool Down (choice) POOLWORKS MAGAZINE |

6

PAUL REYNOLDS COMMUNITY CENTRE AT WEDGEWOOD PARK, CITY OF ST. JOHN’S, NL

By Leslie Kunz Building Photographs by Scott Courage Staff Photographs by Jessica Peckham and Jeff Au

Are you currently open?

Yes! City Facilities are open, we closed due to COVID last spring (2020) and again in February (2021) for a while.

Do things look different?

Things look quite different. We have not run our waterslides or opened our play structure to the public in over a year so it has been quiet. Our, non-covid, capacity is 193 patrons normally, so its odd to only see 50-60 swimmers on site at one time (less when the lanes are in).

Watching staff wear their masks while on deck (except for when actively lifeguarding – then they can remove them) has been strange and taken some getting used too.

What have been some of the most difficult hurdles you have had to overcome?

COVID-19 has been a challenge in terms of operating our facility, Things change so quickly that it can be difficult to stay on top of what the requirements are and how we need to adapt. These challenges, while significant, teach us so much about teamwork, flexibility, and communication.

At the end of the day, you just want your staff to be working in a safe and comfortable place with regular shifts. Ultimately, we want to ensure the community has access to a fun and safe facility that we know they enjoy so much.

Paul Reynolds Community Centre • 35 Carrick Drive, St. John’s, NL • Recreation@stjohns.ca • 709-576-8631 • http://www.stjohns.ca/living-st-johns/recreation-andparks/swimming POOLWORKS MAGAZINE |

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What is your staffing structure?

Pre-COVID we were operating with almost 100 lifeguards between our 2 facilities (our sister facility the H.G.R. Mews Community Centre), Our full staff compliment includes: 2 full-time permanent Head Lifeguards, 2 part-time permanent Head Lifeguards, 30 call-in Head Lifeguards, who are also Lifeguard / Instructors (approx.)

70 Call in Lifeguard / Instructors 1 Program & Operations Coordinator, a unionized position, oversees the head lifeguards and is shared with 4 pools (2year round, 2seasonal), Management levels start with 1 Facility Supervisor, responsible for evaluations, time off requests, HR concerns, etc.

1 Facility Manager oversees the entire team at Paul Reynolds as well as several other facilities.

How big is your community that you serve?

The population of the City of St. John’s is approximately 114,000 people. This facility is in the ‘east end’ in a community called Wedgewood Park. It services approximately 21,000 people in the immediate area. Paul Reynolds is a flag ship facility so we actually service a larger area because of the popularity of the centre. This site's amenities, coupled with the amazing staff team creates a community centre that is well used and loved.

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What have been some of the best success?

• My proudest moments were the week we opened to the public in June of 2017. That wonderful feeling when you finally get to walk into the facility and on to the pool deck of a place that you have put so much energy into building for so long is an emotional experience hard to forget. Getting to see kids laughing, people so thankful and excited to be there, and a team of ROCKSTAR staff doing their thing…that was big for me! The ‘official’ ribbon cutting, and related events were fun, but just seeing everything in full swing was amazing. I was so proud of the team and thrilled to be a part of it!

• Seeing us evolve over the last few years has been so amazing to watch. Having staff come to you with some awesome ideas about how they can build capacity in our community, how they work together to overcome obstacles, watching them train together – it is an honor and a pleasure to be a part of it!

• The best success to me are the seemingly ‘small’ stories. When a kid goes off the diving board for the first time, when we work with someone who has a barrier to ensure they have access to the facility, when a parent tells you that a lifeguard made their kids day by asking them to help with a task - those are the best. Early when we first opened, I did a tour with a Mom of a child with a lot of physical challenges – I showed her the accessible change room with the hydraulic adult sized change table and shower with a lift – she cried, I cried. It was amazing. There are so many stories like that!

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9

f o t s e t t s e u r t the w o h s i p i h s r e d lea n o i t c n u f u o y l wel . s i s i r c in a

Brian Tracy

HOW R YOU?©

By John Napier

“I wanna go swimming, I wanna go swimming!”

The kids are relentless, they have been on my case for days in anticipation of a dip in the outdoor pool. I check the website; perfect, public swim in one hour, just enough time to watch the final episode of Baywatch. Something else catches my eye; there is a list of pool rules, what to expect upon arrival, and a checklist of items to bring. I think to myself, so organized. I gather our gear, suits, goggles, towels, sunscreen, snacks, and water. Check. Check. We hop in the car, the kids singing at the top of their lungs “Baby Shark doo doo”, bouncing around like Tigger at one of Pooh’s parties.

I am relieved to see only one family lined up ahead of us, giving me time to read the sign posted outside indicating the water and air temperatures, what amenities are open, and pool rules. I’m a rule guy, so I appreciate this. We are greeted by a cheerful young staff member who asks the kids if they’re excited to go swimming. They overenthusiastically reply, “YES!!!!!” I pay and am asked if I have any questions. How polite. The changerooms are spotless, surprising considering the number of people at the pool today. I made my best attempt to apply sunscreen on the squirmy rascals before they slipped out of my hands. I was reminded of our last Thanksgiving turkey, with butter on my hands I dropped the bird and our dog scooped it up.

Upon exiting the changerooms I am hit with 150 decibels of explosive joy and laughter;

the pool is buzzing with people.

The water is crystal clear, kids are cruising down the waterslide, the lifeguards appear so engaged and alert. I hear a whistle. Silence. A lifeguard gets on the megaphone asking kids if they are ready to play some games, the crowd erupts with a huge roar of elation. My kids head straight for the action, leaving me to lug all our gear to the only empty picnic table.

I wonder how the staff can stay so calm and professional with what appears to be complete chaos, thinking myself a bad parent for being annoyed when the kids ask for a PB&J sandwich.

As I settle in, I notice what appears to be a supervisor walking around to the staff replenishing their water, adjusting their umbrellas, and checking to see if they need anything. Since I’m a curious person; ok, a nosy person; I stop the supervisor, proudly referencing her name tag; and ask her, “Pam, how do they do it?”

“Do what?” Pam replies.

“How do you and the staff manage to stay so calm, look so professional, and appear content and happy with all the chaos?”

With a sincere tone she simply responds with, “personal wellness.”

I’m confused. “What do you mean, personal wellness?”

She tells me that she would love to chat with me about it after the staff are taken care of.

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11

I watch as she finishes her rounds, disappears into “By simply being specific with the question “How R the office to emerge with a single sheet of paper. I You?©” quickly check on my kids, nothing but pure joy Recreation What does play look like? What is emanating from every pore; they are good. Pam bringing you comfort? sits down and places the paper in front of me. It Rejuvenate How is your sleep? Have you had a simply says, “How R You?©” with six words; chance to “turn off” and “tune out”?

Recreation, Rejuvenate, Relationships, Replenish, Relationships Who is important to you? Have you Responsibilities, Reflection. Quizzically I turn over connected to them recently? the page looking for more; she gives a little snicker Replenished Are you nourished? Have you “nothing more”. hydrated today?

I ask how this explains what is going on around Responsibilities Do you feel balanced? Are you here? How does it explain the informative website, worrying about things out of your control? the clear signage, the friendly staff, the clean Reflected Have you practiced mindfulness today changerooms, the sparkling water, the professional or connected to breath? lifeguards, and the attentive supervisor?

“This works?” I ask.

Pam continues, “It’s our culture, it doesn’t need to be “It’s part of our culture. We have built it into a peer complicated. Sure, there are binders full of policies support system where staff check in with one and procedures, health and safety protocols, another. Before they can ask someone How R You? mechanical and cleaning checklists, those are a © they must first answer it for themselves.” given, the magic ingredient is the people; the people Pam continues, “If one of the R’s is under stress then need to be taken care of for all of it to work.” a peer support staff will help them determine what "Tell me more,” I prod. And Pam lights up, I can tell they need. Sometimes they are not fit for duty and she believes in the R's©. they choose to take a personal wellness break, It all starts with self” she explains. “When we other times it is as simple as drinking a glass of onboard staff, we educate them about the water. importance of self-care and personal wellness.” ”To be honest,” Pam says, “we have had fewer sick Self-care, I silently snort, what an overused term, days and missed shifts since we implemented the these millennials always thinking about themselves. R’s.”

She continues, “Research is showing that to best Wow. I am shocked at hearing how something so take care of others we must first take care of simple has such a huge impact. ourselves.”

I thank Pam for her time to which she replies, “How Hmm, seems she has a point here, something like R You?” I stutter and pause, refraining from my putting on your own oxygen mask first, I’m intrigued. automated “I’m fine” response.

Pam says their organization adopted the 6 R’s© as “I’ll reflect and let you know,” I tell her. Replenishing their way to check in with themselves and with with a drink of water; I make my way to the edge of other staff to ensure staff are fit to work. the pool to enjoy my relationship with the kids and “How?” I ask. take in a little recreation. “Here I come kids….CANNONBALL!”

What are the 6 R’s? © They are a tool developed by FluidStory to address the essential elements of wellbeing. FluidStory has developed the 6 R’s© tool to include the main aspects of personal health; physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and intellectual.

Holistically, these encompass the body, mind, and spirit. To find out how Peer Support Teams and the 6 R’s© can benefit your organization please contact us at hello@fluidstory.ca POOLWORKS MAGAZINE |

12

Training Tune-up

By Cassidy Reich

I’ve been training lifeguards during the pandemic. yep. You read that correctly. Over the last year, we've seen toilet paper shortages to wearing mandatory masks to reworking lesson plans over and over again all to adhere to current guidelines. Was it a challenge? YES. Did I always get it right? NO. Am I going to share some ideas that worked for me? ABSOLUTELY. Now more than ever, I’ve come to truly appreciate the value of a fun learning environment. The staff needed it, and selfishly, I did too! Here’s a few Games with Aims to train purposefully and playfully (while *attempting* to keep guards at a distance).

Fill Up My Cup : We all know how important a strong, supportive kick is when it comes to a pool rescue. I split my team into two bubbles (based on who they work with most often and in their classes at school) and gave everyone a red solo cup.

I grabbed 2 pails from the equipment room and had the teams line up starting at the pail, placed on the edge of the pool. Each team had about 6 people, so the lines only went to about the middle of the deep end. Teams faced away from the pails and the person at the start of the line filled their cup with pool water and dumped it over and behind their head into the next team member’s waiting cup.

Teams continued to pass the water until the last person dumped what they could in their pail and swam to the front of the line to start the water pass again. We continued for a few minutes, with our winner having the most water in their pail at the end.

Noodle Knock Off : A quick ice breaker to get everyone in the pool. Give everyone their own noodle to stand on in the deep end.

Create an area of play and tell your team to knock each other off their noodle until you have a final person standing.

It’s fun to watch them panic as someone approaches them and they often fall off noodles without touching one another! For an easier option, have everyone sit or kneel on noodles rather than stand.

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Ready, Set, PIN Keeping in our teams, we used manikins and had a 5-minute rescue race. All team members rotated through signaling, entering the pool, rescuing the Person In Need (PIN), and bringing them to the nearest point of safety. Our teams managed to help 17 people in this time, what can your team accomplish?

WISH LIST

Items to add social distancing to your training/teaching

Battle of the Balloons A scanning and surveillance drill. A pair of lifeguards takes their stations while the rest become patrons. All patrons have a balloon and their goal is to blow the balloon up and tie it. Lifeguards are required to blow their whistle and point at the patron blowing the balloon up. If they catch a patron, the patron deflates their balloon and tries again. Make sure to bring out colourful pool toys and turn on loud water features/music to increase the realism!

Resusci Anne QCPR and/or Baby QCPR laerdal.com

Ruth Lee Adult & Child pool manikins (available in Canada via ALG Safety)

Aquam 20lb & 10lb bricks

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14

Duck,Duck, Goosechase!

How can I keep my lifeguards engaged and up on their knowledge if I don’t get to see them every day or every week?

This was a tough new reality in the early days of the pandemic for us in Estevan, SK. Like many pools our facilities were empty. On one hand, this allowed us to tackle that pile of odd projects that accumulates over time, but on the other hand there was a growing feeling of disconnect to our team. This lead us to try and use technology to have a little fun while keeping our staff safe and separated into "crews". GOOSECHASE created a spirited, engaging, and creative way to keep our skills front of mind.

Full disclosure, this did take some time to create the missions and roll out the information to staff. We used the free version of GooseChase and made 3 teams of about 6 guards. We played over a 3 weeks period, introducing approximately 15 new missions a week. All missions can be pre-scheduled into the game and the game keeps track of the points/leaderboard. The staff had a blast submitting pictures, videos, and answering questions. Some of the challenges were work related, while others were completely random. We gave away small prizes throughout the weeks to help keep staff motivated and racing to reach the top spot. We also placed a captain on each team to ensure everyone participated. Teams were also able to "like" one another's posts, just as they are used too on social media. It created a lot of smiles, laughter and conversation and in a time were things felt dreary this was a major WIN!!!

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MISSION POSSIBLE City of Estevan Staff GooseChase Inservice Just a few mission examples......

Safety First – Snap a picture of a team member wearing at least 3 items of personal protective equipment

To The Rescue – Snap a picture of at least 3 rescue aids

Acroyoga – Have 2 team members show

Lookin’ Good – Take a picture

us their best yoga/acroyoga move in a

wearing your cap, goggles, and nose

video or photo

plug

Goin’ Boatin’ – Find a boat. Have as many

The Big Jump – Have a team

team members as you can get in the boat

member show us the compact

and take a picture

jump entry from chair

by Sienna Reeves Newsletters are published by clubs, churches, societies, associations, and businesses—especially companies—to provide information of interest to members, customers, or employees.

CONTINUED TO P. 04

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Some believe that Benjamin Franklin invented Swim Fins, using two planks of wood tied to his hands to propel himself faster through the water

Sloths are 3x faster in water than land and are able to hold breath for up to 40mins

Only about 75% of water is considered "wet", the rest is considered "hard" or "rough"

#WFF

Water Fun Fact

The Worlds largest pool is in Alfonso del Mar which is in Chile and is 1,013 metres long. It even has sailboats

If you went swimming on the moon not only would you be able to jump out of the water like a dolphin, you could also walk on the water!

80% of illnesses in developing worlds are water related. Drinking adequate amounts of water aids in digestion, circulation, absorption, extretion POOLWORKS MAGAZINE |

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1

ICEBREAKERS

with distance ADD IT UP! Have students pair up and stand 6ft apart while keeping head down. On one hand players choose the number of fingers they want to display. On the count of three each pair will raise head and hand. First person to add up the fingers and call out he number wins.

Food, Friends, Fireworks!

Have students pair up and stand 6ft apart on the count of 3, each player pick either food("mmmm" & rub belly)or Friends ("hey" & big wave) or Fireworks ("whoa" & point at sky). The goal is to get the same action with your partner. How many times did it take to match?

3

2

Give me Five!

Have students scatter around the room while maintaining physical distancing. Try to have everyone facing one another and holding one hand up in front of their body.

One person in the group shares something about themselves, if someone does NOT relate to it they put down a finger. Repeat the process with a new student sharing something about themselves. The winner is the person who lasts the longest.

Aric Taylor

Pilot

Best thing about being a pilot?

Getting to do something I have dreamed about since being a young kid. I love going to work and consider it more of a passion than a job.

There are a number of courses you need to take to become a commercial pilot. Most people would be able to complete them in 2-3 years, but the learning never ic : ends. e th

ork w r ou ty es y m Pet b i r To sc t de ow n – s e b D h at t Back t g ’ S on I W on

My first job: A lifeguard for 2yrs at the waterslide park in Grand Beach,MB. Then City of Winnipeg as an Instructor/Guard for 3yrs.

What did you learn from your lifeguard/instructor position?

Lot’s of things! The path towards becoming a lifeguard and instructor teaches you a lot of lifelong skills. First comes the technical skills required to do the job, and then comes the interpersonal skills you learn on the job: how to deal with a diverse group of people, leadership, problem solving, decision making.

Can you still fit in your aquatic uniform?

Only in the privacy of my own closest where no one can see (for their benefit)!!!

Fun? Relax?

Downhill skiing, reading, and beach vacations!

What was the rewarding part of aquatics?

Watching so many people accomplish things for the first time.

Whether it’s a young kid swim across the pool for the first time, or an adult who has been scared of water their entire life floating on their back for the first time.

What is your fondest aquatics memory?

All of the great people I met along the way. Aquatics attracts a special – fun, caring, friendly, professional - group of people and they will leave an impression on you for the rest of your life.

tems n i e c i e e off nscre v a up h u s w Must ses, s do

s e in la lik ng f w st u o u t S J lo …. at a ee s ift ff e’ o r sh c e d (th ng an ni t!), ! or n ol o m po fr y l r r oo ea e td th ou e th

Last book you read.

Collapse by Jared Diamond. It’s about past societies that don’t exist anymore and the lessons we can learn from them.

I’m a big non-fiction reader and enjoy learning from the work of others.

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MY UNDERWEAR JOB...

GOT YOUR ATTENTION?? I KNOW, I KNOW, THE HEADING IS A LITTLE CHEEKY BUT LET ME EXPLAIN... I WAS CHATTING WITH LAUREN HAUBRICH A FEW MONTHS AGO AND SHE MADE A COMMENT ABOUT A FRIEND OF HERS THAT NO LONGER WORKS IN AQUATICS WHO WAS NOW IN HER "UNDERWEAR JOB". THE PHRASE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION AND I HAD TO INTERRUPT TO ASK HER WHAT AN "UNDERWEAR JOB" WAS?LAUREN EXPLAINED....LIFEGUARDS AND INSTRUCTORS SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME IN A SWIMSUIT. IT'S JUST PART OF OUR UNIFORM. IT'S INESCAPABLE. WHEN WE TAKE ON NEW JOBS, OUTSIDE OF AQUATICS, OUR UNIFORM CHANGES...AND THE SWIMSUIT STAYS AT HOME. MANY OF US KNOW THAT OUR JOB AS LIFEGUARDS AND INSTRUCTORS ARE A STEPPING STONE FOR OUR FUTURE CAREER. BUT HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHERE AQUATICS CAN TAKE US? HOW CAN THE SKILLS WE LEARN MAKE US STRONGER, WISER, BETTER, MORE AMAZING AND READY FOR WHAT COMES NEXT???

THAT'S WHAT THIS SERIES CELEBRATES : TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT FORMER AQUATICS STAFF ARE DOING NOW. WHAT HAVE THEY CHOSEN TO DO AFTER AQUATICS? WHAT OPTIONS ARE OUT THERE? HOW HAVE OTHERS GROWN FROM THEIR AQUATIC JOBS? AND WHERE ARE THEY NOW???? I AM SO EXCITED TO SHOW OFF THESE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THEIR STORIES AND MAYBE EVEN DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW.

...

Fill YOUR Cup

By Paula Thulin

What fills your cup? Recharges your batteries? Nourishes your mind?

Its easy to answer this question when we reflect on our personal lives but what about in our professional lives? Consider this burnout is inevitable if we don’t fill our cups. To me, filling your cup means self care. So how do we do self care when we work in an industry like Aquatics?

Recognizing that you need a break and a step back from your role is an important first step!

Stopping and actually taking the time to do some self care can be hard when everything is moving fast and we have to deal with a multitude of things that get in the way of self care.

Fear not, I am here to tell you.... IT can be done! Take some time at the pool to fit in things that nourish your mind and body. Here are some that have worked for me:

• Listen to ted talks • Create a zen moment in a quiet part of the facility • Practice Box Breathing - breathe in for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4 • Ensure you take your coffee breaks • Nourish your body - keep healthy snacks on hand • Chair yoga - from the guard chair to your office chair stretch it out!!!

• Pay it forward - leave a treat for a fellow staff • Attend Red Cross Water Safety Conferences to nourish your mind • Surround yourself with positive memes and quotes • Join a professional peer group • Get organized! Remove the clutter • Spread Cheer - give someone a shout out for a job well done • Play a game - a great round of rock paper scissors goes a long way This past year has been a difficult one. Ensure you are filling your cup before you fill someone else's cup. Once you start to take care of yourself you will notice how this positive shift affects your work as well as the relationships between you, your peers and others that you work with. It won’t happen unless you make time for it, so schedule some off deck/out of office time to commit to some self care. In Aquatics we are here to take care of others but always remember; you need to take care of yourself so that you can be the Rock Star that you truly are!!

POOLWORKS MAGAZINE | 21

THE

#S

THAT

MAKE

ME

WISER

Statistics to reflect on...

89% UNDERSTAND

4.6x

YOUR

WORKPLACE

89% of millennials would prefer to choose when and where they work rather than being placed in a 9-5pm position. *officevibe

38%

FIRST

Employees who feel their voice is heard in the workplace are almost five times more likely (4.6x) to feel empowered to deliver their best work **www.expertmarket.com

IMPRESSIONS

38% of a person 1st impression is determined by tone of voice.

REMOTE

COMMUNICATION

PREFER

TO

WATCH

A recent survey found that 75% of employees are more likely to watch a video than read a similar message in written form. **www.expertmarket.com

75%

WORK

67% of people working remotely feel pressure to be available at all hours of the day. *fingerprintforsuccess.com

67%

BEST

FRIEND

Close work Friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50%. People with a best friend at work are 7x more likely to engage fully in work. *snacknation.com

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CALLING ALL PLAYFESSIONALSRECESS FOR REFUELING OUR LIVES

BY JENNIE QUEEN

Recess is a general term for a period in which a group of people are temporarily dismissed from their duties. In school, a recess provides students with the opportunity to consume quick snacks, communicate with their peers, visit the restroom, study, and most importantly to get outside for fresh air and PLAY. Enter work and 'adulting' and we have -coffee breaks and lunchtime. But how many times have you found yourself ‘too busy’ to take them?

When you think about it, “Coffee Break” doesn’t sound nearly as fun as “Recess”. Can you remember the last time you played at work? If you can’t, then you may be missing out on an important way to give yourself a physical and mental health boost. Not to mention a brain and creativity boost.

Let’s look more closely at Play. When you’re a child, you have an entire period devoted to this activity. It’s called play time. However, the older we get, the less time we devote to play.

Play seems to hold less value the older we get.

Ironically, in an industry where we are in the business of recreation and play, we simply don’t participate in play enough. Can we truly be PLAYfessionals if we don’t make time for PLAY?

We joke about it in aquatics, we don’t “go swimming” anymore. Of course, many of us keep swimming for fitness and our job to maintain certifications, but we approach it as work. So, does it really count? How many of us go to a public swim, join an aqua fitness class, play a game of water polo or just PLAY in the pool?

For many Reckies (recreation professionals) it is much the same, we plan, organize, and even lead recreational activities, fitness classes, arts, crafts and yet we rarely slow down enough to carve out the time to dabble in these fine endeavors ourselves.

I believe that we have an instinctive need to play, and we don’t suddenly lose that instinct the older we get; we have simply misplaced it.

Play is one of the most important things we need to do more of. Not only will it stimulate you, but it will also improve your state of mind.

The benefits of play are far-reaching, but we often give up play as adults for more serious pursuits. Our careers, our relationships, and our families are valid pursuits, but they require time and for us to be present. What if we could tap into play to enhance our life experiences, our careers, our relationships, and our family life?

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Here are some benefits of PLAY: • Play decreases stress.

• Play releases endorphins, improves brain functionality, and stimulates creativity.

• Play leaves us feeling energetic. Consider Subbing in Energized for energetic.

• Play improves memory and stimulates the growth of the cerebral cortex.

Have I convinced you that you could benefit by adding play into your weekly routine?

Think of play as more of a mental approach to activities, not necessarily the activities themselves. In fact, you don’t really need to worry about if an activity constitutes as play or not, if you adopt a playful mindset and of course, have fun, while you’re partaking.

Many of us spend the bulk of our waking hours at the office, so making sure we experience play during the workday is crucial. Remember, we are PLAYfessionals, if anyone can create a better, more playful work WHAT'S so NEXT FOR BURGUNDY? environment and culture it is us.

Consider implementing some of these small changes at work, to increase the amount of play in the office.

• Quotes on your desk/office walls • White board for doodles and huddle meetings • Brain teasers/board game • Colouring books • Playful objects – sand tables, fidget toys Or consider this “outside the box” challenge: if kids get recess every day to play and we know how many benefits there are from that play time, why wouldn’t we all have recess? Let’s sound the recess bell and institute “recess” in your workplaces whether you are in person or working virtually. See what a little PLAY can do for you and your team.

I call dibs on the swings!

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Taurus-Apr21-May20

Aries - Mar21-Apr20 You want to be the joker and you try hard to make people laugh, even though in the end you are not actually that funny. Your effort is applauded no matter how awkward the situation. This season try relaxing on the couch and watch some comedy shows to help improve your funny bone.

Known for being stubborn you are often compared to a dog with a bone. You think this is a compliment, but you are foolish since many don't mean it that way. Your most admired traits are divided between vacuum skills and dishwasher loading, which at least makes you valuable to keep around the house. You are a great conversationalist with your pet as they can sleep through most of your stories.

Gemini- May21-June20

You are a shoulder that many friends lean on in a time of need. It is easy to count on you since you have little else exciting to distract you. Always being available isn't just one of your best qualities, its your only.

Keep being that rock and holding out hope that someday you can hang with the cool kids....it probably won't happen, but hope is important.

Cancer- Jun21-Jul22 This may come as a surprise to you, but other people have something to say.

Not everyone enjoys the sound of your voice as much as you do. If only you were fluent in silence. Though most of us may not be able to understand your level of self admiration, we can admire your commitment to it. PS. we see you check yourself out in every reflective surface.

Leo-Jul23-Aug22

Leo's are often admired for their confidence and leadership skills but yelling plays at the TV during football games does not make you a born leader. You are highly competitive but have very little skill to play anything more technical than Jenga. Most of your time is spent taking pictures of your meals, which of course you often eat alone...watching football.

Virgo-Aug23-Sept22 Many consider Virgo's to be optimistic and enthusiastic. These are great traits in a stripper so if you are offered a job you should consider it a sign. Your positive nature could also make a difference in caring for sick ducks, perhaps you could open up a sanctuary and make some new friends.

Libra Sept23-Oct22 Some things should be kept quiet and remain a secret, but thanks to your big mouth it will likely never happen. You enjoy the attention you receive when you think people are interested in what you have to say. Consider a job as a hairstylist at least you could ,make some money while running your mouth.

ScorpioOct23-Nov22

Horriblescopes If you like happiness and sunshine, you should probably turn the page.

Sagittarious- Nov23-Dec21 You are adventurous and a risk taker however that just means you are stupid and often find yourself in compromising, dangerous positions. Practice your communication skills especially your nonverbal skills as most people find your voice annoying. There's no reason you can't be successful in your future...but you probably won't.

Aquarius-Jan20-Feb19 Most computer hackers are Aquarius, no one actually knows why but its probably because they are often the ones still living in their parent's basement. Friends come to you for insight and you do your best to pretend to care. But basically you're like a Monday morning, no one likes you.

You have always enjoyed collecting pretty things, even though many are concerned that 90% of your beauty could be removed by a wet wipe.

You have knack for making drama out of nothing a skill picked up from years of playing with dolls.

Capricorn- Dec22-Jan19

You are conservative and basically afraid of everything. When you aren't running from you own shadow you are trying to convince people that you have a hidden singing talent. Don't worry about quitting your day job, no one is convinced you are going anywhere further than the shower.

Pisces Feb20-Mar20

As one of the most sensitive signs you will probably cry just reading this. If only you could take that energy and put it into something more productive like laundry or washing lettuce. You have an artistic side but sadly no real talent to create anything people want. Keep rolling out of bed everyday and try to find some joy in your mundane life, dang, now you've made me want to cry.

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Howe to Inspire During Uninspiring Times

Pandemic Times. Trying Times. Unusual Times. I’ve even heard optimists call these Exceptional Times. No matter which phrase is used, it means one thing: living and working through COVID-19 is different.

Covid has become the focus of everything we do, personally and professionally.

Never has there been a time when leading an aquatic team was as challenging, and yet never has it been a more important time to inspire our staff. For those of us who have facilities that are open, how can we provide inspiration when there are days when many of us just want to stay in bed, instead of having to problem-solve every COVIDrelated issue that comes our way?

We all know there are a few “good” things that have come out of these strange times, like the ability to host virtual training sessions, meetings, and conferences. Some of us have embraced technology and are ahead of where we might be if we were still in a pre-pandemic world. Another positivity is recreation is receiving greater recognition in communities as an essential service, something we have all been waiting for as we have always understood its benefits, which means I have heard less about potholes and road closures.

With Community members and staff often stressing about government guidelines, possible recreation and sports restrictions, and the fear of impending facility closures, an important question to ask; are we as leaders focusing on the right work with our staff?

As leaders we have a responsibility to encourage and inspire our staff during these challenging times. Do you remember why you started working in aquatics?

Many of us may have started going to work for the pay cheque or perhaps the tan, but somewhere along the way, you stayed in this field because you felt inspired and proud, hopefully as a result of a supervisor or a leader. We now have an opportunity to be that person for our staff.

In fact, I bet you probably already are! Let’s take a look at a few simple tools to help us out during these uninspiring times.

by Shelly Howe

1.

Geek it out.

Yes, I am talking about you. If you are still reading this, you obviously care about your staff, your facility and you will go to great lengths to find information to support them.

Gold star for you! To my fellow geeks, continue to use your resources: search online for team building activities, attend (or offer to host!) a virtual recreation professionals meeting to share ideas, sign up for a workshop that will enhance your skills. Don’t be above stealing a colleague’s idea and putting your own twist on it. Do your research and find some fun ways and activities to build your staff up that works for you.

If you have not yet embraced your innerGeek, don’t be shy-it will pay off!

2.

Create Positive Experiences.

As leaders, we know our staff. We understand what is important to them, what motivates them and why they stay working in Aquatics.

Covid has shifted people’s priorities. We have all been working hard to keep up with all the changes Covid has brought. So, is it time to reevaluate what is important to them? Do the work to find out what really matters to them.

And then exploit it! Just kidding, I mean use it to inspire and motivate them and create opportunities that align with their priorities.

Create positive experiences that will have your staff engaged and performing at their best. Maybe you have an artistic employee?

Assign them to your bulletin or display boards!

You most likely have at least one social media queen – why aren’t they prepping the facility’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter posts? Be creative, you’ll be surprised at what your team can achieve!

3.

Words matter.

This is a great time to practice your communication skills. Communication tends to be the stuff that is easy to drop when we are under pressure in stressful times. Often, during times of crisis, the first thing to go is good manners and thoughtful responses. For instance, an instructor who is showing frustration towards a student might need an understanding leader instead of a sharp reminder that their behavior is unprofessional – they likely already know. An understanding leader could start a conversation about why the situation occurred. We may forget how our words affect our staff, they can empower or destroy, be sure to use them with care.

5.

Role model Self Care.

Take care of yourself. We need to practice good self-care now, more than ever. Have you reviewed your self-care plan lately? Times are a-changing and what may have worked previously may need to be revised. Be a role model to your staff and practice what you preach by taking care of you.

4.

Show Empathy.

Have you actually stopped to ask your staff how they are lately? Nothing can be more inspiring than a kind word and a true listener.

Yes, it does take time. And yes, it is worth it.

The next time you pass a staff member in the staff room, stop and ask them how their day is going. But more than that; ask them something specific about their lives. It could be their sport, art, school or family activity/event. They will be impressed you remembered about what is going on in their world. And then, stop and listen. Don’t anticipate what they are going to say. Wait until they are done, and then take time to respond. You don’t need to solve their problems, just acknowledge them as a person.

Try, “I’m glad you’re here today.” Or “Thank you for taking on this challenging role for our team.” You don’t need to own their emotion to be empathetic.

So, there you have it: Geek it out, Create Positive Experiences, Words Matter, Show Empathy and Role Model Self-Care - simple ideas on Howe to create some inspiration for your staff during these uninspiring times.

For me, a simple truth remains there is no other team I would choose to work with. We train lifeguards and instructors for times like this, we give them restrictions and guidelines for uncertain situations, requiring judgment and creativity with spur-of-the moment decisions.

Aquatic staff are some of the most determined, flexible, , enthusiastic, and loyal group of people that anyone could hope to work with during these uninspiring times. My staff may think that they look to me for inspiration, when in fact, they inspire me daily.

Enjoy the adventure.

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OFFi CE SPACE Create a space that reflects you

Is there space for i in office?

By Wendi Napier Do we recreate our office at home? Here is my answer. Heck no. This is our opportunity to engage in our space differently. This is our opportunity to have a conversation with our space that does not involve ‘Loudmouth Larry’, the co-worker whose misguided thinking has him believe, if you can’t see him - you can’t hear him. Or ‘Peter the pile filer’. Where one glance at his desk engages your organizing OCD. We get to leave them both out of this conversation.

This is your space. You do you. It’s an opportunity to get curious about how you work best, without having to be respectful of what works for others. So, let’s get curious…

In relation to our senses, let's answer the following questions:

sight

What engages you? Maybe it is a pile of paper? Or desk toys? You decide. Does your space offer a view outside? If yes, position your desk to capture nature. And use it! We can combat eye fatigue easily by setting a timer and lifting our eyes from the screen to look at something organic and nature-related. Be curious and try this for a day. If you’re hiding in a hole with no views, introduce a nature photo in your space. Or add a plant - something with a soft broadleaf. Then nurture it, and you, by adding a full spectrum bulb to your desk lamp. Get creative to enhance your connection to nature or whatever it is that you can focus your eyes on that brings you a smile.

sound

Now that 'Larry' is confined to his own home, you learn your neighbor’s dog is outside auditioning for what sounds like the next Howl horror movie. What do you do? No, don’t howl back – that's pretty weird. Instead, bring in sound baffling materials. We know that sound is vibrational, so the softer the furnishings you have in your space the better. Think wall hangings, drapes, rugs. Heck, I’ve even placed a felt banner on the back of my door to help with the transmission. You could most certainly invest some money in legit acoustical panels if that dog continues howling, but I’d start with what you have around the house. Now that you’ve taken steps to soften the unwanted sound, what sound supports you? Light white noise or heavy metal? It’s your choice.

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smell & taste Another opportunity is investigating the powerful senses of smell and taste. My happy hippy self invites you to look at essential oils. Get curious about what supports your personal constitution. Do you require grounding? Or uplifting support? A real earthy scent like sandalwood or patchouli might help. Or a root vegetable snack to support a person who can be overwhelmed easily and feels scattered with thoughts and ideas. Perhaps a few drops of fresh citrus in a diffuser or the crispy crunch of a celery snack can help lighten and energize someone who tends to slip into a computer-induced coma. Our body responds differently, yet we will often connect specific smells to a state of being or memory. So be strategic to help program your body to respond by simply being intentional with what stimulation you provide it. Or eat cake. Who’s around to judge? :)

touch This is a bigger conversation but let’s try to take a snapshot and capture the highlights. It’s all about ergonomics baby. Google home office ergonomics. For many of us, this desk might be a kitchen table. We do the best with what we have. Repurpose the readily available Amazon box to elevate our feet or stack them under our laptop to allow for proper spinal alignment. It’s subtle, but poor posture over time will cause long-term issues. So don’t dismiss what 2 little inches can impact. Better posture > lung compacity > mental clarity > productivity > work-life balance > relationships…. Fix all the world’s problems with proper ergonomics and an Amazon box. Life is simple;)

6th sense

...are we really going there? Heck yes!

This is the most potent sense…and what has also driven my design career. I bring intentional energy into every space, blending design psychology and metaphysics. Tune in and use intention and The Sixth Sense. Not in the 90’s film “I see dead people” kind of way, but through whatever connects you to the feeling of being in flow? Nature, family, sport, spirit? What’s that thing you do where time fades and you feel like a human being, not a human doing? We want to capture this feeling in our space. Get creative. Photos, memorabilia, stones, totems. There is no recipe. The energy within your space is a two-way exchange.

We feel more than we see, so be super intentional with the edits and additions to be sure this space is a reflection of your best self.

i

And then rinse and repeat, walking through the practice of engaging all six senses in your

space each month. As you change, as the seasons change, as the projects change, so should your supportive space.

Be well, stay connected, and enjoy getting curious…

Wendi

I hold space for you to see your reflection If you are interested in learning more about design psychology or the ancient practice of Feng Shui and how our space around us can support our space within, I invite you to connect!

info@opendoordesign.ca www.opendoordesign.ca

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Do we really want to go back to normal?

By Dominique MacDonald

Recent announcements from many provincial leaders have laid out the plans for a gradual easing of restrictions within the next two months. This is great news for our industry, as people will be getting back into the pool. We have much to celebrate about the return to normal, but should everything return to the way it was? During the past 443+ days of the pandemic shutdown in Canada with the various levels of restrictions and lockdowns, we have adopted new habits, skills and strategies, should we go back the way things were pre-2020 or move forward incorporating these new ways?

Sourdough starters, pickling and canning, knitting and old school puzzles and board games became part of many Canadians new weekly routine. Exploring the outdoors on new adventures with walks, hikes, skiing, padding, rowing, camping and open water swimming, do those new skills and experiences in nature stop?

Remote work using new technologies, built trust within our teams and enabled collaboration beyond geographical boundaries.

Online learning through virtual conferences, seminars and workshops allowed us to connect with other programs and people in other provinces and country’s expanding our networks and resources. Creativity was embraced, rewarded and celebrated as each restriction implemented new challenges.

Temporary solutions were shared openly and swiftly with industry social media platforms and forums.

Using social media to connect with teams, clients, members, and promoting drowning prevention and water safety messaging, does all that stop?

Mental health awareness and workplace programs to build strategies and connections for employees. A renewed appreciation for teachers, health care professionals and front-line workers for the critical work they do in our communities, does that stop?

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Stay at home and remote work directives forced many Canadians to spend more time with their family and household members. Our children, spouses and people within our households should be our favorite people, pre-pandemic we often spent more time outside the home and away from those favorite people. The work-life balance and distribution of our personal time was off balance, and over the past year we’ve been able to readjust those priorities, do we lose all this when we return to normal?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m super excited for the restrictions to be lifted. Visiting with friends and extended family, hosting back yard BBQs, and celebrating special events like birthdays, weddings, and holiday dinners. Resuming family traditions and making new memories while traveling, going on adventures, dinning at local restaurants and enjoying the movie in the theatre with authentic movie popcorn (yummy). I for one, will be distributing an extensive number of hugs to consenting adults, so be prepared, the hugs are coming, and they WILL be long and awkward! The reopening will reunite us with our co-workers, our competitive athletes, the senior water fit clients and our regular lane swimmers, oh how we’ve missed them all.

Over the next few weeks and months with the restrictions lifting will you stop making homemade bread? Will you trade your outdoor physical activity for the indoor gym and scheduled fitness classes?

Does returning to the office mean that you won’t have time to play board games with your children at the end of the day? What about conferences, do you only attend in-person continuing education opportunities? Consider that going “back to normal” and all the ways things were, may not be in our best interest. Consider the lessons that you’ve learned this past year, the new connections, skills, strategies and techniques. These new experiences brought moments of joy to you and your family over these past 14 months, maybe those are just what you need moving forward to create your “NEW Normal”.

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FOUR FUN DRILLS TO DO TO IMPROVE YOUR FRONTCRAWL 3 Strokes, 6 Kicks Swimmers perform 3 frontcrawl strokes and then leave one arm above head creating a side glide position.

Continue to perform 6 kicks on side before rotating to frontcrawl.

This drill helps swimmers learn how to not swim so flat. It helps to focus on rotation and as they advance rotation momentum.

As swimmers improve remind them to focus on keeping the side of their face in water on side glide as many will start this drill over rotating.

Doggy Paddle Stretch Not your typical short arm dog paddle, this version is aimed to focus on the catch and the pull in a very slow manner.

Keep eyes just above the water surface and finish the arm pull all the way to the back of the hip, you want to finish the whole stroke.

Basically, you are performing frontcrawl without the recovery phase.

Scull 3 and Pull This drill will help swimmers "feel" the water. Start the stroke by placing hand in the water above the shoulderline.

Swimmer scull 3 times, using hand and forearm before finishing the pull to the hip.

This is a slow drill, don't rush it. challenge swimmers to pay attention to how much water they move while sculling.

BECOME A FRONTCRAWL MONSTER

By Erin Wilson

Rotisserie Chicken Drill I first seen this drill on Chloe Sutton's YouTube Channel, you should check it out. https://youtube.com/c/ChloeSuttonswim The drill will help with body awareness, core control and kicking. My variation of this drill is often done with fins. Using a 6 or 10 count, swimmers start face down in a streamlined position.

After 6or 10 count, swimmers rotate to left side, then onto back, and finally to their right side before returning to their front to start it all over again. Just like a rotisserie chicken. Swimmers have loved the name of this drill as much as much as they love to do it. Makes everyone smile.

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Who's more likely...

How well do you know your co-workers??

Read the following statements and guess who you think is "most likely" to make statement true.

1. to give their seat up on the bus for an elderly citizen?

2. to go fishing?

3. to eat when board?

4. to go a week without showering?

5. to be an alien?

6. to get punched in the face?

7. to scream at a spider?

8. to eat something gross on a dare?

9. to be the best liar?

10. to make the most beautiful mermaid?

11. to stand up to a bully?

12. to be the teachers pet?

13. to become a stripper?

14. to be moved by a sad song?

15. to become a doctor?

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