2021 Volume 32 Issue 1

VOLUME 32 | ISSUE 1 2021

U N I T E D

S T A T E S

S W I M

Spring Into Swim OVER THE BLACK LINE WITH MALLORY WEGGEMANN Propelling Your Swim School In TV Newsrooms INSURANCE 2021: COVID AND WHAT TO EXPECT Diversity And Equity; How To Lead The Change We Need

S C H O O L

A S S O C I A T I O N

Together, FINIS & Hope Floats Foundation make swimming more accessible and affordable for those in need.

T H I S N E E D S TO C H A N G E

FINIS GIVES BACK

H O P E F LO AT S FO U N D AT I O N

Drowning is the Leading Cause of Accidental Death in the U.S. for Ages 4 & Under (CDC).

The FINIS vision is to help every person in the world enjoy the water.

Partners with high-quality swim schools.

Drowning is the 2nd Leading Cause of Accidental Death in the U.S. for Ages 14 & Under (CDC).

When you buy FINIS goggles a donation is made to Hope Floats Foundation to provide swim lessons for children living in poverty.

Lower socioeconomic status is associatedwith higher risk of drowning (WHO).

www.FINISswim.com // www.HopeFloats.Foundation Want to learn more about our goggles, caps, fins, swim diapers, water confidence & more?

We’re here to help!

Marie Morefield 925.290.2657 | mmorefield@finisinc.com

Uses federal poverty guidelines to determine eligibility for families.

Scholarships and tuition assistance is provided to children who are not otherwise able to afford swim lessons.

IN THIS ISSUE TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

Letter From the President

7

COVID-19 Impact on Private Swim Schools

5 From the Desk of the Executive Director

9 Need Higher Quality Candidates?

Try These 6 Recruitment Strategies 12 The Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA) Proud to Partner with the US Swim School Association 13 Diversity and Equity; How to Lead the Change We Need 16 Insurance 2021: COVID and What to Expect 18 Stop Drowning Now

20 Four Steps to Propelling Your Swim School in TV Newsrooms

22 Hi Everyone! What a year it’s been.

24 Calendar of Events

26 New York Water Safety Coalition

28 Passions Unite for Action at Hope

Floats Foundation. FINIS and

Hope Floats: Saving Lives Together 31 Tax Strategies in 2021 Your Business Needs to Know 32 New Member List

33 Top 10 Team Building Ideas

36 Learning to Live in the Water

Kinesthetic Awareness

Development Drills 38 Over the Black Line 40 Ask Al

42 USSSA Membership Renewal

ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS 4815 E. Carefree Hwy., Suite 108-480 Cave Creek, AZ 85331 480.837.5525 usssa@usswimschools.org usswimschools.org Executive Director Lisa M. Zarda, CAE, CNAP Editor Anne Swanson ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President John Kirk, Little Otter Swim School Vice President Tracy Koleber, Nitro Swimming Treasurer Buffy Folise, Chicago Swim School ASSOCIATION DIRECTORS Karen Clay SwimWest Swim School Brad Grzelka Atlanta Swim Academy Bobby Hazen SAF-T-SWIM Melissa Taylor Small Fish Big Fish Swim School USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 1

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” – Desmond Tutu

JOHN KIRK

I grew up on a farm outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. I come from a long line of farmers all the way back to Scotland and Ireland. It is a simple life. Hard work and adversity that is contrasted with the satisfaction of planting your crops and harvesting them in the fall. At this time of year, the fields are being plowed in preparation of planting the seeds of a new harvest. It is a time of hope and anticipation. Hope is a choice. The work done now will take months to bear fruit. A farmer could decide there might be a drought so why do the work. But when there is no drought; the farmer’s fields will sit barren. Will you plant or wait to see what happens?

“When you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” Eleanor Roosevelt So where does this grit come from? The ability to find the energy to not only survive but to come out on the other side better. The answer is that it comes from you, derived from everything you hold dear, it defines you. Grasp this life force within you and you will have the hope to dream your biggest dream and never give up. Use hope to fuel your life according to your core essence.

Hope is an active mindset cutting through the fog and uncertainty in our lives.

Hope is your choice to triumph over fear. Slaying the dark forces that will stop you from completing your dream.

Who we really are is based upon the values that we live by.

Such as, believing in possibility, believing in the goodness of others, and believing in the power of love.

So, embrace hope. Be grateful for what you have. Live your dreams.

JOHN KIRK President US Swim School Association

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 3

Swimming is your Business…

Insurance for Swimming is Ours!

RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES has been providing swimming related businesses with insurance for more than 40 years Trust the Swimming Insurance Professionals

COVERAGES WE OFFER Property General Liability Residential Lessons Special Events Workers Compensation Participant Accident And Many More…

800-777-4930

rmsswimminginsurance.com

FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR “ See possibilities on the horizon.”

As you look ahead, I hope you see possibilities on the horizon. While your preparations for spring this year might be looking a little different than years past, don’t lose sight of what could be. There are a number of different predictions on when those that want the vaccine will be able to get it, but we are now on that path. Will you be ready when families get back to the activities they love, such as learning to swim?

What steps can you be taking now to be ready to spring back into the full swing of swim?

Are there ways you can be educating yourself and your staff on diversity and inclusion to further reach members of your community? Be sure to check out the article “Diversity and Equity” by Shannon Schafer for information on how you can take action in your swim school and your community.

Are you working on relationships with local journalists so when you have a story to share you have laid the groundwork to have a better chance of being heard? The article by Jaison Manns from SwimJim shares some excellent tips to start working on now so you can leverage media to market your swim school to your local area.

Have you updated your free USSSA CareerPlug account (or upgraded for the discounted rate) so you are ready to list jobs when you have them available, or are you actively recruiting now to ensure you have the best staff in place? What benefits will you be offering to entice workers that have gotten used to the idea of working from home to come out to the pool and teach in the water?

Training, is your staff trained and ready? USSSA has a library of resources to help you get your staff trained and ready. And your students, as they come back to the water, is your staff ready to handle regression both in swim and social skills?

There are possibilities if you look for them. What can you do now to be ready then?

We are here to help support you along the way. Together we truly can do more. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming virtual sharing solutions or webinar.

LISA M. ZARDA, CAE, CNAP Executive Director US Swim School Association

ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force references the use of ionization to help prevent the spread of SARS-Cov-2.

COVID-19 IMPACT ON PRIVATE SWIM SCHOOLS It has been quite a year and as we reflect back, the United States Swim School Association took some time to learn from our members the impact this past year has had on their ability to teach swimming.

While about three months was the average time our member swim schools were closed, we still have a handful of schools that remain closed. Those still closed are located in California, Hawaii, Toronto, as well as Arizona, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington and Florida. Some closures are a result of the location of the pool space used by a member, in other words if the location where they held lessons is not open, they have not been able to resume lessons.

One of the most alarming numbers to come out of our survey is the fact that more than 77,500 kids are no longer getting swim lessons. With about 1/3 of our members completing the survey, the actual total is much higher. It does bring to question, what the future holds for drowning rates across the country. Drowning is already the number one cause of accidental death for children 1 to 4 and a leading cause for older youth.

Why are so many not back at lessons? Over 60 percent of schools are still operating at reduced capacities, meaning less lessons are available. We are also seeing a trend among swim schools trying to rebuild and hire new staff. Staff shortages will make it more challenging to rebuild back up to pre-COVID lesson levels.

BY LISA ZARDA USSSA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Schools have also noticed over this last year a significant increase in newly enrolled swimmers. Over 40 percent are seeing 21 – 40 percent of their enrollments coming from new swimmers and nearly 20 percent are seeing 41 – 60 percent new swimmers.

We can speculate that as parents looked to find a safer activity for their children, they Continued on next page...

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 7

learned about the safety measures in place at private swim schools, the CDC statement that the virus has not been spread in chlorinated pools and that the air ventilation rates are some of the best for indoor spaces.

Over this past year private swim schools needed to get creative with almost 15 percent offering shorter lessons, but only about half of them are planning to keep the change in place in the future. This year also found an increase in private lessons with nearly 93% offering private lessons. While more than half made no changes to their private lesson rates, a majority of those that did make a change had to increase their rates. Members also added new programs this past year including family swim, swim team, aqua fitness and home lessons. New technology was also added this year including Zoom meetings, check-in kiosks, an app for parents and SpotTV for lesson viewing outside the building.

There were a number of COVID-19 safety protocols added this year, the most popular right now is all staff wearing cloth masks outside the water, all staff wearing face shields in the water and all customers wearing cloth masks in the building. Staff temperature checks at the start of their shift also remains high on the list along with only allowing one adult in the building with the swimmer. We asked our members if there were any of these protocols they planned on keeping in the future, with the top choices being hand sanitizer used upon entry to the building and staggered start times for classes. There are also almost 23% that plan to continue use of the face shields in the water by instructors.

Consistent with earlier surveys, there continues to be almost ZERO cases of COVID-19 being traced to swim schools.

With over 53,500 students, instructors and staff involved in weekly swim lessons there have been only 8 cases or 0.014% traced to a swim school.

Swim school owners are resourceful and passionate small business owners. They are working hard each day to serve their communities and offer the lifesaving skill of swimming. They will continue to learn and work to rebuild into an even better swim school than a year ago and USSSA is here to support them every step of the way.

To review the full survey report, visit our blog at https://www.usswimschools. org/2021/03/covid-19-impact-on-privateswim-schools/

NEED HIGHER QUALITY CANDIDATES? TRY THESE 6 RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES As hiring experts, we like to keep our finger on the pulse of recruitment trends – the good, the bad, and the ugly. One piece of feedback we often hear from business owners is that they sometimes struggle with finding high-quality applicants for the jobs they post. This can be frustrating, especially when you want to make the right hire, not just the best hire available at the time.

The size of your applicant pool can vary based on a number of factors, including: • LOCATION

• UNEMPLOYMENT RATES

• INDUSTRY SEASONALITY

• COMPETITION FOR TALENT

BY DESIREE ECHEVARRIA CONTENT MARKETING MANAGER CAREERPLUG

• SEASONALITY Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced additional shake-ups to the applicant pool as well. But while these factors are all generally outside of your control, there are a few things that are within your control as an employer.

If the applicant pool in your industry is small, you need to recognize that as an employer, you’ll need to be proactive about attracting the fewer high-quality applicants available to you. Do everything you can to make sure the best candidates aren’t skipping your application.

Continued on next page...

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 9

We’ve put together a list of six strategies you can use to put your business in a strong position to attract the top talent in your applicant pool.

1. USE YOUR CAREERS PAGE TO GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYER BRAND. Your employer brand is your business’ reputation as a place to work. The first thing you’ll want to ask yourself is: “What do I want my target applicant pool to think of my business?”

Think of your careers page as your opportunity to create the image you want top candidates to see. A highlyqualified candidate who finds your job on a major job board will want to learn more about your company before committing to applying – after all, the most skilled workers can be picky about where they choose to work.

A good careers page should include things like: • A description of your company culture, mission, and values • Employee testimonials (more on that later) • Recent photos and/or videos of your team • Enticing benefits information • Growth opportunities An attractive, compelling careers page can often be the factor that seals the deal for motivated candidates.

Plus, applicants who apply through company careers pages are 23 times more likely to be hired than those who apply from job boards, indicating that people who research your careers page before applying tend to be more closely aligned with your company’s values.

2. CREATE EMPLOYEE TESTIMONIAL VIDEOS. Fun fact: Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when they read it in text. Videos bring employee testimonials to life – so, if possible, we encourage you to film short interviews of your happiest employees singing your praises and giving future candidates an idea of what it’s like to work for you.

10 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

Job seekers can be put off by reviews giving them a heads-up that they’re in for a negative candidate experience if they apply.

It may take a little upfront investment of time and effort to produce a few testimonial videos, but you can leverage videos like this on many channels – your careers page, your social media pages, virtual hiring fairs, and all your recruitment marketing efforts.

4. CREATE AN EMPLOYEE REFERRAL PROGRAM. Earlier we mentioned that candidates who apply from careers pages tend to convert to hires at far higher rates than those who apply from job boards. But there’s one applicant source that’s even more successful: employee referrals.

3. ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO WRITE REVIEWS ON JOB SITES. Here’s a not-so-fun fact: More than half of job seekers abandon their pursuit of a job after reading negative reviews about a company on employer review sites like Glassdoor and Indeed.

Our data shows that applicants from referrals are 85 times more likely to be hired than applicants from job boards.

Potentially missing half your applicants due to poor online reviews can significantly hinder your recruitment efforts. Knowing how much weight employee reviews carry, we recommend encouraging your existing employees to write reviews of your business on these sites.

Referrals can also boost retention.

A 2016 study by Scoophealth shows that employees who are referred by existing employees stay longer at the company than those who were hired from other sources.

These reviews serve as social proof to job seekers and if they’re mostly positive, they can work in your favor.

Far too often, hiring managers think of employee referrals as a secondary source of applicants, but the data says the opposite is true: employee referrals tend to be high-quality candidates and strong hires. Establishing, promoting, and maintaining an employee referral program should be top of mind for all hiring managers.

Pro tip: Employer review sites allow reviews from your employees as well as anyone who has interviewed with your company. It’s important to maintain a positive candidate experience with everyone you interact with, regardless of whether or not you hire them.

APPLICANT HIRES RATES

0.22%

5.18%

5.18%

1

2

3

Job Boards

Careers Page

Referrals

Job boards produced 88% of all applications but only 29% of hires in our analysis.

Companies that rely solely on job boards are likely to find that the applicants they receive from job boards may be less likely to be qualified for the position or less likely to be resposive after submitting their application.

In our analysis, an applicant who applied directly from a company careers page was 23 times more likely to be hired than an applicant from a job board.

An applicant whoe applied from a referral was 85 times more likely to be hired than an applicant from a job board.

5. RECRUIT FROM CUSTOM SOURCES – NOT JUST MAJOR JOB BOARDS. When you post a job on a major job board like Indeed or ZipRecruiter, you will absolutely get the most eyeballs on your postings. These job boards are juggernauts in terms of applicant volume, but they tend to fall short when it comes to applicant quality.

Like employee referrals, custom sources account for a low overall percentage of applicants, but those applicants convert to hires at a much higher rate. Custom sources can include things like: • Industry-specific job boards • Local/community message boards • University job boards • Craigslist (yup, even Craigslist!)

Get creative when distributing your job postings outside of the major job boards. For example, post your jobs on

your social media accounts or send an email to contacts in your network with a link to your job. Cast a wide net and keep track of which source is producing the best candidates – not necessarily the most candidates.

Pro tip: Job seekers should be able to apply to your job in less than 3 minutes.

An applicant tracking system like CareerPlug can help you accomplish this by providing candidates with a fast, easy mobile-friendly job application.

6. MAKE IT EASY TO APPLY FROM ANY DEVICE. A 2019 study by Glassdoor found that 58% of job seekers are looking for jobs on their phones. That’s over half of job seekers!

NEXT STEPS Need more advice on increasing your applicant pipeline? CareerPlug can help! Schedule a free demo with one of our Hiring Experts today – no commitment required. We’re happy to chat and help you solve the number one challenge facing business owners today: finding, hiring, and keeping the right people.

Mobile applicants also complete 53% fewer applications and they have no qualms about moving on from an application if it takes too long or is too difficult to complete from a mobile device. As an employer, just think of it this way: each qualified candidate who gets annoyed by a bad mobile application experience is one less qualified candidate you’ll get a chance to meet.

Originally from Southern California, Desiree Echevarria spent the first decade of her career working in film and television in Los Angeles.

Now living in Austin, she’s the Content Marketing Manager at CareerPlug. She has a passion for writing content that educates and delights people.

She enjoys road trips, camping, and eating Cajun food. She has a puppy named Kodiak and she plans on raising her to play basketball, like Air Bud. Reprinted with permission.

Better Swim School Management Starts with Jackrabbit #1 Ranked Cloud-Based Class Management Software

45

DAYS

Ranked

#1 in client satisfaction

Cloud-Based Class Management Software

2020

USSSA members get an exclusive 45-day extended free trial with promo code USSSA21

THE AUSTRALIAN SWIM SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION (ASSA) PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THE US SWIM SCHOOL ASSOCIATION Did you know that you could be a member of ASSA even if your swim school is located outside of Australia?

We have a special Membership fee for anyone who is a member of the USSSA which also includes FREE membership to the International Swim Schools Association – 3 memberships in one!

Well you can! We have over 150 International Members of ASSA who are utilising the many benefits. A new benefit being launched this year is a brand new resource library filled with fabulous content for any swim school, no matter the shape of side.

For more information contact admin@australianswimschools.org.au.

The Australian Swim Schools National Conference will be held from Tuesday 24th – Thursday 26th August 2021 at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre!

We are excited to again be running this event in conjunction with the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Expo.

PLUS this is a hybrid event, so you can be involved wherever you are.

More Info coming soon.....

DIVERSITY AND EQUITY; HOW TO LEAD THE CHANGE WE NEED As we approach this new year hopefully, we have all taken a moment to reflect on the many things that have brought us to this point in time and thought about the steps we can take to move forward in the most positive manner possible to affect change.

As swim school owners, instructors and water safety advocates, we always push the importance of swim lessons, learning to swim and safety in and around the water as well we should. So, what can we do to lead the change within our swim community?

Over the last few years most have been witness to the many challenges surrounding the topic of diversity, race and equity, but for people like me, it’s been a topic of discussion for all of my life. As a black woman who is married to a Caucasian Jewish man and raising 2 biracial young men during the current climate, the major topic of discussion in our family continues to center around race, diversity and equity.

There are a lot of people that have very strong opinions surrounding these topics, some don’t want to talk about them, some are tired of talking about them, and quite honestly many simply don’t know how to start talking about the matter. So, how do we start the conversations that will allow us to begin to open ourselves to understanding one another, our differences and similarities?

BY SHANNON SCHAFER OWNER/DIRECTOR INCLUSION SPORTS PERFORMANCE TRAINING

• Do we truly understand what diversity and equity means • Are we able to recognize the issues and problems • Can we Acknowledge the issues and problems • How do we commit to starting the dialogue • How do we work together to embrace our communities of color • How do we join forces to support productive solutions Continued on next page...

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 13

If we take a look at each of these and see how we as a swim community can lead the change we want to see and support change one step at a time, what do you think it would look like? I think we could truly be impactful together and make a profound difference.

UNDERSTANDING THE DEFINITION OF DIVERSITY AND EQUITY: Diversity – is the range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, social class, physical ability or attributes.

Equity – ensures everyone has access to the same treatment, opportunities, and advancement and aims to identify and eliminate barriers that prevent the full participation of some groups.

RECOGNIZING THE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS: If we aren’t able to recognize that there is a problem, what message does that send to our communities of color?

Swimming in the community of color comes with a lot of negative history that we need to examine so that we start to understand the root of the fears and concerns regarding the resistance to learning how to swim.

ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS: Giving acknowledgement to the issue allows us to work at coming up with productive solutions. Belittling it, or denying it exists, is just frustrating for people facing the issues. We know the numbers on non-swimmers in the black and brown communities is staggering and will continue to increase if we don’t come up with ways to spring into action.

COMMIT TO STARTING THE DIALOGUE: Learning how to be a helpful ally to our communities of color requires us to have difficult conversations. Embrace your fear and recognize that with such a sensitive subject you may unintentionally get some things wrong and that’s ok.

14 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

How do we learn? One of the goals of starting the conversation is to come to the table with empathy and a willingness to listen and learn, which will allow for steps towards lasting change. Working together to embrace our communities of color: • We know the numbers of non swimmers in our communities of color is simply too high.

•

A significant number of families in our communities of color don’t trust anything related to swimming, so how do we help change this?

>

Host community outreach sessions once a month at your swim schools for families of color and listen to their fears and concerns

> Allow the community a safe place to ask questions > Give tours so they can see first hand how swim lessons run > Offer once per month or every 3 months a ‘comfort in the water’ outreach session > Build the trust needed from our communities of color because there is distrust >

Reach out to local schools and community centers to discuss your diversity and equity initiatives (you will need to come up with a clear initiative)

> Educate yourself on the needs of the community you serve and want to serve – Families of color have a number of concerns about their hair as it relates to swimming – Research products that would support their concerns, so they feel more comfortable and they consider enrolling for lessons without worry – If you don’t know where to start reach out to someone you may know that can help you or you can google

If we all could take a moment to give thought to what it may be like for someone other than ourselves, for someone that looks differently than you do or for someone that may not have all the opportunities in life like you. Just imagine if we open ourselves and hearts to dig deep and truly lead and impact the change we want to see in the swim community, decrease the number of non-swimmers in our neighborhoods of color, increase the opportunity for us to hire a more diverse staff and ultimately have less tragic drownings across the board. Change is not easy, but it certainly is doable if we work together.

Inclusion Sports Performance Training and Schafer Sports Center have been in business for over 30 years supporting the needs of students with varied abilities through sports and recreation all while making a difference in the lives of so many. The commitment to community, inclusion, diversity and ensuring that all kids have access will continue to be a lifelong focus Inclusion Sports Performance Training and Schafer Sports Center. Kids First and Families Always Matter is the mission of Inclusion Sports Performance Training and Schafer Sports Center. Visit www.schafersports.com to find out more.

Complete Solutions for Your Aquatic Needs For over 50 years, Neptune-Benson® has been synonymous with recreational water quality.

Featuring the award winning Defender® regenerative media filter, ETS-UV™ disinfection systems, Blu-Sentinel Chemical Controller, Lawson Aquatics™ accessories, ProStrainer®, valves, pumps, sumps and more.

www.evoqua.com/aquatics

1-866-982-0090

#1 AAer-Swim Chlorine | Saltwater Removing Hair & Body Care

HEALTHY AFTER SWIM HABITS START WITH

wholesale retail opportuniies: chase@sbrsportsinc.com | www.sbrsportsinc.com

INSURANCE 2021: COVID AND WHAT TO EXPECT

BY DEBBIE WILLIAMS RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Adapting to the current environment surrounding COVID is challenging enough for all of us, but for a small business trying to get back on its feet the process can be overwhelming.

When it comes to insurance in 2021, we would like to offer a few quick insights to help you navigate through the commercial market, renewals of your policies, and some additional information we have learned in the past few months.

SBA LOANS Many of you looked to the Small Business Administration for loans to keep your business afloat during the pandemic. You either took advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or the COVID -19 Economic Disaster Injury Loan (EIDL).

Both programs offered opportunities to borrow the capital needed to pay necessary expenses such as payroll, health benefits, rent, etc. The program that we seem to receive the most questions about is EIDL. EIDL is a very low interest rate loan that the SBA developed for businesses involved in natural disasters, and was adapted to meet the needs of small businesses during COVID-19. EIDL has some unique features that make this loan attractive.

16 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

• No payments during year one.

• No collateral required for loans less than $25,000 • Collateral requirement for loans over $25,000 •

General Security Agreement for collateral that includes the use of business personal property as your collateral

The SBA requires that those loans over $25,000 utilizing business personal property as collateral must have Hazard Insurance to cover the collateral to at a minimum 80% of the insurable value.

For those of you that are in need of a policy to cover your business personal property, Risk Management Services can help you obtain that coverage.

COVID CLAIMS Over the past year there has been many attempts made by insureds to file claims against insurance companies claiming lost revenue. Many have filed those claims under their Property policy or Business Income. In a more detailed discussion, we could go into the specifics as to why a traditional property policy containing business income coverage would not cover loss of income due to COVID-19. The bottom line is it doesn’t. The key words in the policy are (paraphrased) “must be caused by direct physical loss of or damage to property”. That being said, many of the insured’s attorneys are still trying to assert their interpretation of the wording in the courtroom. In some very limited situations, juries have sided with the insured on policy interpretation.

to those already utilized for parents and participants. So far there is no requirement from the insurance industry to utilize COVID waivers, however Risk Management Services strongly suggests that you consult your business attorney and follow their direction regarding the use of waivers and whether additional wording for COVID is appropriate.

FACILITY CONTRACTS Risk Management Services recommends that you review any contracts for facilities that you may be renewing or starting with a new location. We have seen several contracts already where the contract includes wording asserting all responsibility for COVID claims and or allegations to the lessee. We would recommend that you don’t sign this type of agreement and only agree to follow local and state COVID protocols and guidelines. As always consult your attorney when reviewing contracts.

COVID EFFECTS ON INSURANCE As a result of the pandemic and the aforementioned claims litigation, the insurance industry has added a mandatory exclusion to their policies excluding communicable diseases entirely.

VACCINES AND EMPLOYEES Another hot topic that may involve insurance coverage is the mandating of employees to be vaccinated. Many business owners have said they will mandate all employees to be vaccinated as a precautionary measure, however, not all employees want to be vaccinated.

Here is a general understanding of vaccination mandates we learned in a recent webinar.

To date, the insurance industry has not mandated any COVID specific guidelines or requirements for the purchase of insurance. The only suggestion is that you adhere to and follow all local and state guidelines regarding COVID safety protocols.

We have had several questions regarding the use COVID waivers in addition

In general, an employer can mandate that all employees receive a COVID vaccination, if it can be determined there is a direct threat to other employees and or customers. If there are no other job/duties alternatives for the employee they can be terminated for not receiving the vaccine. It is highly recommended that you review each

situation with an attorney familiar with your local and state EEOC laws to make any determinations regarding employees.

If you do assert a vaccine mandate on employees you must be prepared to offer paid time off to receive the shot and time off for any ill side effects they may have.

Why might this involve insurance? If an employee sues for wrongful termination after refusing a COVID vaccine a general liability policy would not provide coverage for defense to your business.

Employment Practices Liability would need to be in place and is sometimes over looked by the insured due to cost.

As we all adapt to this new normal there will be many hurdles to overcome with recovery of small businesses everywhere.

The good news is that there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel and although it will be a slow process, things will eventually return to the way they were. Risk Management Services is here to help small businesses and answer any questions you may have regarding your insurance as you move forward. The topics we discussed today are just some of the questions we receive on a daily basis. Please reach out to us with any of your questions and or concerns going forward. We are happy to help.

RMS utilizes its long history of swimming related experience to help underwrite, broker, and manage highly developed insurance programs specific to the sport of swimming. Our interest in swimming began in 1978 when our founder, John Peterson was first introduced to United States Swimming (USA-S) as a broker via the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).

Mr. Peterson began managing the insurance program exclusively for USA-S in 1979 the year after the Amateur Sports Act had been instituted.

Since that time RMS has successfully developed specialized insurance programs for the swimming community that allows clubs and athletes of all ages and abilities access to pools across the United States.

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 17

STOP DROWNING NOW

It is highly possible drowning incidents will increase in 2021’s warmer months.

No one understands this better than USSSA members. Almost all of us have seen our student numbers halt or otherwise reduce significantly. While bad for our livelihoods, reduced access to swim lessons is a public health risk for our communities.

Here are some ways we can prepare today for what everyone hopes will not happen – a very busy 2021 drowning season.

1) Educate yourself on drowning trends in your community.

Research the facts from the public body that tracks accidental deaths and injuries.

Learn how incidents have increased, decreased or stayed the same over time.

Note whether pools, open water or other venues are where the drownings have occurred. These facts and knowledge will help your awareness as drowning season picks up.

2) Include drowning prevention in your marketing and social media plans.

Look for local content in your community research that you can curate into your own content. Hyper-local may resonate the most effectively with your clients and audience. They may be able to relate more to an incident close to home over one in another state. Consider using directness with diplomacy in your messaging.

Give drowning risk the gravity it deserves but consider an understated tone and language. That approach may resonate deeper than sensationalism or preaching.

3) Prepare a media relations plan.

Educate yourself on what drives media professionals. Drownings will happen in our communities: it is a fact.. Position yourself as the expert with reporters, bloggers and officials. See Jaison Manns’ article in this issue on how to effectively do this.

Be prepared if a reporter, news producer or other media professional contacts you. Like drowning, journalism can be fast and unexpected. Prepare, practice, be reliable and available. It may not be convenient. But your leadership in communications can not only help your business, but the families that will hear, see or read your knowledge.

4) Prepare your teams.

Consider how they can carry the message to clients, how to respond if they are present when a drowning occurs *outside* work hours. If you don’t have or require CPR and other rescue training, then safety and accident response education can be valuable for your team long after they move on to other things.

18 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

BY SARA BISKIE SDN BOARD OF DIRECTORS

5) Educate your local officials that drownings will most certainly happen in your community.

Explain how you are building a portfolio of media relationships to share your expertise. Ask your local official how they would like you to direct media to them if you get approached. They may not think about drowning at all, but they will definitely care if the media cares. It is possible to forge a strong partnership if you demonstrate a desire to collaborate.

6) Keep teaching.

If you are reading this article, you already know that lessons are the single-best way to prevent drownings. The rest of the world does not. Just by opening your doors each day and delivering your professional best, your business makes a huge impact on your community and the kids you touch.

Consider other ways to increase your school’s community impact. Consider how you may supplement what you do every day. Stop Drowning Now’s tools provide drowning prevention education to bring to classrooms and other groups outside the swimming pool. These tools can be helpful if specifically created to reach your desired audience. For instance, Stop Drowning Now has created story boardsteaching children about how to be safer in and around water. Our colleagues at Hope Floats help extend swimming lessons to kids in your community that might not otherwise get them.

Every season is important for drowning prevention, but 2021 is like no other.

This is a unique time and opportunity to help our communities while leading change through awareness.

An improved shopping experience What’s new?

Place your orders directly online

Aquam.com

Consult your order history

Download and pay your invoices online

Create sub-accounts for internal teams

Create and save order templates

Contact us at info@aquam.com to obtain your customer account

FOUR STEPS TO PROPELLING YOUR SWIM SCHOOL IN TV NEWSROOMS We are in very uncertain times. Municipalities across the country are placing capacity restrictions on businesses, causing many of us to have to pivot...again.

It’s a word that became very familiar to us in 2020.

Part of rebuilding your coffers will be exploring new ways to bring attention to your swim school. One really great way of doing that, at a minimal cost, is through the media.

Swimming is essential. But how do you get featured on your local news to let people know? It’s simple if done correctly. And, you won’t need a huge PR or Marketing budget. Here are some tips:

20 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

BY JAISON MANNS CHIEF OF STAFF SWIMJIM, INC.

RULE NUMBER 1: Relationships are everything.

Do the work and build relationships. As with any relationship, you can’t ask a “favor” of a stranger. Get to know your local journalists. Social media is a great place to start.

Add your local journalist on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and take the time to share and “like” their pieces of work.

Jaison Manns is a New York City-based former journalist. He has lent his talents to CNN, WYNW, and WNBC. He began his role as the Chief of Staff for SwimJim, Inc. in the summer of 2018.

RULE NUMBER 2: Remember, characters make stories.

For this article, David Hatcher, the Executive Producer for ABC News Live, tells me, “The number one thing would be what’s the story and who is the character.

Characters make stories and issues come to life.”

Hatcher adds, “When possible while pitching a story, have those compelling characters in mind. And, have a few of them, so different organizations can have different stories. Try to anticipate what journalists will need to tell the story.”

Your swim school is not the story, but maybe someone who works in your school or even a client of your school is.

Hatcher continues, “I don’t want to hear about how your program CAN help kids on the spectrum. I want to hear about how your program DID HELP Jaylen, an 11-year-old boy with autism learn how to swim, and how it can help others like him.”

RULE NUMBER 3: Make sure your pitch is relevant.

Keep your ear to your community and be prepared to react quickly to news. For example, if your local news is covering after-school activities for children to stay healthy, put in a call to your local news contact and pitch your swim school as a place to shoot on-location. Have a group of children psyched and ready to swim.

Take the time to pay attention to strange holidays like National Girls and Women in Sports Day or National Swimming Pool Day. Think outside of the box. Don’t forget your “characters.”

RULE NUMBER 4: Be patient with the process.

Building relationships, coming up with relevant stories, and getting coverage takes time. Be patient with yourself and the process. A huge mistake often made is everyone thinks *their* story is *the* story. Be mindful that assignment desks, producers, and reporters get *hundreds* of press releases and media advisories every day.

If at first, your story doesn’t get coverage, keep trying. Getting news coverage is a great way to spread the word that swimming and LTR programs are essential and drowning is completely preventable. It’s also great for your brand and brand awareness. Keep pitching those great stories and we’ll see you on TV. USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 21

Hello!

Hi Everyone!

What a year it’s been.

Sad. Angry. Optimistic. Confused. Frustrated. Curious. Exhausted. Ready.

Exacerbated. Defeated. Impatient. Prepared.

These are just some of the feelings that I, along with so many others, have felt over the last year and then again, this week as we watched COVID-19 dominate our newsfeeds, our conversations at work and home and for many our daily work practices.

In my conversations this year and again these last couple of weeks it’s obvious that despite the optimistic readiness so many of us feel as we go about our lives there has been a growing sense of uncertainty and ambiguity about what our lives might look like at work and at home in the coming months as we watch the unfolding news around the world. So many people are impacted directly by COVID as a result of family and friends in other states and countries where visitation is either near or completely impossible. These are challenging times for so many. Compassion may just be the perfect gift you can give yourself, a fellow team member or a friend this week.

I wanted to share a couple of practical strategies to help us cope and thrive in these uncertain times!

22 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

BY BRUCE SULLIVAN YOUR BEST YOU

C.S. Lewis was quoted as saying that ”Adults would rather be reminded than instructed”! We are still reminding people not to drink and drive, drink lots of water, be sun smart, exercise regularly etc. I’ve always found that reminding myself about what has not changed in my life, that I still love to do despite the uncertainty, helps me keep a healthy perspective on life. What are the things you love, you loved prior to COVID, even during COVID and you will continue to love them long after COVID? Who are the people you love, the activities you love, the things you love… they fill your cup and remind you that not everything has changed!

So, for me:

I still love my family! (Well most of them and, yes, even during lockdown!)

I still love watching movies with my daughter and doing Daddy Daughter Dates!

I still love motorbike rides with my son!

I still love our surprise date nights! (Yes, even creatively and/or simply during the lockdown!)

I still love it when people find a way to do something worthwhile versus go looking for an excuse not to!

I still love playing AFL football!

I still love dreaming of great places to travel!

I still love gardening!

I still love ice cream, chocolate and great wine, and in no particular order!

I still love random acts of kindness!

I still love sailing!

I still love serving others!

Bruce is a proven performer in achieving results in people for over 30 years. His practical, hands on experience is based on working with individuals, families, businesses and communities providing education and opportunities for personal improvement.

Managing his own businesses since his teens, by age 24 he had established his own million-dollar network of businesses and he has an extended track record of working with a wide range of private and public organisations, both in Australia and overseas.

Bruce Sullivan is father to Hannah aged 23 and Declan aged 19. Second to his family, his personal passions centre around education and making a positive difference through his work in both business and in the community. His enthusiastic, entertaining and hands-on approach gets long term tangible results and has resulted in 100% of his work being generated from repeat and referral business, which is of course the strongest possible testimony to his skills.

Reprinted with permission.

There’s so very many more I have on my actual list!

What’s on your list of things you loved before, during and most likely will love for a long time after COVID? What hasn’t changed? It is a fun thing to do for our own well-being and it is fun to share with others!

Everyday life keeps changing and throwing the next challenge at us. I hope that by reminding yourself about what has NOT changed… that you still love doing regardless of the chaos, that it may shed a moment of positive reflection and hope.

Please be reminded that if you’d like some further support in these crazy times then please feel free to ask for help, have a chat with a friend or please reach out to Lifeline or Beyond Blue.

Best wishes, Bruce

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 23

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

THANK YOU ANNUAL SPONSORS

APRIL 5, 2021

USSSA CANVA COFFEE CLUB

usswimschools.org/events

APRIL 12, 2021

USSSA LARGE SCHOOLS HUDDLE usswimschools.org/events

SEPTEMBER 13-14, 2021

NDPA DROWNING PREVENTION SYMPOSIUM watersafetyconference.com/

OCTOBER 4-6, 2021

USSSA NATIONAL CONFERENCE TAMPA, FLORIDA

usswimschools.org/events

SEPTEMBER 19-21, 2022

USSSA NATIONAL CONFERENCE MAUI, HAWAII

usswimschools.org/events

24 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

3C STRATEGIC ADVISORS ACTIONABLE DATA ANALYSIS CHARLIE BANANA CINTAS CONSTANT CONTACT COUNCILMAN HUNSAKER GREEN SPROUTS JPWRITELY PROVEN PROMOTIONS SPORTSENGINE

SPOT TV SWIMCONSULTANT.COM SWIMOUTLET.COM TAKE COMMAND HEALTH TALENT LMS TCGC THE CFO ELEMENT VORGEE USA WORLD WIDE SWIM SCHOOL

the

original

Now in sizes

6mo-5T! reusable absorbent swim diaper

since 1991 wicking liner absorbent layer waterproof layer

greensproutsretailers.com

Patented Triple-layer Protection!

U.S. Pat. No. 7,678,094

Patented Triple-layer Protection!

U.S. Pat. No. 7,678,094

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 3C Strategic Advisors | p12

iPlay | p25

Aquam | p19

Jackrabbit Swim | p11

Charlie Banana | p35

Neptune-Benson | p15

Counsilman-Hunsaker Operations Consulting | p30

Paddock Pool Equipment Company | p6

Cressi | p2 FINIS | Inside Front Cover

Risk Management Services | p4 Tri Swim | p15

iClass Pro | p8

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 25

NEW YORK WATER SAFETY COALITION In November 2020, as the threat of another pandemicrelated shutdown loomed across the Northeast, several swim schools in the New York State area banded together to form the New York Water Safety Coalition. Our stated mission: to increase access to aquatic facilities and swim instruction - allowing us to provide our essential service of drowning prevention.

There has been a troubling increase in drownings over the last year, due in part to the widespread shutdown of swimming programs during our nationwide lockdowns.

Coupled with the incredibly low rates of COVID-19 transmission at swimming pools, we felt that swim schools in particular were being subjected to unnecessary – and indeed, destructive – governmental restrictions. While well-intentioned, a strong argument can be made that these restrictions have actually increased the overall threat to public health.

Data suggests that closing pools does very little to stop the spread of COVID-19, however, these closures likely increase drowning rates by reducing access to professional swim lessons. We feel it is essential to allow our members to continue teaching the life-saving skill of swimming.

Our Coalition faces a daunting task: Cutting through the fear and getting the facts about COVID-19 transmission around swimming pools, and the increased risk of drownings, into the hands of the decision makers in state government. We benefited greatly 26 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

BY BRENDAN O’MELVENY FOUNDER, NEW YORK WATER SAFETY COALITION; CHIEF AQUATICS OFFICER, IMAGINE SWIMMING, INC.

Top row, left to right: Bobby Hazen, Saf-T-Swim; Brendan O’Melveny, NYWSC founder; Jim Spiers, Swim Jim; Lawrence Sherer, State & Broadway.

Middle row: Casey Barrett, Imagine Swimming; Sean Smith, Goldfish; Craig Weingard, Penguin City Swim; Patrick Kennedy, State & Broadway.

Bottom row: Heidi Reiss, Aquabeba; Vadim Shoykhet, Physique Swimming Not Pictured: Aileen Bucciero, Swim Tank

from previous work done by the USSSA, the Aquatics Coalition, the New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance, the Connecticut Coalition for Safer Swimming, and the California Coalition for Children’s Safety and Health, however, we learned that every state operates differently. We still needed to get our message to Governor Andrew Cuomo and his closest staff.

Yet, the halls of the New York capitol in Albany are not exactly known for being accessible to the average citizen... which is where lobbyists come in.

As the country anticipated a holiday surge in coronavirus cases, neighboring states began to increase restrictions on aquatics facilities. There was urgency to get our message out quickly and effectively. While some of our coalition members have long-standing relationships with state legislators, COVID-19 regulations are made by the executive branch, not the legislature. We recognized that there was simply no way to reach the people we needed to engage without the assistance of a well-placed lobbying firm.

Through our friends within the Connecticut Coalition, we were directed to State & Broadway, led by founding partner Lawrence Scherer. While lobbying efforts are inherently difficult to assess by objective measures, Larry and his team have been fantastic - not to mention, incredibly connected at the highest level of state government.

When NYC public schools closed temporarily in December due to an increase in the citywide test positivity rate

(a rate that, confusingly, was many times higher than the positivity rate in public schools themselves), even the most optimistic among us were disheartened.

Fortunately, the school closures resulted in significant political backlash and it wasn’t long before a plan to gradually reopen schools was rolled out. Soon after, our Coalition received good news from our lobbyists: they had secured a meeting with top members of Governor Cuomo’s COVID-19 task force.

The Governor’s team was very receptive to our message, and asked us to help them put together a “Swim School Rubric,” which would determine how restrictions on different kinds of aquatic facilities (standalone pools, pools inside gyms, pools in institutes of higher education, etc.) would be implemented based on whether they were in green, yellow, orange, or red zones, as determined by the Governor’s “micro-cluster” framework.

Perhaps our biggest ‘win’ to date has been that the state appears willing to allow most pools to operate under the current 33% capacity limit in green, yellow, and - most significantly - in orange zones. Even in red zones, standalone pools may be allowed to operate at 25% capacity, though groups in the pool would be restricted to one individual.

The NY State Department of Health is currently considering our appeal to increase the number of individuals allowed in each group, so that we may continue to teach lessons in this eventuality.

We have now turned our attention to local governments, notably in New York City, where the majority of our member schools operate, and where the state’s population is overwhelmingly concentrated. One concern is that local governments may impose greater restrictions than the state requires. City swim schools were ‘victims’ of this as summer turned to fall, when the city elected to keep indoor pools shuttered until September 30th -- months after the state allowed pools to reopen on June 11th. Despite many attempts to reach the city’s Department of Health during this time, their reasoning for the extended closure remained opaque.

Based upon the virus’s continued spread, along with the vaccine rollout, It’s possible that local governments could once again enact stricter regulations than those passed down by the state.

The situation remains ever-fluid. Our strategy, therefore, is to lay the groundwork for the city in collaboration with the state’s Department of Health. Then, via our lobbyists, we will be able to present our ‘case’ to local governments, with data-backed research that the risks associated with closing pools are greater than those associated with keeping them open.

While insiders in the governor’s office feel we may not need to worry about “red zones”, given recent trends in our region, this virus has taught us that there are no guarantees.

Therefore, our united coalition will contine to stay engaged and proactive until we have all done our part in putting COVID-19 behind us.

Brendan O’Melveny, Founder, New York Water Safety Coalition; Chief Aquatics Officer, Imagine Swimming, Inc. Brendan has been teaching swimming to infants, children, and adults for over two decades. With extensive training and certifications from the United States Swim School Association, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, the American Red Cross, and others, Brendan oversees the Flagship Operations and Staff Development departments at Imagine Swimming in NYC. He founded the New York Water Safety Coalition in 2020, is frequently featured as an Aquatics expert on local and National television, and has spoken at the U.S. Swim School Association conference.

New York Water Safety Coalition Established in 2020, the New York Water Safety Coalition is an alliance of New York swim schools working together to fight drowning by increasing access to swimming pools and formal swim lessons across the state.

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 27

PASSIONS UNITE FOR ACTION AT HOPE FLOATS FOUNDATION FINIS AND HOPE FLOATS: SAVING LIVES TOGETHER

The Hope Floats Foundation (HFF) story encompasses the power of collective initiative and collaboration with others; relying on support from its swim school partners, volunteers, scholarship families, private donors and corporate partners to provide the life-saving swim lesson scholarships it does.

FINIS, the worldwide leader in technical swimming development is one of HFF greatest champions. John Mix and Pablo Morales (three-time Olympic Gold Medalist) started FINIS in 1993. They believed that if they could help people of any age enjoy swimming, and learn to swim better, then they would be helping others and have the opportunity to secure a customer for life.

John is a HFF Founding Board Member. He was sold on the HFF model from the moment founders Cindy and Dave Tonneson shared the purpose of their small organization and its big mission. John recalls, “Their visions aligned with those of FINIS, as did their passion, and so we decided this was the right non-profit platform to partner with.” He currently still serves and is an active and vocal member. His kindness 28 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

BY STEF BAKER HOPE FLOATS PARTNER LIAISON

and passion helps to ignite others both within and outside of HFF. He believes supporting a charitable cause is “like teamwork,” when you help those less fortunate, everyone wins.

Executive Director, Christy Bostic is grateful to FINIS and other corporate partner relationships, as they help to provide another level of credibility. HFF, in turn, helps these companies to fulfill their stewardship roles in communities from coast to coast.

Beyond credibility, FINIS also supports HFF financially with merchandise promotions, which bring a portion of sales back to HFF for scholarships. FINIS and other HFF business partners also played a significant role in helping HFF swim school partners during a time of great economic uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus. Together, the HFF team, including FINIS, supported partner schools during the pandemic providing a COVID-19 Scholarship Relief Fund.

“FINIS has always been dedicated to making swimming more accessible,” says Christy. “Our organizational missions are so well aligned; together we are saving the lives of many children who otherwise would never have the opportunity to learn to swim.” John closely echoes Christy’s sentiments. “We help disadvantaged families get swim lessons for their children, who without these scholarships may never learn to swim.

This relationship saves lives,” John relays with conviction.

When asked why he decided to apply, he told me that the neighborhood in which they live has a community pool and his young daughter loves to play in the water. Since she did not know how to swim, he had her wear a life-vest whenever near or in the pool. He said he never really thought about how important it was to learn to swim until he had kids. Now all he wants is to know his daughter would be safe in the water and able to save herself from drowning if she fell in. She is now in her second 12-week session. Scholarship money for both sessions was made possible by the swim school, HFF and, in part, FINIS. She has learned how to self-rescue, how to float and pull herself out of the pool. He is hopeful for her continued progression.

HFF currently serves 200 swim school locations across 31 states; 32 more than it did at the beginning of 2020. People from all walks of life, for a myriad of reasons, cannot afford swim lessons on their own. These people are asking for help so that their kids don’t become another drowning statistic. FINIS and HFF are answering their calls.

One such person is a single father of two, who is a 100% disabled military veteran.

His older child has had swim lessons and can swim. The other was three-years-old last summer and had not had the opportunity to learn to swim.

Another example is Mercy, a single mother with two daughters: Imani, age 12 and Esli, age 9. Mercy lost her fulltime job and has not been able to find employment. The girls are scholarship recipients.

Swim lessons can be expensive, and when added to a monthly budget often get pushed aside until a better time. The swim school serving the community of this father sent him an email with the link to the HFF website. This father didn’t speak to anyone at the school or at HFF about the scholarship program; he just quietly applied online.

Thanks to FINIS and HFF, Imani and Esli were also able to meet 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist, and World and American Record holder, Oliva Smoliga, at their local swim school. Olivia is sponsored by FINIS. “They were very excited to meet Olivia and to know she competes internationally,” said Mercy, “It was important, as it inspired them to know that they too Continued on next page...

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 29

can do well if they keep working hard and continue to be disciplined with their swim lessons.” Mercy did not realize FINIS sponsors Olivia. However, when I told her the connection between FINIS and HFF, Mercy stated, “It is a noble and kind thing to do. It is important to always give a helping hand to others. We all become great when we help each other become the best versions of ourselves.”

Unfortunately, learning to swim, despite being a life-long skill and one that is life-saving, is not considered a necessity.

This is where HFF and FINIS come in. Without the financial assistance provided by HFF scholarships, supported by partners like FINIS, children like Imani and Esli would not be able to take part in the life-long skill training that swim lessons provide.

Without the scholarship assistance, children like Mercy’s could end up as numbers in drowning statistics.

involved with HFF and make a lifesaving difference in people’s lives.”

As for Mercy, who represents all those struggling financially, and depending on the work of HFF and FINIS for swim lesson scholarships, she says: “May the great work continue, as there is a child whose life will be impacted positively because of the scholarships that enabled them to go pursue and reach their dreams and goals.” With partnerships like FINIS and HFF we hope to answer her prayer.

Both FINIS and HFF realize that together they can do more, reach more, and help more than if they were to do it alone. John Mix relayed his thoughts on the future of the FINIS and HFF partnership, “This is a long-term commitment because there will always be children who need to learn to swim and families who cannot afford the lessons without our help.” He adds, “And as for FINIS, we hope to be a catalyst for more businesses to get

For more information regarding Hope Floats or to contact the staff please check out our website at www.hopefloats.foundation. For more information about FINIS www.finisswim.com Edited For: USSSA Magazine, Spring 2021 issue To read the unabridged article please go to www.hopefloats.foundation

TAX STRATEGIES IN 2021 YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS TO KNOW Navigating U.S. tax law is always a challenging endeavor and 2021 is no exception. But what is different this year is many of the changes are intended to provide relief to small businesses impacted by the events of 2020. Staying on top of these changes ultimately could mean more cash in your company bank account.

BY EDDIE VARGAS FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER, THE CFO ELEMENT, LLC

There are standard reviews tax professionals address with their clients each year. These include taking advantage of deductions for business related travel, home office use, auto deductions or alerting you to the new changes in meal deductions. And then there are deeper topics around setting up retirement accounts, health savings accounts (HSA), and company structure evaluation (S-Corp). These strategies have been helping business owners for years.

Continued on next page...

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 31

Eddie has more than 26 years of experience in Corporate Finance, with the last eight as Chief Financial Officer for multinational firms averaging over $50 million in revenue. As CFO, he’s had direct responsibility over accounting, global tax, treasury, human resources, legal, IT, and global supply chain.

Eddie’s real-world experience gives him the savvy, analytical skills, and personnel management expertise that will bring immediate value to your organization. He understands the challenges and tough decisions you face every day. Whether it’s determining the viability of a challenging region, renegotiating loan covenants, creating a compelling investor presentation, or the toughest decision — how to right-size your organization — he can guide you through these transformative periods.

Eddie Vargas – 713.384.4138 eddie@cfoelement.com www.cfoelement.co

However, 2021 brings additional considerations small business owners need to consider. Most are familiar with the benefits of PPP loans and their subsequent forgiveness. It’s important to ensure you exclude any of these funds from your 2021 tax computations.

This money is not taxable to your organization.

A lesser-known program, the Employee Retention Tax Credit, is yielding similar cash refunds for qualifying companies.

The program has been available since April 2020 and goes through the end of

2021. It’s intended to incentivize small businesses that experienced a significant drop in cash receipts by aiding in their ability maintain payroll. There are a lot of nuances to consider such as how this interacts with any PPP funds, aggregation rules, calculating eligible wages, and more. But the returns are worth the effort.

Tax rules continue to change in 2021. At The CFO Element, we consider ourselves business partners with our clients. We strive to add value to your organization by continually identifying cost saving and revenue generating opportunities.

NEW MEMBER LIST AQUA-TOTS SWIM SCHOOLS – CLARK, NJ Pete Berman Clark, NJ

COACH SALLY’S SWIM AND LEARN Sally Ellis Orange Park, FL

BABY OTTER SURVIVAL SWIM ACADEMY Lauren Juarez Knoxville, TN

NATAVI SWIM SCHOOL Ariel Pleva Grimes, IA

BRAVE WAVES SWIM SCHOOL Jessica Surette Brantford, ONT Canada

32 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

URSWIM Merina Mentzel Patchogue, NY

WATER BUGS SWIM SCHOOL Kimberly Crook Palm City, FL WORDEN AQUATICS LLC Jeremy Worden Springhill, TN

TOP 10

TEAM BUILDING IDEAS In a world where we’re more virtually connected than ever it seems that our teams are more disconnected than ever.

For example, in my work with sports teams I have found that far too many don’t make the time to invest in relationships and team building. They work on their conditioning, skills and plays but too often fail to develop the chemistry and relationships that truly build winning teams.

United, high performing teams don’t happen by accident. They are built and developed through great communication, shared experiences, positive interactions, common challenges, and vulnerable story telling that connect people at a deeper level. For these reasons I’m convinced you and your team must make time for team building to foster communication, connection and commitment. Talent and practice can make you a good team. But you must come together if you want to be great.

BY JON GORDON

This applies to businesses, schools, hospitals and non-profits as well. In this spirit here are 10 team building ideas. (I’m a proponent of a weekly team building session but you can find what rhythm works best for you. For example, the Pittsburgh Pirates do a team building session before each new series.)

Continued on next page...

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 33

1. If You Really Knew Me. If you really knew me you would know this about me_________. I recently took a leadership team through this exercise and at first they shared very shallow comments like “you would know that I’m very generous and wonderful.” But after challenging them to go deeper and sharing something vulnerable about myself they started sharing meaningful stories and feelings that connected the team in a deep and powerful way.

Thanks to author Mike Robbins for the idea.

2. Share a Defining Moment - When a leader and each team member share a defining moment in their life you learn things you never knew before.

Immediately you know your team members a whole lot better and feel more connected to them. I like to have each person in the room simply stand up and share a defining moment in their life. It’s amazing how simple and powerful this exercise is.

3. The Safe Seat - I recently wrote about how Dabo Swinney, the head coach of the Clemson University Football team, put a “safe seat” in the middle of the team meeting room and had each team member sit on the seat and answer questions about his life.

It’s called a safe seat because what is shared in the room stays in the room.

This makes it safe for each person to be vulnerable and transparent.

4. Hero, Highlight, Hardship I learned this one from Cori Close, the UCLA women’s basketball coach, who told me this idea when I spoke to her team a few weeks ago. With this exercise each person talks about one of their heroes and why they are their hero.

Then they share a positive highlight as well as a hardship from their past.

5. The Hard Hat - As a team, discuss and identify the characteristics of a great team member. What does it mean to be a great team member? Write all the characteristics on the board/ wall. Have each person choose the one that resonates most with them. Visit HardHat21.com for 21 ways to be a great teammate.

34 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

6. Get on the Bus Together A lot of leaders have their teams read The Energy Bus to create unity and a common dialogue but Rhonda Revelle, the University of Nebraska Softball coach, took it one step further. She paired up her team and had each pair present to the rest of the team 1 of the 10 rules of The Energy Bus in a fun and creative way. Some made a video, others sang a song, some gave a speech, some made a painting, etc.. Rhonda told me the team took on a whole new life and energy after these teammates brought the rules to life for each other. She said this energy propelled them to the College World Series that year.

7. One Word - Have each team member choose one word that will help drive them to be their best and bring out the best in others. You may choose a word such as: connect, commit, serve, give, help, care, love, tough, relentless, excellence, selfless, and so on. Each person should choose a word that is the right fit for them. Once you choose your words you can make a team poster, sign or image that features all the words of the team. Visit Getoneword.com for more ideas.

8. Fuel up the Tanks - The Brown University Women’s Lacrosse team gave each player a manila envelope with a picture of a bus and their name on it.

The envelopes represented their energy bus tanks and were placed on a table in the locker-room. Players were also given index cards where they could write something positive about a teammate and place the card (positive fuel) in their teammates manila envelope (energy bus tank). After practices and games players were encouraged to write positive comments and fill their teammate’s energy bus tanks with positive energy.

The exercise created more positive interactions and generated appreciation and encouragement that fueled the team throughout the year.

9. Leave a Legacy - Have each team member create and share a legacy statement that includes the kind of impact they want to have on their team.

How do you want to be remembered?

What do you want others to say about you year later? Knowing how you want to be remembered helps you decide how to live today.

10. 20 Questions - Make up a list of 20 questions. During each team building session pair up with a different team member and ask/answer the questions about each other. This will help you get to know your team members and become more connected. It’s a great exercise for sports teams to do when they are on the bus or plane.

– Jon Jon Gordon’s best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous Fortune 500 companies, professional and college sports teams, school districts, hospitals, and non-profits. He is the author of 24 books including 10 best sellers and 5 children’s books. His books include the timeless classic The Energy Bus which has sold over 2 million copies, The Carpenter which was a top 5 business book of the year, Training Camp, The Power of Positive Leadership, The Power of a Positive Team, The Coffee Bean, Stay Positive, The Garden and Relationship Grit. Jon and his tips have been featured on The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, The Golf Channel, Fox and Friends and in numerous magazines and newspapers. Jon is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a Masters in Teaching from Emory University. He and his training/consulting company are passionate about developing positive leaders, organizations and teams. Learn more at www.JonGordon.com.

Reprinted with permission.

It’s Time for a Swim!

LEARNING TO LIVE IN THE WATER

KINESTHETIC AWARENESS DEVELOPMENT DRILLS A Program of proper Balance and Breathing in Water from Play to Fitness to Competition Swim in the water where you fall up, not on the water where you fall down. Swimming fast is the ability to sneak quick in liquid.

– Kick on belly – hands up/down

– 4 side kick– w/ fins

– Kick on back – hands up/down

– Single arm– the other arm @ side with or without a float

– Single arm – other arm down to side, heel touch finger tips

– Fake arm recovery

– 1-1-2

– Medial rotation of the arm

– 1-2-1-2

– Cup w/water on forehead

– 2 kick/1 pull

– “I”, “T”– 9, 7, 5 kick side to side

– Breast toward feet – Russian Breast – Breast pull w/ 1 fly kick, w & w/o fins – Fist/Scunnel – B.B.D.P.S.

36 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

– Fist/Scunnel – B.B.D.P.S.

BY ROBERT STRAUSS SWIM GYM

– 4 side kick w/ fins – Vertical kick – hug-hands elbows-armpits – Ride your bike – Reach, touch and glide – side to side – Scull-roll #2 – 4 × to the right, 4 × left – Scull & roll #2 and #3 – alternating sides – Single arm – other arm up, breathing to stroking arm – Single arm – other arm down, breath away from stroking arm – Single arm – other hand on head – Single arm – other hand on hip – “I”, “T”– 9, 7, 5 kick side to side – “I”, “T”, “I” – w/ rollover (corkscrew) – Catch up – on sides

– Scull #1: On belly – hands above head – Scull #2: On belly – hands at shoulder plane – Scull #3: On belly – hands at hips under thighs – Scull #4: On back – hands at thighs – Scull #5: On back – arms in line w/ shoulders

– Stand on hands – Roly-poly – “Fall through the door” – Ball-plane-rocket-streamline glide – Ball to Bottom – Body Positions: – “T”, “X”, “Y” of arms, “Y” of legs, “l”, “U”, “i”

– Scull #6: On belly – down to feet, hands above head – Scull #7: “Snail scull” – down to feet, hands at thighs – Scull#8: On back – down to feet, hands above head – Scull #9: Vertical – arms at shoulder plane – Scull #10: Vertical – hands below hips in front of thighs

– Zipper up

– Rotational 180º – nose to sky / nose to bottom, hands on thighs – Rotational 360º – to right / to left, hands on thighs

– Fist/Scunnel – Head up – look at hand exit and enter

– w/Fins @ the ‘U’

– Fake arm recovery

– Scull: out #1, in #2, out #3 & Roll; UW arm recovery

– Scull #2 and roll 4x/right, 4x/left

– Best Balance and Distance per Stroke (B.B.D.P.S.) – 4 side dolphin kick – w/ fins – Vertical kick – hug-hands elbows-armpits – Stand up – “Y”, “T” – Single Arm – arm not used down for true to form breathing – Leap frog dolphin – 4 kick – kick 4-pull1 – 1-1-2 – 1-2-1-2 – Fist/Scunnel – B.B.D.P.S.

For more explanations:

coachrs@swimgym.net or www.amazon.com/Discover-SwimmingRobert-Strauss/dp/1478176571

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 37

OVER THE BLACK LINE With a roll of tape in my hands, I sat on the floor of our garage and carefully re-created my own version of the black line. As I extended it forward, I placed a “T” at the exact point where my face would hover as I trained on the VASA trainer each day and continued the pursuit of my dream of representing Team USA at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

38 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

BY MALLORY WEGGEMANN PARALYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST & AUTHOR OF LIMITLESS

The days felt long, filled with more questions than answers - all I could seem to wrap my head around was that our state had gone into shelter in place and with that meant I lost access to my training facility. We had yet to hear what this would mean for the Tokyo Games and the reality of what our world was facing felt all consuming. So, there I sat in the middle of March and I turned to what I know best, the black line.

The truth is that it has led me forward my entire life. It is where I fell in love with the sport of swimming as a sevenyear-old age group swimmer. It is the place that welcomed me home following my paralysis at the age of 18. It is where I have grieved my greatest loss, navigated the depths of heartbreak, found the courage to forgive, the strength to move forward and the resilience to keep showing up and fighting for my dreams.

For swimmers, the black line serves as a point of reference – it doesn’t carry us all the way to the wall, but rather 1.6 meters away it stops in a T, signally us for either a turn or a finish. For me, there is something spiritual about what that signifies – the understanding that while it can guide us forward, we have to choose how we finish.

For weeks I hovered over my makeshift black line, staring at the T I had created, knowing that on my VASA trainer I would never actually reach the wall – I didn’t know how it would end. Although, that doesn’t mean you stop showing up, that you stop fighting.

That space that exists between the T and the wall is where I became a Paralympic Champion at the London 2012 Games, winning the 50m Freestyle and breaking the Paralympic record in the final meter of the race. I went in as the underdog, halfway through the race I was in 6th place, I fought for every inch of that pool and in the final meter I chose how to finish.

I think back to all the places the black line has led me in my life and after being a competitive swimmer for nearly 25 years I am most grateful that it has led me home. When I first fell in love with the sport, I never imagined that at the age of 18 I would become paralyzed,

I never imagined it would save my life and I never imagined it would lead me to the top of the Paralympic podium.

Above all, it has taught me that it isn’t the circumstances in our lives that define us, but rather how we choose to react, the way in which we show up and how we choose to finish the race.

This March 2, Mallory will tell her inspirational story in a book titled, Limitless: The Power of Hope and Resilience to Overcome Circumstance, in which Mallory shares her life story and the lessons she learned by pushing past every obstacle, expectation and limitation that stood in her way. Readers will learn how Mallory’s extraordinary resilience and uncompromising commitment to excellence are rooted in her resolve, perseverance, and sheer grit.

Visit malloryweggemannbook.com to explore more and preorder your copy of Limitless today!

Somewhere over the black line I found my LIMITLESS potential within - one we all possess, we just have to find the courage to honor our own journey and believe in the power of hope and resilience to overcome circumstance.

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 39

ASK AL

BY ALVARO G. MENDOZA COMMERCIAL ENERGY SPECIALISTS, INC.

WE HAVE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A NEW FEDERAL POOL PUMP EFFICIENCY REGULATION THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2021.

CAN YOU HELP US SORT THIS OUT, IT’S VERY CONFUSING?

Welcome back to our “Ask the Expert” feature designed to assist you with issues related to swimming pool water, mechanical equipment, space conditioning, and code compliance.

Ask a question, and we will try to answer to the best of our ability.

Yes, codes and regulations can be confusing sometimes, as they are often not communicated in a simple, straightforward manner, but we’ll try to help.

You’re correct that there are several codes and regulations that are scheduled for implementation in 2021. They are both national in scope, but they both may trigger additional requirements from local authorities as well. The first one is a Department of Energy (DOE) pool pump regulation, which we’ll discuss in this article, and the 2nd is the 2021 update to the Model Aquatic Health Code, which will be the topic of the next article.

40 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

2021 DOE DEDICATED PURPOSE POOL PUMP (DP3) REGULATION. This has been brewing for a while. Effective July 19, 2021, this DOE regulation will go into effect and requires that ALL DP3’s both manufactured and/or imported into the US meet minimum energy-efficiency standards. So that means that most pool pumps 5 HP or less, will be required to meet these standards.

There are some exceptions however, and these include 3-phase pumps, which are quite common in many larger swim schools, and other classes of pump that are pretty rare in swim schools (waterfall pumps, integral filter-pack pumps, and storable electric spa pumps.)

Not so complicated, you might say. But leave it to the DOE to complicate the situation by integrating terms like Hydraulic Horsepower (HHP) which is a standardized measurement of how much water a pump moves – but normally about half of the typical motor rating of a pump. They also refer to a pump’s Weighted Energy Factor (WEF) – a standardize measurement of how much energy is required to move water – normally stated in terms of gallons of water moved per kWh of energy use.

But it’s OK to forget those two terms, as it is the responsibility of the pump manufacturers to produce and market pumps that meet these guidelines. Let them deal with it.

So, what is going to happen? Well, the swim school owner can be proactive or reactive. The reactive owner will ignore everything and when they go buy a replacement motor for their pump after July 19th, will probably be told that they need to upgrade to a different type of pump or motor, or both, as theirs is no longer available. Some folks are banking that pump and motor manufacturers are going to stock up on the older styles but given the low inventories and difficulty in getting pumps now (during pandemicrelated inventory issues), it does not make financial sense for them to invest in the older stuff. Some might fear that they may end up with dead inventory while they actually stand to make more money on the more efficient models. So, don’t count on that.

The proactive owner, on the other hand, could simply call their favorite (and hopefully knowledgeable) pump representative, and let them know what pumps they have, get an evaluation, and get a solution if necessary.

A COUPLE OF SIMPLE SOLUTIONS • Invest in an energy efficient pump before the deadline. Nearly every swim school we have worked with over the years has taken this approach, and it is quite painless and actually a great investment.

• If you have 3-phase pool pump already, you’re home free. But you can save lots of money by adding a simple VFD to the pump, instead of or in addition to your motor starter.

As we’ve preached for decades, the VFD will slow down the speed of the pump to match the required flow of the pool and provide exponential savings. (See our previous USSSA articles for details, but simply put, a simple 20% reduction in motor speed – will operate your pump at 51% of normal power !!)

• If you don’t have 3-phase power in your building (only single phase 240V), and theoretically can’t slow down a pool pump motor, no problem. We have helped hundreds of facilities install phase-converting systems whereas you connect a specially designed VFD to single phase on one end and connect any 3-phase pump on the other end. This would allow you to meet the federal guide lines without changing your pump (only your motor), and also avoiding Department of Health (DOH) requirements for re-permitting, etc.

You could also remove the pump, and install a completely new pump, with an integrated electronic box built-in on top of the motor, but basically, they are (internally) converting single phase to 3-phase in order to be able to vary the speed of the pump. These also comply with the upcoming DOE requirement but are normally limited to 3-HP size.

Once you have this pump arrangement, THEN the fun starts. Many schools control their flow through their chemistry

controller (patented by the most popular controller mfg), and dial in their DOH flow and minimize their energy consumption 24/7 while saving lots of money. How much? We have found that pump will commonly spin down to 2025% of normal power with clean filters.

You can also then program automatic setback, allowing the pump to hold a slower speed during off-peak times or during holiday closures. These setbacks will operate the pumps as low as 12.5% of normal power, while still filtering, heating, and chemically treating the water.

CONCLUSION While the upcoming DOE Pump efficiency program might confuse and complicate the issue for a while, it is actually going to force many swim school owners to make a change the hundreds of owners already made proactively, and are loving every moment.

A pool pump is one of the largest energy consumers per many, and taking direct control of the pump’s power consumption is an easy way to trim the swim school’s monthly cost of operation with a pretty nominal investment.

Please be aware that most municipalities require DOH-alerting, permission or permitting when you’re changing your pump, as they want to be assured that the new pump will meet the agreed-upon flow rates established during design and construction. This is not the case when you’re only changing the motor, and leaving the front half (pump) part of the assembly alone. This simple upgrade spelled out above has proven to be a quick and relatively painless way to save energy, while complying with the impending regulations.

Stay safe, and let us know if we can answer any questions or can assist in any manner.

Please feel free to forward your questions and comments through the Association office, or directly to me, via email at amendoza@ceswaterquality. com.

Best Regards, Alvaro G. Mendoza

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 41

USSSA offers the best online resources in the industry!

Educate your team today.

NEW! FREE COURSE: HEALTH CONCERNS WHEN TEACHING SWIMMING TO CHILDREN

HELP USSSA STAY AFLOAT

LOW MONTHLY PAYMENT OPTION AVAILABLE! EASY RENEWAL PROCESS: 1. COMPLETE APPLICATION FORM 2. OPTIONAL BACKGROUND SCREENING During these challenging times, the USSSA stands with you! Please consider renewing, on the monthly payment plan if best for you, so we can continue to offer you support and resources to help you navigate your way to a successful swim business outcome.

We look forward to continuing to serve you! Renew online at www.my.usswimschools.org/register

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE! USSSA FLAGSHIP COURSES Infant-Toddler Instructor Training Course Special Abilities Instructor Training Course Movement & Brain Development Course

SPECIAL ABILITIES VIDEO LIBRARY 3RD LEVEL ONLINE COURSES AVAILABLE ON USSSA RESOURCE POOL WORLD WIDE SWIM SCHOOL 14 DAYS FREE USSSA DIGITAL MAGAZINE LIBRARY EASY ACCESS

Hurry! Access the USSSA Training Courses in your Member Resource Pool.