2021 Volume 32 Issue 2

VOLUME 32 | ISSUE 2 2021

U N I T E D

S T A T E S

S W I M

S C H O O L

A S S O C I A T I O N

Summer Vibes SAVE THE DATE! NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2021

How to Recognize and Help with Regressive Behavior in Children HOW TO BUILD A CULTURE OF GENEROSITY

new! kids goggles flowglows GLOW-IN-THE-DARK KIDS’ GOGGLES These extremely comfortable, silicone kids’ goggles are sure to keep your little swimmers having fun on those warm summer evenings in the backyard pool and hot tub. Or better yet, throw a themed party and send all your party guests home with a favor they’ll love!

character THEMED KIDS’ GOGGLES Character Goggles are designed to inspire childrens’ imaginations while encouraging aquatic fun. Available in four playful designs–Mermaid, Pirate, Unicorn and Tiki–these are sure to put a smile on your little one’s face!

We’re here to help! Feel free to contact us any time with questions or comments!

Marie Morefield 925.290.2657 | mmorefield@finisinc.com FINISswim.com

IN THIS ISSUE TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

Letter From the President

7

National Conference 2021 Update

5 From the Desk of the Executive Director 8 A Moment of Attention on Water Safety 10 Know Where You Stand, So You Stand Out — 2021 Industry Benchmark Report 12 25 Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Most Coveted Self-Care Rituals 16 Calendar of Events 18 New Member List

19 ASSA National Conference 2021 20 Book Buzz

22 Water Safety Month: A Brief History & Hope Floats Foundation’s Dedication to Saving Lives 24 How to Build a Culture of Generosity at Work

28 How to Recognize and Help With Regressive Behavior in Children 30 Board of Directors — Favorite Member Benefit 32 Staying Positive When Life is Getting You Down 34 Training Millennials: How to Boost Engagement 38 Don’t Let a Simple Mistake Cost You Customers 39 USSSA Spring Workshop Deep Dive Wrap Up 40 Stop Drowning Now

42 Expanding and Evaluating Opportunities for Inclusion 44 Small Schools Summer Prep 46 How to Think Like a Futurist

48 Pentair Bioshield UV Disinfection Systems Improve Both Water and Air Quality for Swimmers ®

50 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

Pool Vibes!

2-6 Dolphin YEARS goggles

Kid safe, Quick-adjusting, Soft, non-leaking eye gaskets. The perfect goggle for younger children with smaller facial profiles.

24 unit Assortment

$129.95 $5.41 e/u

crab

Made in Italy

Ages 3-7. Kid safe, Scratch and anti-fog resistant, Quick-adjusting replaceable buckles, comfortable, non -leaking eye gaskets. The ultimate learn to swim goggle for the largest demographic taking swim lessons in you school.

Several color choices

$8.80

king crab Made in Italy

Baloo

Ages 7 and up. With all of the features of the Crab, but made wider for older kids with larger facial profiles.

Made in Italy

Ages 3 & up. With Italian engineering and design, this kid safe, non-leaking, comfortable skirt is a champion with kids that don’t like the feeling of a traditional goggle gasket around the eye socket.

$8.95

$11.25

Training Aids:

The Cressi Dive stick and Ring. Help take the fear out of asking your students to submerge and make a game of it with the use of these helpful tools. Designed in Italy & CE certified. *Dive Ring

$6.95

*Dive Stick

$7.45

Ages 2-8. Legendary Italian design, quality and comfort.

Top rated floating learn to swim fin. If your students are old enough to stand, they are old enough to use these fins to help them learn to kick properly while swimming.

$14.45 Deal Direct with the manufacture. Cressi,a trusted brand that has been manufacturing our own products in Italy and selling fun for over 75 years!

IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF:

For more information or if you’d like to try one of our products, please email: pete.girolamo@cressiusa.com or call 914-980-4140.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT “ Personal accountability is being responsible for the success or consequences that are the result of the beliefs, words, and actions within your control.”

DAVE GORDON AUTHOR OF TIP

In a world where lately, it feels like we have had little control over what is going on, there is something you do have control over, your personal brand. Your personal brand is what people say about you when you leave the room. Dave Gordon in his book TIP shares the importance of taking personal accountability for your reputation, your results, and your value. By knowing your value, it can make what you do in work and life easier and more rewarding. Easier as you navigate tough decisions. Knowing where you stand can make the choice that works for you easier to identify and act on.

More rewarding as you can see what you have set out to accomplish coming to fruition.

There is a lot of opportunity in recovering from this past year. It is an opportunity to continue to learn and grow from your experiences and come out even stronger on the other side. The future is up to each one of us. As Charles Swindoll said, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” Identify those things that you can control and work to make them the best they can be. It can be easy as we are called to wear many hats and continue to navigate the ups and downs of 2021 to slip into simply surviving, but I challenge you. Pause and identify what is most important, what do you have control over and make the intentional choice to move in the direction you want to be. Share your goals with a friend or colleague to offer you some accountability and personal connection. And on those days that you struggle, reach out to that friend or colleague. It can do wonders to help put you back on track.

We can do this, we have it in each one of us.

JOHN KIRK

JOHN KIRK President US Swim School Association

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 3

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FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR We are all in this together and if we can find ways to take care of ourselves and each other, the sky is the limit on what we can accomplish!

Summer will soon be upon us, which means pool time for many. And while this may be a busy time for many swim school owners, we hope you are able to still find some time to invest in yourself. If there is one thing we’ve learned through this last year, it’s how important it is to take care of you, your health and mental wellbeing. As the owner and leader you have a lot of demands put on you and it can be easy to forget about what you need to be healthy and most productive. If you don’t make time to spend at least a little time on self-care it will most likely cost you more in the future.

And while we know this, why is it so hard to make it happen? You are a valuable asset to your business, invest in you like you would invest in other assets within your company. Put it on your schedule and make it a priority. Find what works for you and then commit to doing it, just like you ask staff to commit to their job duties. And give yourself grace as you work to navigate all the demands before you and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Help could be in the form of delegating some tasks, asking a friend to hold you accountable to your me time or seeking out professional help. In this issue you will find some self-care inspiration from small business owners like you in the article, 25 Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Most Coveted Self-Care Rituals. We hope it inspires you to find some ways to take care of you.

And speaking of inspiration, you may be someone who finds inspiration between the pages of a book. If you are an avid reader or someone who would like to be, check out the Book Buzz article by Miren Oca for news on a USSSA book club and a great list of books to get your summer off to an educational and inspiring start!

And while we are talking about self-care and asking for help, how do you create a company culture that encourages everyone to ask for help when they need it?

Check out the article How to Build a Culture of Generosity at Work to learn six practices you can use to help your team ask for and give more help to each other.

We are all in this together and if we can find ways to take care of ourselves and each other, the sky is the limit on what we can accomplish!

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.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OCT. 4-6, 2021 Save

THE DATE!

Saddlebrook Resort, Tampa, FL

It’s been a long time coming, and we can’t wait to see you…in person!!

This year’s conference will take place in Tampa, FL at the Saddlebrook Resort where you will have an opportunity to reunite with friends and colleagues under the sun.

On Monday you will be treated to a daylong leadership workshop with Andy Worshek.

Andy is a globally recognized speaker and trainer who worked alongside David Marquet on the USS Santa Fe. Split into three parts, Andy will be diving into the principles of intent based leadership, talking like a leader, and rethinking leadership.

You don’t want to miss this!

The next two days of the conference will be jam-packed with sessions on customer experience, client acquisition, leadership, instructor-based sessions, specialized roundtables and more. And don’t even think about heading to the airport early because you won’t want to miss our closing session with Tami Evans! Tami will have you laughing, crying, and laughing some more as she wraps up a fantastic three days for us.

On top of all that, the Awards Banquet is also included in your registration fee this year so you will have the perfect opportunity to kick back and celebrate with friends.

If you choose to stay at the Saddlebrook Resort during the conference, your reservation will also include breakfast and lunch for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. More details along with registration will be available in the coming months, but you can already call and make your reservation at the Saddlebrook. Don’t forget to mention the group rate for USSSA. Can’t make it in person? Not to worry…we will have a virtual registration option as well that will give you access to some of the best sessions at the conference.

Get ready for an exciting 3 days where, together, we can! For more information, please visit www.usswimschools.org/events.

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 7

BY ROSE CHOLEWINSKI OWNER SWIMAMERICA DAVIS

A MOMENT OF ATTENTION ON WATER SAFETY “Just a moment sweetie!” How many times has your child asked for your attention and you’ve said, “just a sec” while you finish up another small task?

8 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

As a local swim school owner, long-time swim coach and a parent, I assure you that when it comes to pools and water, you don’t have a “moment.” That’s because water emergencies happen quickly and quietly.

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children under 5, and in the majority of incidents, one or both parents was present. In 75% of drowning incidents, the child was missing for less than 5 minutes. Just a sec.

We’ve already seen one water incident in our community this spring, and as families start to enjoy backyard and public pools as the weather warms, it’s not too soon to spend a moment on water safety.

SwimAmerica Davis teaches the Safer 3 Water Safety Foundation’s program, a multi-layered educational effort focused on the three primary areas of water safety: Safer Water, Safer People, and Safer Response.

• “Safer Water” focuses on using fencing, gate latches, alarms and other safety equipment around pools and boats.

• “Safer People” stresses the importance of having constant responsible adult supervision around the water and learning proper swim skills.

• “Safer Response” addresses the importance of learning CPR, first aid and other rescue and emergency response techniques, as well as having a phone by the pool at all times.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? SUPERVISE YOUNG CHILDREN AT ARM’S LENGTH Young children and non-swimmers need to be supervised within arm’s length around all water – swimming pools, wading pools, lakes and rivers.

What exactly is arm’s length? My arm measures about 2 ½ feet, so it means you are sticking very close to your child.

And yes, it probably means that you will need to get in the pool. I encourage you to enjoy this time with your child!

Swimming is fabulous family time – and probably one of the precious “unplugged” moments you have with your child these days. As an added bonus, according to First 5 California, the more you talk and sing to your preschooler, the more prepared she will be for school. Take advantage of pool time to help your child develop schoolreadiness – while you keep her safer!

LEARN TO SWIM You know that your child needs to learn how to swim to help be safer around water. Learning how to roll over and float, as well as to grab onto a wall, could one day save your child’s life. But do you also know how to swim? To be able to supervise your small child properly, you need to be able to get in the pool (and out) yourself. In 2012, a Sacramento father died trying (unsuccessfully) to save his toddler who’d fallen into a backyard pool. He didn’t know how to swim himself. Anyone responsible for your child around water needs to know how to swim. The US Masters Swimming Association has designated April as Adult Learn-to-Swim month to help reduce the risk of drowning in adults. In honor of this month, SwimAmerica Davis is offering a free trial lesson for our adult learn-to-swim clinics.

DESIGNATE A WATER WATCHER As the weather gets warmer, it’s time for backyard pool parties. Never assume that party guests are paying attention to activity in the pool – even for just a moment. If the host hasn’t hired a trained lifeguard, we recommend a designated “Water Watcher” who will keep undivided attention on the pool.

Rotating short Water Watcher shifts is a good way to share the responsibility and stay focused on a very important task. More Water Watcher information is available from SwimAmerica Davis.

That being said, however, if your child is very young or a nonswimmer, you (or a responsible adult) still need to be arm’s length from your child around the pool. Don’t rely on a lifeguard – that’s the last line of defense in an emergency, not arm’s length supervision.

There’s no worse feeling as a parent than turning around to realize your child is missing –whether it’s in a mall or near a swimming pool. Nothing can guarantee absolute safety, but if we all take a moment – just a sec – to focus on supervision and swim skills – we can make our families safer this summer and all-year long.

SwimAmerica Davis is committed to creating a caring environment that promotes year-round water safety, fun and fitness. SwimAmerica Davis been offering swim lessons, camps, birthday parties at its indoor, warm-water swim facility since June, 2008. The Safer 3 Water Safety Foundation (formerly Swim for Life Foundation) was chartered in 2003 as a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit corporation in order to give it life beyond the careers of its founders. It was founded by a group of concerned swim school operators that decided to do something positive to prevent drowning while still promoting the value of swimming ability as enrichment to the lives of all people.

CONTACT Rose Cholewinski SwimAmerica Davis 530-759-1214 www.swimamericadavis.com

KNOW WHERE YOU STAND, SO YOU CAN STAND OUT — 2021 INDUSTRY BENCHMARK REPORT

KEY METRICS LIKE CLASS SIZE, DISCOUNT PERCENTAGES AND MONTH-TO-MONTH INCOME GROWTH ARE ALL INTEGRAL TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR SWIM SCHOOL. BUT WITHOUT CONTEXT, THESE NUMBERS MAY LEAVE YOU WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS: • Do I have the right class size to maximize tuition revenue?

• Am I offering too many family and student discounts?

• Should I consider adding more staff to my roster?

The list goes on.

10 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

Most swim school owners and managers do not have access to industry-wide performance data to help them know where they stand. Until now.

The team at Jackrabbit has analyzed the performance of businesses, across 43 countries and 6 industries over a three-year period to discover some mind-blowing key metrics. The result?

Jackrabbit’s 2021 Industry Benchmark Report.

In this report, we’ll share industry benchmarks to help you compare your program’s performance against other youth activity centers from around the world. With this knowledge in hand, you’ll be able to identify opportunities for growth in your swim school and where you should focus most of your attention.

Download your copy of the Benchmark Report at jackrabbitclass. com/benchmarks.

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ENTREPRENEURS REVEAL THEIR MOST COVETED SELF-CARE RITUALS How do entrepreneurs approach self-care? How we start our days, end our days and manage the time in between impacts how we show up in life and business.

BY YFS STAFF CONTRIBUTORS

12 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

With seemingly never-ending to-do lists and a mission stretched out before us, it’s time we acknowledge the value of self-care. How we start our days, end our days and manage the time in between impacts how we show up in life and business.

An escape of rest and relaxation may be on the books. But thankfully, there are simple and powerful ways to care for yourself mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically 365 days of the year.

“Prioritizing self-care is an investment in yourself, and is an investment in the sustainable success of your business,” wellness entrepreneur Samantha Eaton told YFS Magazine. After all, an investment in self-care profits from the kind of compound interest that helps us grow exponentially, and it often shows up on our bottom line.

So, we asked twenty-five entrepreneurs to share how they do self-care. From start to end, managing the middle and the mindset, here’s a refreshing look at well-being from various entrepreneurial perspectives.

Start the day strong 1 | LIST YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLES “Create a list of non-negotiables you do every day and prioritize them above all else. For example, exercise is on my list that I do in some way, shape, or form every morning because I know it’s going to energize me and help me focus.”

SAMANTHA EATON Certified Nutrition & Eating Psychology Coach at Healthy Eaton 2 | MEDITATE WHEN YOU WAKE “It’s important to get grounded right away when I wake up. I meditate before I get out of bed. Those twenty minutes of serenity help me shut my brain off and prepare for a busy day ahead.”

TORI MARINELLI Founder of Être Bien 3 | REFLECT ON GRATITUDE “Every morning I open my eyes, I reflect on three things that I am grateful for before I look at my phone or think about the rest of the world. Then I give my Shiba a hug and a kiss good morning to let her know how much I love her.

Love and compassion are huge motivators for me.”

MCKENZIE FOSTER Co-founder and President of FryGuys 4 | PUT AWAY YOUR PHONE & LAPTOP “I used to rush to my phone and jump on my laptop as soon as I woke up.

But I quickly learned I needed to carve out a part of my day to take care of myself first. That means drinking water, meditating, going to the gym, showering and getting fully ready for my day.

Since this change, I make more aligned decisions and am more productive throughout the day.”

SARAH WILLIAMS Founder of Rebel Office

5 | GET TO THE GYM EARLY “As a minority female entrepreneur in the tech space, I’ve got my work cut out for me. One critical key to my career success is getting to the gym five days a week at 5:00 am. The benefits of moving are great, sure. But the real value for me is knowing I conquered a feat that not many people are willing to do and that sets my day up to be powerful.”

KATHERINE ROMERO Co-founder of MAKA Digital 6 | READ A SELFIMPROVEMENT BOOK “I wake up at 5:00 am, make a cup of Joe, and take 30 minutes to read a good self-improvement book which puts my mind at ease. I make myself a priority, rather than the stresses of running a business.”

TRAVIS MASTERS Founder and CEO of Masitects Architectural Design Studio 7 | DRINK WATER AND GRAB YOUR FAVORITE COFFEE “In the morning, I drink an entire bottle of water before I make my coffee. I’m hooked on Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee lately, and I don’t start working until I’ve had a chance to finish that, fit in a 10-minute meditation from the Headspace app, and journal out everything running through my brain.

It gives me so much more clarity to start the day!”

KIARA MARTILLA Marketing Strategist at Kiara Jennifer & Co 8 | DO A SIMPLE YOGA FLOW “I take the first 15-20 minutes of my morning to do a simple yoga flow.

Throughout the entire yoga practice, I only allow myself to focus on my breath.

Then I take the next couple of moments to lay flat on the ground and meditate on gratefulness. I am a competitive

person, so this is my phycological tool to get ahead of any negativity, stress, or anxiousness regarding work or whatever lies ahead that day. Mentally starting this way means I’ve already beaten it!”

HANNAH ENGLAND Founder, and CEO of Wash.It.Later.

9 | TURN OFF EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS “I quickly learned that the email notifications on my phone were making me crazy. I turned those off and made a conscious effort not to check my email in the morning before I’ve worked out and eaten breakfast.”

ELISE GELWICKS Founder of InternView 10 | GET SPIRITUALLY GROUNDED “I start every single morning by saying two words, ‘I’m grateful.’ From there, I meditate on what I want to accomplish in the day. I set three small goals for the day, write them down, and then check it off as I complete it within the day.

It keeps me focused, allows me to be spiritually grounded, and it sets my entire tone for the day.”

SHAWN ZANOTTI CEO and Founder of Exact Publicity 11 | GET MOVING TO BUILD MOMENTUM “I get moving first thing in the morning.

I get up at 5:30 and head straight to the gym or pilates. Studies repeatedly show that moving your body increases happiness, decreases stress, and leads to overall health benefits. It’s tough, but I know when I knock that off my agenda, I’m building momentum to be productive and focused for the rest of the day.”

JOY WELBORN Founder and President of Joy Declare Continued on next page...

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 13

End the day well 12 | LIGHT INCENSE, STRETCH, AND REFLECT “I try to end every day with a 15-minute yoga stretch. I turn the lights off, light incense and think about all the things I’m grateful for, and if I had a bad day, how I could have handled things differently.”

JULIANNE ROBICHEAU Founder of Robi Luxury Skin Care 13 | DRINK SOME STRESS RELIEF TEA AND JOURNAL “My 30-minute evening ritual involves lighting candles and incense, taking a hot shower, drinking a cup of steaming Stress Relief tea, and writing three things I’m grateful for in my gratitude journal.”

MELISA CELIKEL CEO of Make SHT Happen LLC 14 | SET WORK HOURS AND STICK TO THEM “Remind yourself daily that if you’re not your best self, you can’t give your business your best. Set your work hours, close your laptop at the end of the workday, turn off your phone, read daily, write nightly, get some fresh air and stay creative.”

MONICA SANITA Co-founder and COO of Siempre Spirits Limited 15 | WATCH A MOVIE TO UNWIND “When I feel overwhelmed with work, I make a conscious effort to unwind.

Usually, I watch a movie with my favorite food. There are also days when I don’t feel like working, and I don’t push myself hard to do it. I remind myself that a bad day isn’t a bad week. That helps me get back to action in full force.”

RITIKA JAYASWAL Founder of Nourish Mantra

14 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

16 | ENJOY A GOOD MEAL AND A GLASS OF WINE “After a long day of pitching on behalf of my clients, I eat a good meal and enjoy a glass of wine. Making sure my body feels good is a direct result of ensuring my mind is running clear and ready to go for that next day ahead.”

CHARISSE CURTIS Co-founder, and President of Milano Consulting 17 | PREPARE FOR THE DAY AHEAD “The beginning of each day is the most difficult, especially because in addition to running my own business I am a professional athlete, which takes quite a toll on the body. To ensure my days start well I prepare for each day the night before. Simple things like having food, clothing, and necessary items for the workday prepared ahead of time can make it easy to roll out of bed and get to work quickly and efficiently.”

GARRY TONON Owner of Brunswick Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 18 | SLEEP WELL “Adequate rest. Sleep is the foundation of our entire well-being. Without proper rest, it is nearly impossible to retain the information my mind collects throughout the day, make informed/focused business decisions, and get after it day after day. This is ironic because most of us entrepreneurs think we can run on caffeine and business highs alone. But this is not sustainable.”

ZACH CLAYTON Co-Founder of Mattress Advisor

19 | CREATE ‘FREE DAYS’ “I’ve adopted Dan Sullivan’s idea of ‘free days.’ This is a 24-hour period where you don’t think about work, read business books, check your voicemail or email.

I am entirely in another world. It is a big reset, and I come back rejuvenated and ready to take on the world with fresh energy, new ideas, and more creativity.”

TIM JOINER CEO of 3Fold 20 | PLAY A ROUND OF GOLF “I enjoy playing a brisk round of golf on Saturdays and Sundays. There’s something about hitting the links at the crack of dawn with my closest buddies, including my Dad, that clears away the noise in my head from the week before.

On the one hand, golf requires focus, so it forces me to forget about everything else. On the other hand, it gives me a chance to run my latest business challenges by the people I trust most– especially since they all putt much better than me. Not! By the end of 18 holes, I feel accomplished, rejuvenated and ready to tackle my many work demands once again.”

NICHOLAS DENUCCIO CEO of Propaganda Premium E-Liquid 21 | FIND A HOBBY YOU ENJOY “Divide your work from your time to relax. If you’re still ‘on’ when you’re away from work, you’re not giving yourself the chance to decompress. By taking time to focus on fun and hobbies, you’ll come back to your work refreshed, present-minded, and productive.”

KATIE SCHMIDT Founder and Designer of Passion Lilie

22 | UNWIND IN A DIFFERENT ZIP CODE “Once a quarter, I rent an Airbnb in Chicago, away from Elmhurst, Illinois where my cafes are located, for a change of pace and a place to reflect. I also recently returned from a three-week trip to the Philippines where I spent time reflecting on personal and business growth.”

MELISSA VILLANUEVA Founder, and Owner of Brewpoint Coffee 23 | CREATE DAILY SACRED MOMENTS “Create one sacred moment a day, where you sit for an extra 10 seconds and breathe. Like the moment you sit down in the car. Just pause and take a couple deep breathes. Every time you sit in the car, do this. Smell deep, feel your fingertips, check in with your body.”

EMMA ROSE COHEN Co-founder, and CEO of FinalStraw

24 | STRETCH AND MAKE TIME FOR FACIALS “I do barre five days a week and toss in hot yoga in between to stretch it all out. I find this daily ritual is essential to my balance and being able to turn off my brain for one hour each day allows me to reset. Also, I do home facials twice a week which are non-negotiable.

Ensuring my skin looks great is a big part of the work I do but also allows me to really care for myself in the comfort of my own home.”

Originally appeared in YFS Magazine © YFS Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Copying prohibited. All material is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this material is prohibited. Sharing of this material under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International terms is permitted.

JAZMIN ALVAREZ Founder of Pretty Well Beauty 25 | SPEND TIME IN SOLITUDE “I know I need to spend time in solitude listening to my own needs, whether it be a meditation, getting a massage or reading a novel. It’s important to listen to your body because your body knows what it needs and will always tell you (even if you aren’t listening).”

ELNURA ASHIMOVA Co-founder and CEO of yoganect

GOOD AFTER-SWIM HABITS START WITH...

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

THANK YOU ANNUAL SPONSORS

AUGUST 24-26, 2021

AUSTRALIAN SWIM SCHOOLS CONFERENCE 2021 GOLD COAST

assc.australianswimschools.org.au

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

16 | 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

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 17

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 3C Strategic Advisors | p41

iPlay | p41

A3 Performance | p21

Jackrabbit Swim | p11

Aquam | p36

JPWritely | p38

Career Plug | p18

Neptune-Benson | p11

Charlie Banana | p17

Paddock Pool Equipment Company | p6

Counsilman-Hunsaker Operations Consulting | p37

Pentair | p49

Cressi | p2 FINIS | Inside Front Cover iClass Pro | p17

Risk Management Services | p4 Spot TV | p27 Tri Swim | p15

NEW MEMBER LIST BCS SWIM SCHOOL DeAnn Mitchell Richmond, TX KISO SWIM SCHOOL Kristin Barton Boca Raton, FL

The event that will take pride of place in your diary this year, the ASSA National Conference is back! Save the date; Tuesday 24th-Thursday 26th August, 2021!

Topics are intended to be noteworthy and fresh including from surviving to thriving, swim school diversification and sustainability and talks around your swim school brand strategy. Our three day packed agenda will have many presenters and subjects that will enhance your knowledge and give you practical advice for you to implement at your swim school.

We will also be holding our Australian Swim Schools National Awards of Excellence, of which the categories are available on our conference website.

So please head there to make your nominations. To hear all about the outstanding accomplishments of our ASSA swim schools is always a highlight and makes our hearts sing.

During this time when we need to be working together and remain connected, ASSA wants to assure all of its members and attendees that we are taking the utmost care and precautions for this event and gatherings in light of COVID-19. The ASSA team is working extremely closely with our venue, suppliers, contractors and everyone involved with our event to protect the health and wellbeing of our community – you are our top priority. Of course, we will update you if any changes come up.

Conference tickets are $510 for ASSA members & $610 for ASSA Non-members.

For day rates and multiple tickets please email zara@australianswimschools.org.au and of course we can arrange this for you. Our Early Bird tickets are available offering you 10% off, using the promotion code CONFERENCE10.

So make sure you get in quick to get saving! All tickets and further information on presenters and daily schedules are available on our ASSA Conference website https://assc.australianswimschools.org.au.

SEE YOU ON THE GC!

This year’s Australian Swim Schools Association National Conference will not be your average conference. This year we are going BIG! With the virtual world taking a larger place in our lives over the last 12 months, we are ready to RE:GROW, RE: INSPIRE, and RE:ENGAGE. This three day event will consist of extraordinary RE:connection, learning, and inspiration. As always, this event will be jam-packed with speakers who will expand your knowledge, RE:spark your creativity, RE:inspire you to dream big, and challenge you to take your team and business to the next level. And, trust us, the Gold Coast is the best place to be in winter. Oh, and the networking events are going to be a little more special than usual.

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WHERE USSSA MEMBERS SHARE THEIR LATEST OR ALL-TIME FAVORITE READS AND WHY! “ We read to know we’re not alone.”

WILLIAM NICHOLSON SHADOWLANDS

BY MIREN OCA OWNER OCAQUATICS

I am grateful to the USSSA and the friends I have made in this organization. Their support was extremely invaluable to me over the last 14 months especially with the uncertainty of the health of our businesses as well as the health of our family members, our team members and ourselves. During the period of isolation the USSSA organized various zoom calls and we discussed all sorts of topics relating to this complicated time of COVID. Being an avid reader, on one of these calls, I made a recommendation to start a book club since we all found ourselves with extra time on our hands. And thus was born the Swim Friends Support Book Club on April 23, 2020!

Our first book was The Customer Experience by John DiJulius and it was a perfect book to prepare us for the time post COVID when we went back to taking care of our swimming families. It kept us all future focused and thinking positively during a time when we did not know what was going to happen next. And it is probably a good thing we had no idea that a year later we would still be having discussions around COVID! We started with 21 people from 9 different states. A year later, there are still 12 of us that show up on a consistent basis. We are on our 14th book and still going strong!

We set reading assignments each week and meet each Thursday afternoon to discuss what we have read. It takes us about 3-5 weeks to read each book.

Each person has made recommendations on books to add to the reading list and democracy always rules when we select the next book. All of the books we have read have been business or nonfiction and we have learned so many life and business lessons during the pandemic.

I know that we are all going into a busy season. But this is an activity that I would encourage you to try especially if you are interested in talking to people in your industry on a regular basis and learning together. This has been an important part of self-care for each of us during this challenging time. In addition to learning while reading, I believe talking with friends on a regular basis has helped all of our mental health during the last year.

Happy reading!

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IN THE LAST YEAR, THE SWIM FRIENDS SUPPORT BOOK CLUB HAS READ THE FOLLOWING BOOKS: 1

The Relationship Economy by John DiJulius

2

Upstream by Dan Heath

3

The Motive by Pat Lencioni

4

The Hard Thing about the Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

5 Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman

If interested in joining a USSSA book club, please visit BIT.LY/USSSABOOKCLUB Complete the survey. You can note on the survey if now or the fall is a better time for you. YOU.

Want to share your favorite read with members? Email anne@usswimschools.org to join in the fun!

6 Essentialism Greg McKeown 7 Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 8 Growth IQ by Tiffani Bova 9 Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday 10 Indistractable by Nir Eyal 11 The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday 12 Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday 13 Think Again by Adam Grant 14 BE 2.0 by Jim Collins and Bill Lazier

E M O C L E W

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K C BA

As your business safely opens back up, A3 Performance is here to help make the transition easy! Contact us today to place your suit, goggle, and equipment orders.

No minimums required! info@a3performance.com 888.369.7946

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WATER SAFETY MONTH: A BRIEF HISTORY & HOPE FLOATS FOUNDATION’S DEDICATION TO SAVING LIVES

BY STEF BAKER HOPE FLOATS PARTNER LIAISON

Hope Floats Foundation (HFF), whose mission is to help save lives by providing swim lesson scholarships to children who otherwise would not be able to afford them, is a huge advocate on the national stage for water safety.

Each year, HFF strongly promotes National Water Safety Month to help spread awareness about the importance of safe water practices in an effort to reduce accidental drowning statistics.

In May, many schools and swim organizations celebrated swim story successes and promoted water safety measures during National Water Safety Month (NWSM). Although many are aware of, support and celebrate NWSF, its history is not well known.

NWSM was born from National Water Safety Week, created in 2003 by The World Waterpark Association (WWA). In 2007, The National Recreation and Park Association, who had been celebrating National Aquatics Week in July, joined WWA. Together, they decided May was the better of the two months to create awareness, knowing it is when swimming and other water activities begin to increase across the United States.

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In 2009, The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (now the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance) came aboard and added waterparks, public and backyard pools specifically to the initiative. In 2010 the American Red Cross completed the coalition. According to the American Red Cross website, NWSF was created “in response to the need for ongoing public education on safe water practices…,” including the importance of swim lessons.

It has grown from a one-week long event to a month-long campaign to promote safety in and around all bodies of water, in order to help reduce the number of drowning accidents in the U.S. Interestingly, in order to create more awareness and a high level of credibility, one of the things that WWA coordinates (on behalf of the coalition) is Gubernatorial proclamations from all 50 governors’ offices citing May as National Water Safety Month. This level of support from state governments really helps to elevate the cause, bringing it into each community across the country. In 2020 many Governors’ offices were not issuing any proclamations because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, 29 of the 50 states felt it was important to continue the momentum. This year all offices were again urged to participate; the final participation rate data was unavailable at time this article was written.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Data Brief #149 issued April 2014, “Unintentional Drowning Deaths Between 1999-2010” (when NWSM was started), drowning was responsible for more deaths among children ages 1-4 than any other cause except congenital anomalies (birth defects). Drowning fatalities were the secondleading cause of unintentional injury-related death behind motor vehicle crashes among children ages 1-14. Boys are at a slightly higher risk than girls. Additionally, this brief stated the fatal unintentional drowning rate for African Americans was significantly higher than that of whites across all ages and the disparity was widest among children 5-18 years old. Numbers showed that African American children ages 5-19 drown in

swimming pools at rates 5.5 times higher than their white peers. This disparity is greatest among those 11-12 years old, where African American children drown in swimming pools at rates 10 times more than white children.

HFF has helped to create more awareness on the importance of swim lessons, especially for minority and disadvantaged children, since its founding in 2016. Aside from working closely with 31 swim school partners to help with scholarship fundraising and awareness campaigns, HFF also uses its social media platforms to regularly disseminate useful, timely and critical information to the public. Many individuals, aside from those who own or help run swim schools, are educated by the postings and materials made possible by HFF. This year, Water Safety Month at HFF meant the announcement of their first ever National Ambassador, Madelina “Maddie” Garcia, an eight-year-old girl, who survived an accidental drowning when she was just three. Maddie, who lives near Waco, Texas, took it upon herself last summer to raise over $500 for HFF by setting up a lemonade stand in front of her home on the anniversary of her drowning. She wanted to

turn her near-tragedy into something that raised awareness.

She and her mom, with no connection at all to HFF, found the organization on the web and decided that they wanted to help the cause: to save more lives.

Although NWSF is now behind us, summer is here. Now is the time for us all to remain vigilant and outspoken about the importance of water safety. Accidental drownings are not limited to one month. We cannot let our guard down. As the Red Cross stated in a 2019 article on their website, “Children <and adults> should learn to swim so they at least achieve the skills of water competency: be able to enter the water, get a breath, stay afloat, change position, swim a distance and then get out of the water safely.” That is our goal, one child at a time. Swim lessons save lives, and HFF is here to help.

For more information regarding Hope Floats Foundation Swim School Partnerships and/or Scholarship information please go to https://www.hopefloats.foundation or email them at info@hopefloats.foundation.

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HOW TO BUILD A CULTURE OF GENEROSITY AT WORK Here are six practices to help your team ask for and give more help to each other.

BY WAYNE BAKER

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Not long after Jim Mallozzi took charge of Prudential Real Estate and Relocation, the company hosted a convention for their many thousands of sales professionals around the world.

The theme of my first keynote address,” says Jim, “was ‘change and innovation’ while tapping into the ‘positive power of the possible.’” At one point during his address, Jim asked the audience of 3,000 sales professionals to pull out their smartphones. Everyone groaned, assuming they were about to be instructed to turn their devices off.

Instead, Jim asked them to turn their phones on. Then he made a request.

“Text or email at least one idea about how you could help a fellow professional get a new client, improve a sale, or keep a customer for life.” The text number and email address were projected on a big screen. Jim called for his smartphone onstage, using it to demonstrate what he wanted them to do.

By the end of the conference, a mere 36 hours later,” Jim reports, “the group had generated over 2,200 ideas!” Jim’s large-scale requesting routine was so successful that it soon became a regular practice at the company.

FROM ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK: HOW TO MASTER THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL FOR SUCCESS

Featured in my book, Jim’s requesting routine is one of dozens of tools and practices I have documented, researched, or developed over the past two decades that accelerate generosity in the workplace.

Each one is based on three fundamental insights. First, the secret to unlocking generosity is getting people to ask for what they need. In the workplace, 70-90% of the help that is given is in response to requests for help. Without requests, little happens.

Second, it’s easier to ask for what you need if the “rules of the game” stipulate that everyone asks. Third, participants don’t have to believe the practices will work; they only have to engage in the activities. When they do so, their experiences become the evidence they need to update their beliefs about the importance of asking for and receiving help.

Over time, the practice of asking for resources, such as help and assistance, advice, feedback, and information, builds a culture of generosity. A comprehensive review of research demonstrates the benefits of this kind of culture: People perform better and are more creative; they are more satisfied with their jobs and careers. They have stronger work relationships and are more committed to (and less likely to leave) their organizations. Help-seeking improves team performance and creativity. And companies save money and become more profitable.

Here are some of my favorite practices for creating a culture of generosity, each of which can be conducted in person or virtually.

BE A ROLE MODEL OF THE BEHAVIOR YOU WANT Like Jim Mallozzi, if you want others to ask for what they need, you must do the same.

I call this the leader’s CHS role: Chief Help Seeker. If you aren’t willing to ask for help, it puts a chill on building a culture of generosity. But if you are, then you will create increased psychological safety at work—an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up and being vulnerable—and others will follow suit.

The leader’s role includes setting expectations about asking and giving help.

At one economic consulting firm, for example, the principals tell new hires that they should never work alone for more than 20 minutes on a problem before asking for input and advice from other consultants at the firm. And the leader’s role includes selecting—in collaboration with those who will participate—the help-seeking tools and practices they will implement in the workplace, such as those presented here.

DO THE TROIKA EXERCISE This is a short exercise created by Liberating Structures where you get into groups of three, face to face or virtually. Each person in turn makes a request using the SMART criteria—for a specific, realistic action, including a deadline and why it’s important— and the other two people think about how they could help. I did this at the University of Michigan for 1,400 people at the same time, and in just a 12-minute exercise, an estimated 75% of participants received help. I have conducted the Troika many times using three-person breakout rooms in Zoom.

If you have a small group, or enough time with a large one, then breakout groups can be larger. For example, I used Zoom to lead a 45-minute Troika-like exercise with five of our executives-in-residence at the Center for Positive Organizations. Each of the five had ample time to present and explain a request, and the group had time to discuss each request, ask questions, and respond with offers of help.

HUDDLE UP A formal huddle is a weekly meeting held at the same time and on the same day of the week, in person or virtually. For example, one team I know has its huddle at 10 a.m. every Monday morning; people get together in a room or on Zoom, talk about business issues, and then reserve time at the end to ask for help and give help.

An informal huddle can be called whenever anyone runs into a problem and gets stuck. The design firm IDEO is a master of this. When a designer at IDEO runs into a problem, they’re expected to stop, call together a couple of other designers, and brainstorm about a solution.

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IDEO has a culture of helping precisely because they have a culture of asking for help, observed Heather Currier Hunt, the senior global director of learning and development at IDEO. It’s the request that brings forth all the natural generosity that exists in the firm, and it’s the huddle practice that facilitates and normalizes asking for what you need.

HAVE A DAILY STANDUP Originating in IT and software development firms, daily standups can be used in any team or group. Standups are a type of meeting where everyone stands in a circle in person (or gathers virtually) at the same time every day. The rules of the game specify that each person address three points: what you worked on yesterday, what you’re working on today, and what help you need.

Standups are much quicker than huddles, take place on a regular daily schedule, and focus only on those three topics. For example, software development firm Menlo Innovations holds a standup each day at 10 a.m. with 60 participants. The entire activity, says CEO and cofounder Rich Sheridan, takes only 12 minutes.

Daily standups can be conducted effectively in a virtual world. Staff at our Center for Positive Organizations now hold their morning standup via Zoom. With everyone working remotely, the standup enables the staff to stay informed, help one another, and connect emotionally.

SHARE COMPLEX PROBLEMS ASYNCHRONOUSLY You can also create reliable channels, other than meetings, for identifying and discussing problems that might require some help to solve.

At one large pharmaceutical company, the engineering team would meet weekly, identify a complex problem they were working on, and write it down on a whiteboard in a public place. During the next week, people who came by could pose a solution, challenge a solution, ask a question, or ask for clarification. The next Friday, they would all sit down together and talk about that problem and the solution, and then come up with the next week’s problem.

The whiteboard is an implicit request for help and input, and it works well because it’s asynchronous. Virtual whiteboards can be used the same way.

HOLD A CROSS-COLLABORATION WORKSHOP I learned this practice from an engineer at a global car company who is the head of two different divisions at the firm. One was racing, which operates on a very short timeframe. Each week, they fix the car and get it back on the racetrack for the next week. The other was advanced engineering, which is always thinking long-term, maybe up to 10 years ahead. This leader held a workshop where engineers from the two different silos got together, set their agenda for the workshop by selecting the engineering topics they wanted to cover, talked about the work they were doing and what they had learned, and asked for and gave help to one another.

Both teams came away with new ideas and solutions to problems. For example, one thing that advanced engineering learned was how to quickly get parts, because that was a problem that had already been solved by the racing team.

Each of these half-dozen practices can be used individually or in combination to create regular opportunities for asking, giving, and receiving. They accelerate generosity in the workplace. By implementing them, you may be surprised at the amount of generosity, knowledge, and expertise you can unlock at work.

This essay is based on a talk that is part of the Positive Links Speaker Series by the University of Michigan’s Center for Positive Organizations. The Center is dedicated to building a better world by pioneering the science of thriving organizations.

This article originally appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. Read more at greatergood.berkeley.edu.”

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Wayne Baker, Ph.D., is the Robert P. Thome Professor of Business Administration and Faculty Director of the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

He is a cofounder and board member of Give and Take, Inc., developers of the Givitas platform based on the principles in his latest book, All You Have to Do Is Ask: How to Master the Most Important Skill for Success.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND HELP WITH REGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN

BY NIKKI MILLER, MFCT PRESIDENT ACADEMY SWIM CLUB

Children learn in stages, within their current developmental physical abilities, moving from the inside, outward.

Meaning that their physical development starts with the trunk, moves to the limbs, and then the fingers – gross motor first, then fine motor, through each stage of development. Learning progresses until they are disrupted by distress or trauma.

This may be in the form of a death, divorce, move, or pandemic. These can halt development, disrupt it, regress physical, emotional and intellectual development, and can even change the brain makeup or chemistry. They may lose skills they have previous learned, and struggle to relearn them. Not like “riding a bicycle.” They may also regress to an earlier stage of development.

Even though we have all been exposed to this pandemic, every child, in every household may have experienced it differently. Normally, parents can protect their children from stressful situations, but when stress is pervasive in the home, even very young children can feel it as their own, and release cortisol in the brain in reaction to the stress around them. Follow up studies comparing drug use in siblings where one sibling uses and the other has never used, but otherwise were raised in the same household under the same conditions, found that the drug user was exposed to a high amount of stress “in utero”, and struggled with stressful situations throughout their lifetime, more than their siblings.

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As teachers, we can’t assume that every household has had adaptive parents and a healthy home. During this past year, diagnosable mental health problems went from 10% of the population to 25%. Drug and alcohol use went up 450%. Some relationships got closer, but many will, or have ended broken, with the added stresses of work, home and school under one roof.

Parents are overwhelmed, and their children can feel it, even if they don’t hear it. When children don’t feel safe and protected, they come to the conclusion that there is something wrong with them, or they are crazy, because this is safer to them than the alternative: that something is wrong with their parents, who they depend on for survival.

Children will often blame themselves when parents break up, because they were the targets of the yelling, or they caused some stress by not doing something right. This leads to feelings of inadequacy & failure. When these feelings are repeated too often, children give up. They stop trying. They just exist.

Most children have been much more isolated than their teachers, for a year.

To put that in perspective, if you heard that a parent had grounded their child for a year, you would be horrified and report them for child abuse, because this is very hard on them in every way possible. Many children understand about the pandemic requirements, but they are not emotionally developed enough to handle it. Many adults aren’t either.

COVID has affected every child in every household, from stay-at-home orders, to businesses and fun activities shut down, to school closures, to play ground shut down, to the inability to visit relatives or friends, get or give hugs, and the stress parents have undergone, either financially, socially, multitasking school, etc. For many of these children, this has been a traumatic experience, filled with stress.

Stress causes regression in memory, learning ability, speech, development and focus. This is similar to the fight, flight or freeze in adults. When prolonged stress is triggered, the child goes into survival mode, and may become hyperalert, distracted by small movements or sounds, and readies to react to them.

They may burst into tears very easily, or become aggressive. Their brains have a hard time learning, as they are in survival mode. When this goes on for nearly a year, a child learns to live with a form of PTSD. What teachers will report is many more children with “ADHD”, as that is what this will look like to them. But it is far more. Stress causes regression, and regression then causes more stress. It may be a blessing that lessons are mostly private now, instead of group.

Many children in lessons will be more reluctant and scared than they were.

Some will be reluctant to go near or touch their teacher, as they have been taught to distance. Children may be delighted to be in class with others, or they may be nervous and withdrawn.

Many children will communicate with their behavior instead of with words.

You need to figure out what the child is trying to tell you. As sad as it is, we have to be alert to the fact that many children have been abused during the stay at home orders or isolation period. Children who have been abused may bully other children in your class, and you must have a calm plan in place when that happens.

(Not EVERY child who bullies has been abused, but it is common among children who have.) Does the bully need to be in private lessons? Does the bully need to stay on your back, instead of the steps, while waiting for his/her turn? Sometimes having the “active” child go first goes a long way to giving that child the positive attention needed, from you and the whole class.

Validate your students and what they are feeling. This will help them bond with you and trust you. Use positive reinforcement now along with praise and rewards for just trying. Punishment will only help your student give up sooner, or regress even further. Routines and rituals will help your student feel secure, and your attitude will help them lose the stress often attached with learning, and help them improve. This is paramount for instructors. Do not show any sign of frustration or impatience. Use calm, soft spoken words of encouragement, praise and approval. Be patient for the child’s readiness. Some will bounce back

quickly, but others will take some time, as they have been through more than you know. Redirect unwanted behavior into something more positive. Give attention with eye contact. If a child feels they are not getting enough attention, they will behave poorly just for that negative attention, which is better than no attention, in their eyes. They need to feel seen and heard. When they can’t communicate with their words, they will communicate with their actions, very often mirroring what they have lived through, but not always understanding why. When a child feels unlovable, their only way to be seen and heard is through negative measures, which then affirms that they are unlovable. See them all with all the love you can muster.

They are all precious babies who are doing the best they can with what they have lived through. You can throw more play, fun, and humor into your lessons once the child feels safe and secure.

When a child feels loved, they feel safe, and will do anything they possibly can to please you and seek your positive approval.

Nikki Miller is a licensed Marriage, Family & Child Therapist, as well as a past National & International Play Therapy Supervisor. She was a collegiate springboard diver, was the head diving coach for the local high school district, and owns Academy Swim Club, with 2 locations in Southern California.

She is married with 3 grown adults.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FAVORITE MEMBER BENEFIT

My favorite USSSA member benefit by far is the swim school friends that I have made over the years.

This would not have been possible without this great organization, conferences, and awesome members. I talk to at least 1 swim school friend a day and we always have things to discuss. This has and continues to help me grow and develop my business to be the very best it can be. Just this morning I said to my Customer Service team it sure is nice having swim school friends who use the same software that I can call for help at any time. Before joining the association, I would spend way more time and money figuring out how to implement new ideas, being able to call a friend and get swim school cliff notes is invaluable. So please make sure at the next conference to introduce yourself if I have not already done so because I know a 10-minute talk can save and make both of us money and help grow our businesses. Swim School Friends Rule!!!

BRAD GRZELKA ATLANTA SWIM ACADEMY

I LOVE THE RELATIONSHIPS

I love the relationships that one can make as part of the USSSA, the personal and business connections and the knowledge gained is priceless, never mind the connections with other swim school owners and vendors that help you save money on products and services for your clients and customers.

Another advantage is the efforts to make change and make a difference within our communities, educating all about the importance of swim lessons and water safety that ultimately saves children’s lives.

BOBBY HAZEN SAF-T-SWIM

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My favorite member benefit is “connections to other swim schools.”

Why: When I have a business challenge, I can always find an answer through social media, calling a member, joining a zoom call created by the association for help, or going to a conference.

Another why is that swim school owners “understand me.” When I go to a conference or join a zoom call, I feel as if I am around my tribe. My trials and tribulations are understood and my “why” is unspoken but known.

Lastly, the connections I have made through this association has guided me through this pandemic. I would have been lost without the many connections that the USSSA has helped me to create.

To say I am blessed, does not cover my enormous gratitude to the members and the leadership team.

KAREN CLAY SWIMWEST SWIM SCHOOL

MY FAVORITE MEMBER BENEFIT IS THE CONNECTION WITH OTHERS.

If I have a question or need help with anything my swim school friends are always willing to help. With the knowledge and experience of everyone in the association there is always someone who can give guidance through any situation. My second favorite member benefit is the 30% discount on Constant Contact. The savings in Constant Contact pays for my USSSA membership and then some!

BUFFY FOLISE CHICAGO SWIM SCHOOL

The lifelong connections made at USSSA is the best part of membership by far.

I enjoy visiting other schools and having members visit mine. This is a community that a year ago rallied around me when battling health issues which has meant so much to me. It’s been a great sharing environment, helping me grow my business. Membership has also offered me the opportunity to develop my leadership skills, serving as a board member, committee liaison and on the teacher certification task force has been a really rewarding experience.

My favorite benefit is the other members.

I too agree with other BOD members, my favorite benefit is the other members. I feel as if there is a whole new level of camaraderie, since the COVID shutdown of 2020, and now with the opportunity I’ve been afforded to work with and communicate with owners all across the state of Texas on newly proposed regulation of swim schools.

Having access to so many great minds is a huge benefit as a business owner. I’ve also benefited from many of the sponsors over the years, but in particular Cintas has been a huge savings for us. We were working with them prior to their sponsorship of the USSSA, and the price we pay now is a fraction of what we spent without that benefit.

TRACY KOLEBER NITRO SWIM

ALONG WITH MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, THE CONNECTIONS MADE AND SUPPORT OFFERED AMONG OUR MEMBERS IS MY FAVORITE BENEFIT.

All y’all are important to me and I hope you’ve been making those connections and checking in on one another this past year. Another benefit that has made a difference for our swim school is CareerPlug. As one of the early adopters, I was happy to see we could work out such a great discounted price in addition to adding a job board to our association website. Now more than ever, we need as many avenues as possible to spread the message that we are hiring and an efficient way to track it all. CareerPlug does that for us, saving us time and money.

JOHN KIRK LITTLE OTTER SWIM SCHOOL

MELISSA TAYLOR SMALL FISH BIG FISH SWIM SCHOOL USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 31

STAYING POSITIVE WHEN LIFE IS GETTING YOU DOWN

Something completely unexpected knocks the wind right out of your sails.

Your kid gets a stomach bug (that makes its way through the entire family).

You don’t see the step as you’re rushing to put the groceries away and crush your toes. That big contract at work falls through. Your basement floods. The washer stops working. Someone you were counting on lets you down.

And those are just the little things.

The reality is that on any given day, life can throw us for a loop in a million different ways—big or small.

And while it’s easy to stay positive and motivated when things are going right, it’s not always so easy to keep our chin up when it feels like life just keeps knocking us down.

Even so, there are a few manageable things we CAN do to help get us through those rough patches:

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It’s bound to happen, isn’t it? Things are going well, you’re cruising right along feeling like you’ve got it all under control...And then BAM—it hits you.

BY RUTH SOUKUP AUTHOR, PODCASTER, AND FOUNDER OF RUTH SOUKUP OMNIMEDIA

GIVE YOURSELF GRACE It’s okay to recognize that you are having a bad day or going through a rough patch and the situation you happen to be in right now simply sucks. Recognizing that life isn’t going exactly the way you want it to be doesn’t mean you are wallowing, it simply means acknowledging the way you feel, and giving yourself time to work through it mentally and emotionally. Give yourself a little grace.

only a season,” “this too shall pass,” “I am stronger than this obstacle,” “I am willing and will figure this out,” “the way someone else treats me doesn’t define who I am,” etc. It might feel silly, but I guarantee it will start to change the way you view your situation.

CHANGE THE TAPE Whenever things go wrong, there is a certain amount of self-talk that goes on in our own heads, and it’s usually on the negative side. Have you stopped to listen to the message that your tape is playing? If you’re telling yourself things like “I can’t do this,” or “this is too hard,” or “I’m never going to figure this out,” or “the whole world has it in for me,” you need to change the tape. Start replacing and saying out loud, over and over, things like, “I can do this,” “this is

GET SUPPORT It can be hard to ask for help, but you don’t have to do any of this alone. There are people who love and care about you, but chances are they either don’t know you are struggling or don’t know how to help. Be honest and be specific with the people who love you—your spouse, close friends, etc.—in how they can help. Let them know, “I’m really having a hard time right now and I could really use some support. Would you be able to help me by...or with XYZ?”

GET MORE SLEEP There is nothing more powerful and restorative when life feels completely overwhelming than a good night’s sleep or a really good nap to catch you back up. Because when we are stressed, our sleep tends to suffer. Even if it feels impossible, make sleep a priority. Enlist some help if you need it. And if you are having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, try these sleep tips.

GET OUTSIDE AND MOVE When you’re feeling down and out, it’s hard to muster up the motivation to exercise, but there is ample research showing how just a little movement, fresh air, sunshine, and simply getting out in nature can drastically improve our mood. Even just 10 minutes can drastically improve the way you feel.

I’m not telling you to run a marathon— just go for a short walk. It will help.

I promise.

FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT Get up, put on makeup, wear your favorite shirt or your favorite shoes, listen to music that pumps you up, clean your house, and stand in front of the mirror and smile for one whole minute even if you don’t feel like it. You might be surprised how these small things can help. Because while our mood often dictates our actions, the reality is that our actions also have the power to dictate our mood.

As I was setting my goals in my Living Well Planner® a few weeks ago, I picked the following quote as my motto statement for the month (along with my yearly one):

“ You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself.

The storm will pass.”

In other words? Sometimes the only thing we can change is ourselves.

My challenge for you this week, if you are feeling like you’ve been knocked down by circumstances outside of your control, is to try at least a few of the strategies I mentioned today. Allow yourself time to acknowledge your feelings and give yourself more grace.

Change the tape that’s playing in your head. Ask for help and ask for grace from others when you need it. Get more sleep. Take a walk. Or maybe just fake it a little until you make it through the day or week.

You might just be surprised at what a difference it makes.

Live with purpose, friend, and here’s to a wonderful weekend! xoxo, Ruth Reprinted with Permission from https://ruthsoukup.com/

TIMBER HAWKEYE USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 33

TRAINING MILLENNIALS: HOW TO BOOST ENGAGEMENT

BY ELENI ZOE TALENTLMS

Millennials outnumber all other generations in the workplace — and they’re expected to make up 75% of the global workforce by 2025.

Therefore, it’s never been more important for HR leaders and training professionals to know how to train them effectively. One of the things that make training millennials so challenging is that they are unlike any generation that has come before them.

Who millennials are, and how are they different from their colleagues?

Millennials, also known as Generation Y (Gen Y), describe anyone born between 1981 and the mid-90s. They’re tech-savvy, they value inclusion, and they want to find meaning in their work.

Knowing how to capitalize on their traits and expectations is the key to developing strategies that bring out the best in your Gen Y workers.

HOW TO TRAIN MILLENNIALS

Training strategies that worked for previous generations may be outdated and irrelevant now. Instead, a training program that uses the latest technology, and provides leadership training in a collaborative workplace is more likely to engage millennials. Here’s how to build a training program for training millennials successfully:

#1

#2

#3

INTEGRATE MODERN TECHNOLOGY INTO YOUR TRAINING

USE GAMIFICATION

TEACH LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Even though millennials are not technative like their younger colleagues (aka Gen Z employees), they’re still fascinated by modern software and rely on tech daily. They prefer digital platforms over traditional ones, and their approach to learning is shaped by social networks and other messaging apps.

You can appeal to millennials by providing a mobile-friendly training program and using social media platforms or online forums. This way, you can encourage employees to apply social learning and collaborate with each other.

However, if budget and resources allow, you can also take it a step further with virtual reality and AI to develop fully immersive learning experiences.

Allow millennials to interact with various scenarios and places as if they were doing it in real life.

Another tech-savvy way to engage millennials is to use gamification.

Game-based training makes it easier to engage with, understand, and remember the training content. One of the things that most millennials are familiar with are digital games. A 2019 report by Nielsen revealed that millennials spend six hours on average each week watching gaming video content. Plus, 2 out of 3 millennials in the US play video games once a month.

So why not use games to train millennial employees and generate further wins for your business?

Consider creating online games, quizzes, and competitions to educate millennial workers about various aspects of your organization. You could even get them involved in the development and design of the games. If you want to take it a step further, consider introducing prizes for the employees that get the highest scores.

Millennials are highly ambitious and strongly engaged with career growth.

They’re looking for opportunities to move to leadership and management positions.

This is why you should create training programs that provide employees with the skills and experiences they need to be successful in those roles.

How you deliver training, though, matters. According to an IMF report, training professionals should be more of a “guide on the side” rather than the typical “sage on the stage“. This is particularly important when it comes to leadership training, as this approach also reflects the leader style they prefer.

Millennials are not fans of strict hierarchy. Instead, they prefer to have autonomy at work and room for collaboration. Therefore, your leadership training program should prepare future managers for this working style.

Continued on next page...

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 35

#4

#5

#6

PROVIDE MENTORS

INVOLVE MULTIPLE TEAMS & DEPARTMENTS

INTRODUCE MICROLEARNING

Mentorship is also important to millennials. Their high level of ambition combined with their desire and willingness to learn new skills, has contributed to the increasing value they place on mentors.

With this in mind, any training programs aimed at millennials in the workplace should incorporate one-onone training and professional guidance.

Develop a structured program that includes progress reports and the opportunity for them to ask questions and discuss their career options with team leaders and supervisors. Retain open channels of communication during training that help them understand where they fit into the wider goals of the company and how they can contribute.

Millennials work best when working with other people. According to a Deloitte survey, millennials value work environments with cross-team collaboration.

This is why it makes sense to involve multiple teams and departments when creating training programs. Not only does this encourage different teams to cooperate rather than compete with each other, but it’s also an effective way to engage your Gen Y workers.

Get input from team leaders and employees from different departments on what you should include in the training content. Consider developing exercises that encourage millennial workers to learn more about other departments and positions in the company.

Microlearning is defined as learning in small, digestible chunks. Typically, microlearning courses are broken down into components that last between 30 seconds to a few minutes long.

Each module should tackle a single learning goal. For example, you could create a series of short videos that each address one topic. Alternatively, you could develop a series of mini-tutorials, infographics, or demos that present different aspects of a subject.

Given the short attention span of many of today’s millennials, adopting a training style that mimics the way they consume content is the most effective strategy.

The key to any microlearning course is to keep it short, have a single point of focus, and try to make it as interactive as possible. To make your microlearning course even more memorable, you could also try incorporating multimedia content, music, or narration.

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EMPHASIZE THE PURPOSE OF YOUR MILLENNIAL TRAINING STRATEGIES A strong sense of purpose and corporate ethics appeals more to millennials, compared to previous generations.

Naturally, all training courses have a purpose. However, while that purpose may be obvious to you, the same doesn’t necessarily apply to your millennial workers. This means that any training program you roll out should not only highlight your business goals, but also the wider benefits for society.

Ideally, it should also educate employees on how they can integrate your company’s mission and values into their day-to-day duties.

CONCLUSION Although millennials have very different needs and expectations than the generations that came before them, adjusting your training programs accordingly should not be seen as a drain on your time and resources.

Rather, it’s a way to engage a modern, tech-savvy workforce that is constantly seeking alternative ways to advance their careers and contribute to society. Any courses aimed at training millennials should help them connect the dots and satisfy their inherent need for greater autonomy and control.

Besides, successful employee training will help establish strong relationships with your Gen Y team members. Unlike previous generations, millennials are more likely to have multiple jobs throughout their careers. This is why it’s not only important to engage this growing demographic of employees, but also to retain them.

This article originally appeared in TalentMLS blog at: www.talentlms.com/blog/training-millennials-best-practices/ IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN ONLINE TRAINING PLATFORM THAT IS INTUITIVE AND AFFORDABLE, TAKE A LOOK AT TALENTLMS. An intuitive interface means training feels right from the very first click. And with easy access on any device, learners jump in anytime, anywhere. It also means you can build courses quicky and easily. You can get started for free (no credit card required), test the platform, and upgrade to a plan tailored to your needs when the time is right.

Start your free account here: http://talentlms.com/index/aff:usssa

DON’T LET A SIMPLE MISTAKE COST YOU CUSTOMERS

BY JAMES PAUL JPWRITELY

COMPANY MESSAGING IS NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. WITH INCREASED COMPETITION AND SO MANY PLATFORMS AVAILABLE TO USE FOR YOUR BRANDING AND COMMUNICATIONS, PROPER GRAMMAR AND SPELLING ARE CRUCIAL, BUT SO ARE CONSISTENT MESSAGING AND TONE. So, how do you do this? First, establish your brand and tone. They will need to be applied to both your internal and external communications and messaging.

After writing but before posting your article, blog, Instagram post, Tweet, Snapchat or TikTok, follow this checklist: • Is this piece consistent with your messaging and tone?

• Read it over twice and check for proper grammar and spelling. Then, read it out loud to yourself. The article/post will sound much different when you hear it. Use your regular voice too, and don’t whisper.

• Have a colleague read it over and ensure that they understand what your main points are. If you’re both unsure how something will be interpreted, remove it.

While you likely cannot read everything that your company posts before it is issued, you can safeguard external communications by making your internal messaging consistent. Do you have a style guide? Are your policies and procedures, training manuals, and other materials aligned with it?

Not only do you want grammar and common company terms spelled and capitalized consistently, you’ll also want to institute guidelines for brand tone, messaging goals for each platform, and what to avoid.

Stay true to your brand and strike a positive tone in your communications. Words and language are essential, especially now that some parents are putting their kids in fewer activities for safety reasons.

Also be cautious of using words or phrases that have negative connotations. For example, even the word drowning can scare parents. You may want to consider using the terms “Water survival” or “At risk” instead. Since people don’t think it can happen to them, focus on using words in your communications to help educate your customers without instilling fear.

If you’re interested in a consultation so that you can prevent any of these potential mistakes, please reach out to me. I’d love to help! jpwritelyediting@gmail.com

With almost two decades of editing experience, I’ll help you tell your story, update and streamline your manuals, write a blog post, or edit your crucial business proposal or presentation, without the mistakes. Be stress-free knowing that your work has been checked by someone who appreciates the lost art of grammar, and has a full-time commitment to the industry.

Running and operating my own small business, I understand the challenges that have come with the last year. Let me help, jpwritelyediting@gmail.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT JPWRITELY.COM

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Spring Workshop Deep Dive & Owner’s Circle Wrap Up!

BY ANNE SWANSON CONFERENCE & MEETING COORDINATOR, USSSA

We hope you had the opportunity to start 2021 off stronger than ever while participating in this year’s Spring Workshop Deep Dive! Members were guided through four hot topics by experts and then followed up with take-action workshops to implement what they had learned throughout that week. They dove into: • Marketing and Social Media • Crisis Management and Creating Your Emergency Action Plan • Mindfulness • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion We received very favorable feedback regarding the deep dive format and are so pleased attendees got so much out of it. If you missed out on this fantastic opportunity, there is still an option to purchase the recordings of the sessions (excluding the Mindfulness series). Sessions can be purchased for $75 each on the USSSA Portal.

We have some exciting things in the works for Spring Workshop 2022 so keep your eyes peeled for details!

In addition to this year’s Spring Workshop, we offered a fantastic opportunity for owners with the Owner’s Circle: Exit and Succession Planning Deep Dive. CFO and Mergers and Acquisitions leader, Dave Bean, took attendees through a 3-part series.

They were: • Vision and Purpose: Preparing Yourself Personally for Life Beyond Your Business • The Wealth Gap: The Creation of a Sustainable Financial Plan and the Role your Business Plays • Value Creation: Building a Sustainable, Scalable and Transferable Business Attendees left understanding not only the importance of planning today for tomorrow, but also how to afford the future you envision. As one attendee stated, this is “the best roadmap we have had.” Feeling like you missed out? Not to worry. The three recorded sessions with handouts are available for $300 on the USSSA Portal. Take control of your future today!

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 39

CITIES STOP DROWNING NOW

If you’re reading this newsletter and article, you are among the rare individuals who know that this is the start of drowning season. You also likely agree that the pandemic interruption in swim lessons across the majority of our schools will produce a high risk of student skill regression. This will directly increase drowning risk. Finally you might also agree that as many pools remain closed or with limited operations, kids will seek aquatic adventures in more unsupervised bodies of water.

Public leaders and health officials are almost always ignorant about drowning risk.

They also lack awareness of the complex conditions which make drowning risk improve or decline. Stop Drowning Now has been researching how to bridge this knowledge gap to compliment USSSA member businesses, as well as lesson-focused non-profits like our colleagues at Hope Floats.

The product of several years’ work by SDN board members and other volunteers is Stop Drowning Now Cities. This program gives engaging knowledge-based info to community leaders, so they can use their intra-municipal networks to educate kids and families.

Our first SDN City was Irvine in California’s Orange County. Irvine kicked off their program and support for SDN with a $5,000 gift and adopted use of SDN materials in their citizen public outreach. Some months later, the CIty of Long Beach CA joined them in contributing to SDN and use of SDN collateral. Irvine and Long Beach are members of the Orange County Drowning Prevention Task Force. This local professional network comprises many small and medium-sized municipalities who recognize drowning as a critical safety issue.

USSSA members have this opportunity too. In your community, leaders are seeking public health services to deliver to their citizens. There is no template for who to contact, but you can start with your mayor’s office, city councilperson’s office, local parks + rec leader, fire-rescue, hospitals and even coroner’s offices. It is a relationshipbuilding and education process, but it is worthwhile and will reinforce your position as a community leader in aquatic safety.

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CONTACT SDN’S SARA BISKIE FOR MORE INFORMATION AT INFO@STOPDROWNINGNOW.ORG. Special thanks and acknowledgement to the SDN Board team who made this possible. It includes Jessica Barnes, Leslie Daland and Joe Oehme for completing our storyboards. Most importantly please thank SDN Vice President Dan Berzansky for conception of the program as well as recruiting our pioneer cities and the OCDPTF.

EXPANDING AND EVALUATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCLUSION The weather is getting warmer and the summer season is right around the corner.

BY ANGIE BAKER HEAD TRAINER SWIMKIDS AQUATICS CENTER

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As an industry, we are educating parents on water safety and drowning statistics.

We are talking more about supervision and barriers. One statistic that we often don’t talk about enough is the high risk of drowning in children with special abilities, and particularly those with Autism.

In 2016, the National Autism Society reported that drowning accounted for 91% of the accidental deaths among children with ASD, ages 14 and younger.

This increases the risk of death by drowning more than two times that of the general population, making the need to learn to swim, imperative for this population.

Over the last several years, there has been a huge push for inclusion in the special needs community. The Special Olympics has worked with schools to create Unified Sports programs which integrate children with intellectual disabilities with other athletes to involve them in training and competition. Organizations like USA Swimming and both the US and American Youth Soccer Organizations, have also joined inclusion efforts, providing additional training resources for coaches.

As an industry, we can create opportunities for inclusion in our learn to swim programs. There is a wide range of diversity among individuals with special abilities, the level of accommodation needed can vary. Making your program more flexible and offering options for special abilities swimmers to integrate into group classes.

This helps increase awareness and tolerance, self-confidence and self-esteem, and assists in providing the social skills and structure that special abilities children need to perform and interact in school or other social settings. This will also provide an opportunity to increase the number of children you are able to accommodate. Being open to reducing the number of children by one if needed, as a way to integrate a child with special abilities into a typical class is one option to consider, while another might be creating a small special abilities group class, where swimmers that are of the same swimming ability and personalities could be socialized together in a class.

Having an evaluation process in place to determine whether a child will be effective in a regular class or if they need more specialized instruction is a very effective way to determine what is best for the swimmer. We often find ourselves placing special abilities swimmers into a private class where we can control the learning environment.

While this may be needed for some swimmers to be successful, many can thrive just as well in a group environment. Another challenge, is we often find that children are unintentionally enrolled into a typical class environment, that may not be in their best interest. Having a system to determine how to best place special abilities swimmers will help ensure that they are integrated into the best learning situation. Children with special abilities deserve the opportunity to participate and learn in the least restrictive environment whenever possible.

Another consideration in the inclusion process is the impact on your instructors.

Have they been trained to work with special abilities swimmers and do they have the tools they need to run inclusive classes effectively? There are simple strategies and accommodations that a teacher can implement when working with a special abilities child in an inclusion environment that can help make the lesson more effective.

• A simple change in a focus to identify the things the child is doing right could change the outcome of the entire class. Children with certain special abilities are often challenged to stay on task, resulting in frustration for the teacher. Finding a way to redirect them to what you want them to do, in a positive way instead of continuing to point out what you want them to stop, can be a quick way to turn around unwanted behavior.

• Utilize teaching stations. Give swimmers different activities to focus on throughout the lesson allowing them the opportunity for exploration and practice.

• Plan for transition time in between skills to allow time for processing. It can take up to 16 seconds for a child with an intellectual disability to process simple instructions.

Giving a child with special abilities the time needed to process information and instruction will help the inclusion class run smoother.

• Plan for the lesson ahead of time. Provide specific objectives and communicate them to the swimmers when they get in the pool. Children with special abilities live by schedules and what is next. By including them in the process and letting them know what to expect, you are setting them up for a better class experience.

• Most importantly, do not be afraid to make modifications to the skill or the way that it’s taught. Sometimes you have to think outside the box. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou.

Recent studies have shown that about 20% of all children face some type of special ability and are two to three times more likely to be bullied than the average child. By choosing inclusion, we are teaching children to learn together and focus on similarities rather than differences. Swimming is the great equalizer. Children with special abilities can perform in the water without noticeable differences from the general population.

The fact is, every child is unique. They all deserve an opportunity to be safer around the water, treated with respect, given the opportunity to make friends, and be included.

Angie Baker is a member of the USSSA Special Abilities Committee, a group committed to expanding education for aquatics professionals in the area of Special Abilities aquatics. Check out our online course and our video training library, available through the US Swim School Association.

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 43

SMALL SCHOOLS SUMMER PREP LORI’S H2O SKILLS LORI WEBER, OWNER

Lori’s H2O Skills is a warm water, indoor, year-round, learn to swim facility. We are located in Milford, Ohio. We provide the highest quality of one on one private swimming lessons in our Community. Our goal is to teach lessons to all ages of children, adults and persons with special needs and provide safety education to parents/guardians. Our in-house lessons are 15 minutes of perpetual swimming.

The need for learning to swim and safety in and around the water intensifies during the Spring in preparation for Summer. Therefore, we also provide travel lessons to homes and Community pools during the Spring/Summer. We increase the private lesson visit to 30 minutes so that we can include educational safety. Travel lessons allow us to touch many more lives. Price is determined by a 10 mile radius of our stand alone facility. If someone request us to come to their home or Community pool that is outside this radius, will do that with an extra gap/travel fee. Remember to check with your insurance and liability provider to see if they include this service.

SWIM TO SHORE: LEASED FACILITY CASIE SHORE, OWNER My California swim school resides in a cozy retail space of a mere 2500 square feet in Murietta. Although space is always a challenge for us, we love our small facility because it creates an intimate learning environment to house our private and semi-private classes.

We like to launch our summer season by inviting our clients to participate in a ‘Floaty-Free Summer Challenge’. Our instructors educate the parents on all the reasons that floaty toys are dangerous and can hinder student progress while learning water safety skills. We also hype up how much fun it is to enjoy the water with their children especially in our area where the summer heat rises to triple digits. Parents are then invited to take a Floaty-Free Pledge for the summer. Participating clients take the pledge by giving us their signed floaties agreeing to commit to being 100% present and within arms’ reach of their child while swimming throughout the summer. We hang the signed floaties up inside our facility to be a constant reminder to the parents of their pledge to supervise their children. At the end of summer, all participants receive a free ice cream cone from Cold Stone!

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Ready, Set, Safety, Go! READY Getting ready for summer means warmer weather and more accessibility to water.

Being prepared, safety in and around the water and taking swimming lessons.

SET Set your schedule to learn to swim. Make a commitment, take swimming lessons!

SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY! Education is so important.

Parents/Guardians should know all the risks of water.

Avoid all forms of distractions, such as cell phones!

GO! Have fun in and around the water!

BUBBLES TO BUTTERFLY SWIM SCHOOL MARGEE CHARRON, OWNER

THE SWIM CENTER JENNIFER HILL, OWNER

Our swim school is located in Norwich, Connecticut. We began as a backyard summer program (5 years) and in the winter months, we rented various hotel pools and for 15 summers, we rented a local campground that had two pools. Currently, we are in our own 6000 sf building that is two years new.

The Swim Center has operated out of a backyard pool for 26 years. We were seasonal only from 1995 - 2010. Then, we started renting hotel pool space for our winter season.

In 2019, those hotel relationships were just too hard to maintain, so we purchased a bubble dome enclosure to operate year round out of our backyard pool.

We are always excited to prepare for our summer program!

In New England, we have beautiful summers, but the season goes by in a flash! Our summer session is 9 weeks. I like to refer to it as a roller-coaster ride. We feel like we are slowly going uphill with all of our planning and prepping and once classes actually begin, the ride speeds up and we have a few twists and turns (sometimes upside downs) and then poof - its over.

To have a well-planned schedule and program for summer, our planning begins in January and by the end of March, the heavy lifting will be done well before summer arrives.

The preparation for summer includes: • Staff Training. Always. We have a short gap between the end of spring session that we fill with training, re-certifications (Lifeguard and CPR), a full clean of the facility, on-boarding new staff and teambuilding.

• Creating the summer schedule. Last summer we ran completely ‘A la Carte’ for all classes. This 20-min class option was either a Private or Semi-Private class. We thought this was a good decision as we re-opened after Covid. The customers could choose any day, time, class for their children. They were not committed to a consistent scheduled class. Creating all of the classes was our greatest challenge - but after being shut down, anything seemed possible!

This summer, we are doing a hybrid program. Customers can choose either a nine week 30-min Group class or a 20-min Private or Semi-Private ‘A la Carte’ class.

• Planning Professional Development for summer. The summer schedule has a mid-day gap that we are able to plan various trainings and development opportunities for staff during the summer.

We average 450 swimmers a week during the school year and operate our pool 37 hours a week. Our instructor staff is about 140 hours a week.

In comparison, our summer session runs an average of 2000 swimmers a week and we operate our pool 55 hours a week.

Our instructor staff is about 330 hours a week.

Below are some of our takeaways from this past year we are incorporating into our summer and fall planning: • In the summer, we can accommodate a maximum of 6 instructors at a time. We will only open a shift if we have a minimum of 4 instructors with a goal of maximizing our pool time. This means, we would rather be open less days, but be at full capacity those days. This way we are working smarter, not harder and as an owner I can enjoy more family time instead of sacrificing them for us to offer low volume classes.

• During the upcoming school year, we will only plan shifts where we can run 4 instructors at a time. Our indoor dome does not accommodate as much volume as we do when our pool is outdoor, so we cannot run as many instructors.

But, for instance, in the past, we opened on W, Th and F mornings for just 1 instructor per morning shift. This year, we cut out the W and Th and put 3 instructors on the Fri morning shift instead. I have really enjoyed my M-Th mornings off this year! This is all part of maximizing our pool time!

• We will not reduce student teacher ratios, because then parents get too used to the small class sizes. If needed, we will reduce instead the number of instructors in the pool, thus cutting down on our payroll cost, but keeping the student teacher ratio the same.

• We did a price increase in May 2020 when we reopened, and we are doing another one in May of 2021. Prior to this, we only raised prices every 5 years or more. This will become more of an annual process. I might keep testing the boundaries on how high we can charge until I get serious push back, and then I can always offer “discounts” , though we never do discounts now.

These are just a few of the lessons we have learned from the last year we are implementing into our summer schedule.

With current all time high demand and all time low staffing, it will be a challenging summer to work at maximum capacity!

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 45

HOW TO THINK LIKE A FUTURIST

BY ROBERT TUCKER

When Covid shut down life as we know it a year ago, many a company went into “batten down the hatches” mode. They followed their recession playbooks. When demand took off instead, in such industries as exercise equipment, pet products, and virtual meeting software, many were caught flat-footed. Some are still struggling to catch up.

Wisconsin-based Trek Bicycles is out front right now based on its superior ability to forecast the future. While company officials were reluctant to speak on the record about their early warning system, Trek’s competitors are suffering supply shortages, unfilled orders, and missed opportunities. Relying blindly on one’s recession playbook turned out to be a mistake in many industries when customers surprised them by going in different directions.

Bicycle sales plummeted at first, but were among the first to begin to experience an unexpected surge. In a perennially flat market, they shot up 81 percent over the next 12 months.

Trek’s top-flight forecasting unit saw the countertrend developing and took bold action. “This allowed us to start buying up supplies really early,” noted a company official who did not want to be quoted. “We’re buying product now out into calendar year 2022.”

The need to shore up your early warning system both personally and organizationally is a big take-away from the Pandemic, but the skillset is nothing new. Miss a market shift or misread an important development and the bottom-line results can be disastrous. Jump on a demand trend quickly and you benefit from first mover status.

The need to make prediction-based decisions has never been greater.

As a futurist and innovation coach, I’m convinced every person in leadership and indeed every person in organizational life needs to master the art of thinking like a futurist. We futurists do not have crystal balls, and we do not claim to “predict” trends. If someone claims an inherent ability to predict trends — my suggestion is that person is a charlatan. What we do is to help clients forecast and interpret trends strategically. In fast changing environments, he who hesitates is lost, as the expression has it. If you wait for others to show you the way to go, it may cost you big time.

It’s easy to misread the signals of change because there is simply so much “noise” that poses as signal.

The good news is this: with a bit of extra attention, you can build up your skills in this little understood arena and your own forecasting skills can become a strength rather than a vulnerability. Not only will this lead to faster response times, but your improved capability at spotting and interpreting trends will empower you to pounce on emerging opportunities.

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Here are five strategies to guide you in thinking like a futurist: 1. AUDIT YOUR INFORMATION DIET

You can tell a lot about a person simply by inquiring about the news and information sources they avail themselves to — their information diet. I find even among people who watch every calorie and strive for purity in their nutrition, their information diets are another matter entirely. When you take a hard look, what you find are empty calories, fast food, misinformation, and an intake style characterized by superficial grazing of headlines. To check in on your information diet, start by doing a simple assessment of your intake — the various information sources – periodicals, books, reports, newspapers, email newsletters, etc. that you’re accessing. Monitor how much time are you spending on trivial items and entertainment, versus content that’s substantive, deeply researched and professionallywritten. Ask folks in your network what they’re reading that’s giving them juice, and share articles of interest. Make it a point to subscribe to publications rather than only grazing the web.

Just because information is freely available, doesn’t mean it’s strategic to your future success. Audit your diet, and resolve to make upgrades that will help you think and act like a futurist.

2. DEVELOP YOUR FRONT-LINE OBSERVATIONAL SKILLS

As Covid made us all prisoners of our bunkers, we travel less, experience less first hand, and rely on television and reading.

But reading, while essential, is not enough. You’ve got to get out there and see and experience for yourself, whether by attending trade shows and conferences, or scanning and monitoring the wider environment. Think of trend-watching as having your antenna tuned to “news you can use.” Subject yourself not only to the best information money can buy, but to opposing points of view and alternate perspectives.

3. ADOPT THE TRAITS OF ADEPT FORECASTERS

What makes some people better at predicting trends and developments? That’s what University of Pennsylvania researcher Philip Tetlock wanted to know. With funding from DARPA, Tetlock and his team hosted a series of forecasting tournaments to try and identify what separates the most accurate forecasters from the also-rans. He invited people in all walks of life who had an interest in the subject to participate. Turns out the best forecasters are not necessarily the experts in the area being questioned, but are philosophically cautious and humble; comfortable with numbers but not always math whizzes; pragmatic and capable of considering diverse points of view, and open minded. They are intellectually curious and enjoy puzzles and mental challenges.

4. ASSAULT ASSUMPTIONS AND PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS

A good information diet is not enough. You must wrestle with your information intake, play with it, question it, and apply it to your leadership responsibilities. I call this “assaulting assumptions. Innovative ideas don’t come about from understanding the world the way others have explained it to you. They come from fresh, creative, trial-and-error thinking.

They require us to challenge our assumptions, think outside previous boundaries, and take prudent, calculated risks. When assumptions are left unchallenged, disaster often strikes.

Blackberry’s co-CEOs failed to perceive the iPhone, dismissing it as a niche product. Kodak invented the digital camera but dilly-dallied as the invention began to threaten the company’s essential business model. Radio Shack ignored consumer trends that rendered it irrelevant.

An assumption is a judgement or opinion reached before the facts are known or maintained after the facts have changed.

Ridding yourself of pre-conceived notions and outdated assumptions is hard work. But it is job one for those who wish to think like futurists.

5. DON’T WAIT TILL ALL THE DATA IS IN BEFORE YOU ACT

The Trump administration’s failure to get ahead of the Covid Curve is widely believed to have cost him the election. Precious time was lost first denying the threat, then blaming others (China), and finally being forced to reckon with the magnitude of a global pandemic. On the other hand, Trump’s team gets credit for Operation Warp Speed, which reduced the time necessary to develop a vaccine from 10 years to one. Clearly, speed matters in our world today. You can’t wait till all the data is clear before you act! Even a cursory look at disrupted companies shows that their leaders were waiting for the data to spell “danger.” They were busy operating their companies, and no doubt vaguely aware of the threat to their business model. But often they waited too long, then mounted halfhearted responses to the threat. It’s natural human tendency to want to delay action till there is greater clarity in the data.

But the advantage that comes to those that intuitively spot trends early is that you are confident to take earlier action.

If you’re an executive or manager, it’s easy to think we have more time than we do to react to an emerging trend or technology, flank a competitor’s bold move, or catch up to the first movers in our profession or industry. In a world of constant change, it’s vital to pay attention to how we pay attention.

The key is to think like a futurist.

Robert Tucker is a futurist and innovation speaker based in Santa Barbara, California and an avid swimmer. Contact him at: www.innovationresource.com Reprinted with permission.

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 47

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