USSSA 2022 Fall Magazine Ready Set Swim

VOLUME 33 | ISSUE 3 2022

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

Fall Fast Track THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN ATTENDING A CONFERENCE

Pebbles in an Avalanche of Change EXECUTIVES: FIVE KEY CYBERSECURITY STEPS TO PROTECT YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND THE VITAL TIMING

Thank You! FINIS is very proud to have been working with USSSA and its partners for over 15 years to help more people enjoy the water. In all that we do at FINIS, it is our singular mission to simplify swimming for beginners, both young and old, through high quality products and a commitment to education. Thank you for teaching our next generation of swimmers.

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

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IN THIS ISSUE TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

Letter From the President

20 Calendar of Events

5 From the Desk of the Executive Director

22 When You Lose Motivation, Find Inspiration

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Executives: Five Key Cybersecurity Steps to Protect Your Organization, and the Vital Timing

24 Ready, Set, Swim Fall Issue Getting to Know Your BOD!

“Pebbles in an Avalanche of Change.” Join Sustainability Innovators Today!

28 Hope Floats Heroes Saving Lives One Scholarship at a Time

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12 Things to Consider When Attending a Conference 15 10 Quick and Helpful Tips for Senior Leaders 16 A Powerful Question 19 Infant Toddler Education Workshop Goes Virtual!

26 Ask Al

29 New Member List

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 Tracy Koleber, Nitro Swimming Vice President Buffy Folise, Chicago Swim School Treasurer Karen Clay, SwimWest Swim School ASSOCIATION DIRECTORS Brad Grzelka Atlanta Swim Academy Davina Lopez Davina’s Swim House Melissa Taylor Small Fish Big Fish Swim School

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 1

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT As we head into Fall, I hope to see lots of you in Maui!

Whether you are looking for new resources and ideas, meet ups with old friends, making new friends, acquiring funding, selling your business, measuring KPIs, or enjoying some time on the beach, we’ve got all of that covered and so much more. We’ve got amazing speakers, two fabulous key notes, and planned Round Tables where you can learn new ideas, share what you’ve found that works, and hear from some of the greatest minds in aquatics.

TRACY KOLEBER

Things look different than they did a few shorts years ago, and as we all know change isn’t easy, but it’s inevitable. Our industry is evolving rapidly and we all must stay on the forefront to be relevant and be a sought-after resource. If you are unable to join us in person, please take advantage of the virtual option.

TRACY KOLEBER President US Swim School Association

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 3

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FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR As an action, to fast track is to accelerate the development or progress of (a person or project).

I like to think that what we do here as an association is to help our members fast track their business. We work to offer a variety of services and resources to help you as a swim school owner not reinvent the wheel. To help accelerate the development and growth of your business, resulting in more people learning the life saving skill of swimming.

Recently we have seen an increased conversation in Georgia around learn to swim programs and swimming regulations. We have also heard from swim schools across the country that have been tagged in social media discussions around swim lessons and safety. As a member of USSSA, we want to provide you with solutions and resources that accelerate the development and progress of your staff. I want to encourage you to take some time to review the excellent session Angie Baker presented on Creating a Culture of Safety during our virtual 2020 National Conference. It is available in our Online USSSA Portal and provides important information and ideas for swim school owners to integrate a culture of safety throughout their swim school. We have now made this available at no cost to all USSSA members.

In addition, I wanted to remind you that the board of directors created minimum standards for membership in USSSA. You can find those standards on our website. We encourage each of you to review these standards to ensure you meet them and then share these standards with your swim families.

We all want to see swimmers safely learn the life saving skill of swim. When we come together to elevate the profession, we all grow and can serve more swimmers. Help parents understand what is important to look for in a learn to swim program by promoting our minimum standards as well as our We C.A.R.E. initiative that includes member owners running a background check on themselves. Details can be found on our website.

USSSA is also in the final stages of the development of the Certified Fundamental Swim Instructor (CFSI). This will be a great opportunity to further enhance the training provided to swim instructors. We are grateful for the support and volunteer work put in by industry experts to develop both the online training course as well as the certification exam.

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

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EXECUTIVES: FIVE KEY CYBERSECURITY STEPS TO PROTECT YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND THE VITAL TIMING As an executive that leads, and depends on, your IT Professionals or outsourced IT provider, be sure to know these five essential steps that have a massive impact on your cybersecurity protection and how frequently your team must address them:

BY MIKE FOSTER THE FOSTER INSTITUTE

1. Apply Critical Security Updates – This is an essential yet never-ending task. Executives decide how soon they want the updates installed after release. It is common to apply workstation updates immediately. Focus on updating servers as quickly as your IT team can support, preferably less than a week to test, practice uninstalling, and deploy updates in stages. Remember to update non-Microsoft products. Patch your infrastructure devices, including firewalls and routers.

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2. Change User Accounts so they are not Local Administrators – By default, if an attacker takes over a user’s computer, the attacker will have full administrative rights. Your IT team must configure users to be local standard users each time you set up new computers 3. Ensure IT Pros Manage Computers – Provide Your IT Team time to configure remote management for every new device a worker will use. They need to control your anti-malware solution, manage patches, and perform other tasks on each computer via a management console.

4. Implement two-step login – Protection for your network, VPN, and online programs. If you choose, Microsoft allows you to get rid of passwords and use text messages, an authenticator app, or other ways to authenticate. One-tap login is

convenient. Your IT team needs to set up the authentication on your services and enroll each new worker you add to your team.

5. Have an Independent Cybersecurity Advisor who Performs Yearly Comprehensive Testing – They will guide and answer your questions and perform comprehensive testing at least once a year.

If your team’s not had time to implement the other items in this list yet, the process might take a year, depending on their workload and expertise.

Additionally, practice restoring your data – It is not a trivial process to practice a full restore, but you must practice to ensure the process works and restores quickly enough. Practice yearly.

Please forward this message to your executive friends so they can visit about these essential steps with the IT Professionals who support their organizations.

Mike’s mission is to help businesses keep their networks safe. Mike has delivered more than 1,500 presentations and training sessions in all 50 United States plus Canada, Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Mike is widely recognized for his broad range of high-level technological expertise. His company, The Foster Institute, assists clients in saving money with IT, being in alignment with Best Practices and handling all IT Security issues. All those are areas for business survival – including IT Security.

Reprinted with Permission.

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“PEBBLES IN AN AVALANCHE OF CHANGE.” JOIN SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATORS TODAY! A pandemic, shut downs, supply chain issues, fires, droughts, flooding, OH MY!

BY MIREN OCA OCAQUATICS

There is so much going on in the world today….the ongoing complications of COVID, the war in Ukraine, the rising cost of consumer goods and inflation, political polarization, the climate crisis. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the problems in the world and think that there is nothing that one person can do to solve them. But I am here to tell you today that YOU MATTER! We can do great things especially when we gather together and join forces.

I recently read “Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire” by Rebecca Henderson.

The title seems a little doomy and gloomy, but the book was actually rather refreshing and described what we can do to make a difference in the world of business. Please bear with me as I explain!

I especially loved Rebecca’s last chapter called “Pebbles in an Avalanche of Change.” She talked about other times in history when major changes took place.

She said “it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that only heroes and heroines can change the world.” And then she recounted the story of the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr. “Martin Luther King did not create the Civil Rights movement. It grew from decades of work by thousands of African Americans and their allies, each doing the dangerous and difficult work of standing up for change.”

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USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 9

weight if they join a support group like Weight Watchers, or far more likely to stay sober if they join Alcoholics Anonymous.”

She also told the story of Nelson Mandela and apartheid.

“Nelson Mandela did not single-handedly end apartheid in South Africa. He built on 50 years of struggle in which thousands of people participated and hundreds died.”

The author’s message is that there is vital work that we can all do now to be the change we wish to see in the world. Pick a problem. Then go find some friends and work on it. Rebecca says “since we’re social primates, your actions will help persuade others to change their own behavior. Find others who share your goals and hang out with them.” She also says, “It’s not a coincidence that people are far more likely to lose

This is exactly what we have done with SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATORS. This is a new collaboration between the US Swim School Association, the Canadian Swim School Alliance and the Australian Swim School Association. We have joined with friends in the swim school industry from around the world to share ideas about how we can all work towards lowering our energy costs, reducing water usage, and limiting our carbon footprint. And we have all realized that being good for the environment is also good for the bottom line in increased profits. In addition your team members are also proud to work for an organization that is being more environmentally conscious. This helps with their retention, and team member retention helps with your customer retention and satisfaction. These measures help your business run more efficiently, effectively and profitably. WIN-WIN-WIN! If you are interested in learning more about this group and the ways your business can help solve some of the challenges in the world, contact the Association office today!

“Change is slow until it is fast. The avalanche looks like nothing but a few pebbles moving until the whole hillside goes.” Rebecca Henderson

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THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN ATTENDING A CONFERENCE You learn things IN sessions and OUTSIDE sessions. You never know what you’ll learn waiting in line for the restroom or poolside. Stay off your phone and engage in conversation. Ask questions.

Conferences are expensive (could be upwards of $2000)…..BUT worth every penny.

BY ROSE CHOLEWINSKI SWIM AMERICA - DAVIS

Ways to save Conference fees:

Flights:

• Register for early bird special

• Fly at odd times

• Scholarships available

• Carpool

• Volunteer

• Buy your ticket in advance • Use skyscanner • Carry on – avoid luggage fees

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Hotel: • Pay non-refundable rate • Share a room • Early bird Food Costs: • Take advantage of meals and receptions included with registration • Plan frugal and splurge meals • Find a grocery store • Limit the drinks Other ideas: • Put yourself on a daily budget • Find other budget conscious buddies • Separate checks • Pack light

Here’s proof that it’s worth it to go to a conference…no really!!…

• Quantifiable data – curious questions and conversation resulted in $$$ saved

1. Pump question = $1000 p/mo 2. Camp ideas = $4000 p/mo

Are conferences worth it?

Yes!Yes!Yes!

3. 5th day charge = $3000+ p/mo

Bonus Outcomes:

4. 2nd lesson during slow times = $2000/mo

• Support

5. Boot camp = $2000 p/mo (labor costs) 6. $ under the floorboards = $400/mo 7. Shared bench design = $166/mo

• Friendships • Unforgettable memories

Join us at the USSSA National Conference in Maui, Hawaii this September 19-21, 2022!

Registration and details are available at https://whova.com/web/usssa_202210/

10 QUICK AND HELPFUL TIPS FOR SENIOR LEADERS

BY MARY KELLY

My audiences have heard me say several times that everyone in an organization is in sales and everyone is also a leader. We are responsible for leading our clients to good decisions, leading the people around us that reinforce the organizations mission and vision, and leading ourselves to work to our best potential.

Lately I have been noticing that some of my senior leaders are struggling with some of the more difficult aspects of their jobs. I thought these ten reminders, in no particular order, might be helpful.

1. Leaders are paid to make tough decisions. Sometimes those decisions are not popular. Leaders will never have 100% of all the information on every single issue. Get comfortable making decisions based on the information you have. Then take responsibility for what you did.

2. Leaders need to make sure their teams have the right tools to do the job right. Some things I learned from my military friends in the civil engineering core. If you are going to blow something up, make sure you have enough ammunition. The point is, if you are going to tell your team to do something, make sure

they have what they need to do the job right.

3. Leaders default to the good. They assume that others intend to do their best, not the worst. This does not mean leaders are naïve. They hold people accountable for their responsibilities and the expectations set for them. When there is a failure, leaders look to fix the problem. Leaders assume trust until that trust is broken.

4. Leaders understand that in order to have people trust them, they need to display trust as well. People need to be able to trust their leadership and the people they work for. When a leader makes a promise, their word should be solid gold.

5. Leaders know that they need to have organizational integrity. They assign people to positions and jobs based on the right mission and vision and the needs of the organization, not on favoritism or personalities.

6. Leaders are always striving to learn something more. Leaders know that we can always be better today than we were yesterday. They are constantly challenging themselves and the people around them to be better.

7. Leaders own all of the mistakes and all of the failures. All of the wins belong to the team.

8. Leaders know that during times of uncertainty, they need to inspire people to do more than what they thought they were capable of doing.

People develop confidence when they take action moving forward. Confidence does not happen because someone is cheering for you. Confidence happens when you do something difficult.

Leaders inspire the action that develops confidence.

9. Leaders understand that success is hinged on risk. There are always risks.

There is no such thing as perfect safety or security in anything. Leaders excel at assessing risk and making decisions based on their analysis.

10. Leaders do not waste time. They do not overthink unimportant things, and they do not dwell needlessly on things that do not matter. Leaders must triage their time and teach others the value of effective time management find their example and accountability.

Mary Kelly is a retired Naval intelligence officer, and the CEO of Productive Leaders. A popular conference speaker, she can be found at Mary@ProductiveLeaders.com. Reprinted with permission.

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A POWERFUL QUESTION

BY JOHN SPENCE

John Spence will be speaking at the 2022 National Conference in Maui, HI! Register today on the USSSA website!

I was reading a book and came across what I thought was a compelling question with a powerful answer.

How do you want to feel?

• Confident • Strong • Kind • Generous • Joyful • Loving • Important • Competent • Passionate • Playful The list goes on…

You can choose a single word or string a few together to develop something like; joyful, loving, and playful.

16 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

Important note: do not write successful.

Successful is a feeling that encompasses many other emotions. You must think more deeply about what you genuinely want to feel and uncover the components of that feeling. Success means something entirely different for each person that envisions it. Whatever you list, take a moment to make sure you got to the real heart of the feeling.

Also, do not feel ashamed about the way you want to feel. You want to feel important, influential, and affluent. That is fine. It is the way you want to feel.

Once you determine the way you want to feel, the next question is.

What do I need to do to feel that way?

I will use myself as an example. I want to feel helpful.

From a work standpoint, I want to feel that I am adding real value to other people and helping them to become more successful. By whatever definition of success they may have. What makes me feel that way is when a client tells me that I have taught them something that will significantly impact the success

of the organization and/or themselves.

To me, the feeling is one of humble pride. I have done my work well. I told the truth, shared my ideas, and given my best advice. I feel honored that I had the opportunity to be of service.

For many years, I have known my vision, “To help people and businesses be more successful.” But it was not until I went through this exercise that I understood how that makes me feel and think through what I need to do to capture that feeling. So, I ask you.

How do you want to feel?

What do you need to do every day to feel like that?

John Spence is an author, international executive coach, professional development educator, virtual trainer, strategic planning facilitator, keynote speaker and developer of online learning programs.

John is recognized as one of the top business thought leaders and leadership development experts in the world and was named by the American Management Association as one of America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch along with Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google and Jeff Bezos of Amazon. Reprinted with Permission.

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INFANT TODDLER EDUCATION WORKSHOP GOES VIRTUAL!

BY MIREN OCA OCAQUATICS One of the silver linings of the last couple of years that we have just gone through is we have all learned how to better navigate a virtual world for online learning and meetings. The US Swim School Association is no exception, as we have officially launched the online Infant Toddler Education Workshop and our first class was a huge success! It was as well attended as a traditional course normally taught at a conference and included participants from all around the United States. Those who participated in the course received the equivalent information that is delivered in the conference course and were able to enjoy the same amount of sharing with the others in the class through breakout room experiences. We’re excited to continue this online offering and we already have our second course scheduled for the fall on September 12th from 9 am to 3 pm Pacific (noon to 6 pm Eastern).

The virtual course is a 6 hour interactive workshop with breaks and breakout room experiences. The topics covered are the USSSA Guidelines in teaching this age group, Progression Development, Professionalism, Basic and Advanced Water Skills, Communication with Parents, and a Child Development Survey. Participants do receive a certificate of completion after the course.

Some of the takeaways and feedback from the course participants included: “I think this course was AMAZING!!. It’s great to hear what other swim instructors do and their techniques. I really enjoyed the participation and breaking out into small groups from time to time, it makes the course not boring! I loved it!”

“I thought it was very informative and helpful, and it was fun talking to other people across the country from other swim schools and learning how they do and explain certain things.”

“There is so much to learn and even more to really understand, this course really gave me more tools to add to my skill set so that I am more equipped to teach babies and their parents how to not only swim in the water, but how to truly enjoy the swimming experience.”

“This is not normal or basic knowledge for the everyday person. Even someone who has a child doesn’t know how to teach them to swim. If you’re going to be in the water teaching young children then this class should be a requirement. I would never have been as confident without this course. I cannot say thanks enough for offering it online, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity without your stepping up and out to try something new.”

“I am impressed the breakout sessions worked as well as they did. Nice use of technology.”

And of course, the instructor for the workshop was super pleased with the results!

“I LOVED teaching the first virtual IT course. It was fantastic to use the virtual space to engage with so many teachers across the US. The discussions were rich and the questions helped me know how excited the group was to learn! The time flew by, and I am excited for the next one!! It’s so amazing to be able to offer this material to anyone vs. just teachers who attend conferences. The more babies and parents we teach the better chance we have at reducing childhood drowning!!” Krissy Bartlett There is not an in person Infant Toddler Instructor Education Workshop planned for the Hawaii conference so make sure to reserve your spot in the fall virtual course. Reminder: a prerequisite to the conference or virtual course is the Infant Toddler Online Course that is available on the USSSA web site.

NEXT VIRTUAL

INFANT TODDLER EDUCATION WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 12, 2022 I 9 AM TO 3 PM PST (NOON TO 6 PM EST)

More Information And Registration On The USSSA Website

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 19

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FOR MORE DETAILS, VISIT: USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG/EVENTS

THANK YOU ANNUAL SPONSORS

AUGUST 3, 2022

WEBINAR: DROWNING PREVENTION TECHNOLOGY: OPTIONS AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AUGUST 10, 2022

LARGE SCHOOLS HUDDLE AUGUST 18, 2022

USSSA VIRTUAL BRUNCH WITH THE SMALL SWIM SCHOOLS COMMITTEE AUGUST 29, 2022

SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATORS SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

WEBINAR: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR GROWTH LANE & SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

VIRTUAL INFANT TODDLER EDUCATION WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 19-21, 2022

USSSA NATIONAL CONFERENCE MAUI, HAWAII

SEPTEMBER 22-23, 2022

OWNER’S CIRCLE MAUI, HAWAII

OCTOBER 10, 2022

WEBINAR: RECOGNIZING AND OVERCOMING BURNOUT OCTOBER 21, 2022

VIRTUAL SPECIAL ABILITIES EDUCATION WORKSHOP OCTOBER 24, 2022

WEBINAR: DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE FEBRUARY 21-22, 2023

SPRING WORKSHOP

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER 2-4, 2023

USSSA NATIONAL CONFERENCE

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

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WHEN YOU LOSE MOTIVATION, FIND INSPIRATION Ever make a New Year’s resolution? Many people make working out their New Year’s resolution. If you want to know if their resolution is driven by motivation or inspiration, just wait about three months. Statistic shows 98% of those who choose fitness as their new year’s resolution typically begin to lose motivation and taper off or stop going to the gym within the first three months.

Why do we lose motivation soon after we begin something we are excited or energized by? Often, it’s because we do not have the tools to keep going. Once the feeling fades, or those stimulating words can no longer be heard, or the sensation can no longer be felt, we lose that motivation. To continue the journey of reaching your goal(s) we must find inspiration.

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BY REGINA LEWIS, PH.D.

So, what’s the difference? Motivation is an abstract idea, making it difficult to connect the dots from beginning to end. I explained to my son that motivation takes movement, however our movements are merely based on the moment. Moving quickly, we go from idea to start. That is, we may decide what our goals are and even get to the point of execution, however we do not operate with a plan in place. The problem comes when we run into barriers: not enough time, financial struggles, too tired, no support, or the task is more difficult than we anticipated. When this happens, we revert to what we know. Often time, what we know takes us away from the goal in which we set leading us to an incomplete attempt.

Inspiration on the other hand is what I consider a concrete process. In other words, this is a road map from the beginning to the actual goal. When we are inspired, we plan and prepare for barriers that may stifle our idea or the sensation. Instead of going from idea to start as we often do when we are motivated, there is information, application, Identification, and planning that go in between the two.

These steps begin as a linear process:

Idea > Information > Application > Identify > Plan > Start An idea is a confirmation that a situation, or sensation applies to our lives. These two stimuli are what motivate us. However, before moving forward, we must gather information about what, when, how, and what ifs. To answer these questions, spend time researching. Ask others who have experienced your idea; find literature that speaks to the pros, cons, and steps necessary to reach your goal. Once you have gained enough knowledge to feel well informed, begin the application process. How does the information apply to you? How will this process affect your life? Next, begin to identify possible barriers that may take you off course or even cause you to lose sight of your goal(s). Finally, plan alternative action steps for those barriers.

Once you have the initial steps identified, the process becomes cross-circular; meaning each step may need to be revisited at any point and in no particular order.

Join us September 19-21 in Maui, Hawaii where Dr. Lewis will be speaking at the USSSA National Conference.

Details and

registration available

at https://whova.com/ web/usssa_202210/

USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 23

READY, SET, SWIM FALL ISSUE

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR BOD! What is your favorite interview question when hiring swim school staff or swim instructors and why?

I ask if given $100 to make a difference in someone’s life how would they spend it? I let them know there is no wrong or right answer and to think for a min or two before answering.

I ask this to determine if they can think about others as I had someone tell me they would use it for gas and food maybe pay some bills. Someone else once said they would buy their mom and grandmother flowers and another told me she just donated $100 to some kids’ orphanage for soccer balls and would love the opportunity to do it again since she thought kids learn a lot from soccer and it was a great way to spend a little and make a difference for so many. It’s a great way to see if they can think beyond today, respond and have a big heart which all go back to our company core values.

Melissa Taylor Small Fish Big Fish Swim School

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I have two to share. One is for a Swim Instructor Position and the other is a Facility Maintenance Position.

1. Tell me something about yourself that isn’t on your resume.

The way they choose to respond to this question, and the story they share, can tell you a lot about the type of employee they will be and what they will be able to contribute to your company culture.

My favorite question to ask when interviewing someone for a leadership position is “What have you done specifically in the last year to grow personally?” I like reading their body language as well as listening to their answer.

The answer to this question can really tell you if they are a right fit for your organization.

Buffy Folise Chicago Swim School

2. When hiring for a Facility Maintenance Position I always ask if they know how to open a A Frame Ladder. Years ago I had a 20 year old who had been hired to do Facility Maintenance and when I brought him the ladder he had no idea how to open it.

One of the favorite questions at Nitro is, “What attracted you to this position and organization?”

We are looking for someone whose face lights up when they talk about working with kids and/or teaching.

Brad Grzelka Atlanta Swim Academy

Tracy Koleber Nitro Swimming

I have a few questions Tell us 1 thing you liked about our website?

We are looking to see about the interest level of how much they researched prior to applying.

• We would follow up with. Why do you want to work for our swim school?

If we gave you $200 how would you spend it?

• This can tell us a lot of their character interests etc What type of leader are you? How would you demonstrate this at Davina’s?

• This gives us a better understanding of experiences and how they portray themselves as a leader.

This isn’t McDonalds and we need to ensure that they believe in themselves and come with some passion or desire to be around swimmers.

And of course my favorite.

Aside from Canada where would be your second choice to live in the world? Why? • This gives you more insight into their interests and it’s fun to find out more about a person.

Davina Lopez Davina’s Swim House

MAT SERVICE Keep your business cleaner, save time on mopping, and help extend the life of your floors with professionally laundered mats delivered on a regular basis.

MAKE SURE YOUR FACILITY STAYS CLEAN AND WELL-STOCKED A clean, prepared business is more crucial than ever. Trust Cintas to help you reduce the chance of contamination and keep your business stocked — with innovative solutions, scheduled service visits and routine product replenishment.

RESTROOM SUPPLIES AND DISPENSERS Don’t let empty restroom dispensers lead to a bad customer experience.

Rely on our routine restocking service to keep your touchless dispensers replenished with hand soap, sanitizer, paper products and more.

This is more for administrative staff, but I like to ask the question, do you feel it’s more important to focus on results and tasks or people and emotions and why? This gives me an opportunity to gain some insight into how they think critically and if they are more task/deadline oriented or people/ emotional intelligence oriented.

Lisa Zarda USSSA

1. Why did your best friend choose you as a friend?

2. Who is your superhero and why?

Karen Clay Swim&Gym LLC

SIGNET® CLEANING CHEMICALS Eliminate unnecessary trips to the store and clean more efficiently and effectively, with properly diluted cleaning chemicals dispensed at the touch of a button.

MOP SERVICE Supplied with your choice of professionally cleaned mops, you’ll provide reassurance with sparkling floors and help prevent the spread of germs and bacteria caused by dirty mop heads.

Learn more at cintas.com or call 800.CINTAS1

ASK AL

BY ALVARO G. MENDOZA COMMERCIAL ENERGY SPECIALISTS, INC.

AS A 21ST CENTURY BUSINESS OWNER AND A SWIM SCHOOL OWNER WITH A LOT ON THE LINE, WE HEAR A LOT OF NOISE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY. WHILE WE WANT TO HELP SAVE THE PLANET, WE ALSO DON’T WANT TO PUT OUR SCHOOL IN A BAD FINANCIAL POSITION OR SPEND A LOT OF UNNECESSARY MONEY. CAN YOU HELP DECIPHER WHAT MEASURES MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR OUR SCHOOLS?

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

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

Glad to help. You’re right. It seems that every major corporation and municipality is trying to jump on the sustainability bandwagon, sometimes with some pretty ridiculous measures that really don’t substantially preserve resources. Sustainability can be defined as “the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.” We get it, but the “noise” level makes the entire sustainability movement confusing.

26 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

The good news is that there are 4 major reasons why swim school owners can confidently pursue sustainability measures in their schools.

HELPS ATTRACT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES: This may be a bit of a surprise to many, but research shows that a strong sustainability effort helps attract and retain employees, especially millennials. Employees of green or sustainable companies tend to feel better about their roles, and a green mindset has been shown to motivate employees as they generally feel more respected and part of a team.

Generally, sustainable businesses are felt to care more about their customers and employees, and there is a heightened sense of fulfillment. Human nature dictates that when you enable fulfillment and you do good things, your team feels good about themselves, leading to higher job satisfaction, a leading driver for attracting and retaining staff. We can speak on this from personal experience with a substantial number percentage of senior employees having tenure from 15-40 years with the company.

SAVES SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES: Properly executed sustainability programs in swim schools can save substantial natural resources. This goes well beyond installing low flow showers or toilets that may save half a gallon per flush or installing LED lights, which operate at a substantially lower cost than traditional technologies. Besides these two proven technologies, there are substantial resources that can be saved in the mechanical equipment room too. The major categories for savings include: Water, Power, Gas, Chemicals, and Labor (yes labor).

OPERATES BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY: The optimum strategy is to provide energy saving technologies that improve operations at the same time. There are a couple of proven examples of these: • Chemistry (mechanical system) Control: Over the past 20-years chemistry control has evolved into a more complete resource for the swim school owner. The most popular solutions not only control chemistry, but also monitors system flow,

operates the pool pump, provides precise water level control, monitor filter soiling, and monitor water consumption to avoid water-borne irritation, offering more savings and better operations.

• Pump Controls: Pool pumps are generally oversized by health codes, and one can save significant power by maintaining ONLY the precise flow required. Reducing pump output by 20% saves almost 50% of pumping costs. Better systems monitor filtration flow rate, and apply minimum power to maximize savings 24/7/365, adapting to soiling filters, dirty strainers, etc. Additionally, systems can be programmed for night-time off-peak flow reductions and can help the filters super-polish the water overnight, while auto-adapting to any issue that could cancel a morning lesson (cold pool, cloudy water, out-of-range chemistry, etc.)

• Permanent Drinking Water-Grade Filtration: One of the more exciting technological breakthroughs in recent years, a simple switch to an “activated” glass media – made from recycled brown and green bottles – can convert a simple “sand-type” filter into a drinking water-grade filter system. Depending on the flow rate through the filters this gets the pool into a “sub-micron” filtration mode, unheard of in a simple-to-maintain filter vessel. Also, water savings from an efficient 1.5-minute backwash cycle normally exceeds 50% of normal water consumption, providing savings with better operations.

• Making Your Own Chlorine: Pandemic-related events and extraordinary demand for PVC and consumer products – all made from chlorine – have dramatically increased the price of chlorine by as much as 100%. Pricing for muriatic acid, also made from chlorine, has exceeded 200-300% in some markets. Several proven technologies to make your own chlorine have been successfully used in leading swim schools for many years, and are based on saline technology, making the water softer while saving a lot of resources.

• Recycling Heat: Heat in a pool doesn’t want to stay in the water and will consistently transfer into the pool room making it humid. A dehumidification system will recycle the warm, humid air putting the heat back into the water while removing humidity.

The owner can dial in direct set points for optimum air temp, pool temp, and relative humidity, and the system does the rest.

• Pool Covers: Pool covers, while they can be a pain to use, serve a great purpose in that they reduce evaporation to near zero during their time of use. This means that the dehmidification system run time is greatly reduced and that can save big money on electric and gas bills.

SAVES MORE MONEY THAN IT COSTS: Many if not all the measures above pass the quick “does it make sense” test, in that they can pay their own way monthly out of savings they generate.

That means that you could theoretically go the bank, take out a loan, install the measure, and more than pay for the loan out of savings in Power, Water, Chemicals, Gas, and Labor.

CONCLUSION: Does it make sense for the swim school owner to pursue sustainability in their schools? There are hundreds of leading owners that will say it does. Careful implementation of the above measures has helped provide a “feel good” aura with patrons and staff alike, while the owner can also enjoy better water quality and simpler more streamlined operations at a fraction of the cost of a typical and more manual mechanical system.

Caution, not ALL systems operate at this level of success, but the owner can carefully research alternatives, and proceed with proven technologies. Owners, patrons, and employees alike will be glad they did.

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

Best Regards, Alvaro G. Mendoza USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 27

HOPE FLOATS HEROES SAVING LIVES ONE SCHOLARSHIP AT A TIME At six years old, Eli started swim lessons at Dolphin University, only attending once every three weeks resulting in a struggle to build his confidence and skill set. When Calvin Thomas, owner and instructor, asked Eli’s mom about his attendance she told him it was because she had to choose between paying for swim lessons and transportation. Eli became the first Hope Floats scholarship recipient for Dolphin University. Once his swim lessons were funded, his attendance increased tenfold and his confidence soared. Thomas says “he quickly moved to a level 3 and could swim. His mom told me she was just thankful that someone believed in her kid”. Today, Eli’s mom is proudly posting photos on social media of him swimming and has referred multiple families to Hope Floats for scholarships.

Hope Floats has awarded scholarships to 1,488 children resulting in 17,856 swim lessons across 200 swim school partner locations!

Swim lessons reduce the rate of drowning by 88% and unfortunately many families simply cannot afford lessons.

Hope Floats meets this need by offering a simple, online scholarship application process in which eligible families are matched with a local swim school partner.

These scholarships are made possible by our swim school partners’ commitment to fundraising.

Founded by swim school owners seeking a simple, more sustainable way to provide scholarships, our swim school partners are equipped with a Hope Floats “Box of Impact” that includes low commitment, high ROI fundraising tools that engage local communities in drowning prevention efforts. Our partners choose which events and activities best work for their local communities.

Dolphin University Swim School hosted a Water Safety Day in their hometown of Baltimore, Maryland for not only their swim families but also for the public.

The community event included raffle 28 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG

tickets for sale, concessions, water safety information, activities and more! They successfully partnered with PNC bank who sponsored $2,500 for the event. The event raised $3,250 for Hope Floats Scholarships in ONE DAY! Swimming Safari Swim School organized a raffle and scavenger hunt for their families to participate in. Raffle winners could choose between three prizes: baseball tickets, Alligator Farm tickets, or your own Swimming Safari Pool Party!

British Swim School of Metro Charlotte is a brand new Hope Floats Foundation partner, but that didn’t stop them from raising funds immediately.

They created an online fundraiser and offered raffle prizes for those who donated.

They successfully raised over $1,000 in scholarship funds!

Ocaquatics Swim School has raised funds to provide over 60 scholarships to deserving families in their area in the past two years alone!

SwimKids of Northern Virginia hosted their annual Swim For Hope,

raising over $10,000 for Hope Floats Foundation scholarships! Swim for Hope is a national fundraising and swim safety awareness event in which swimmers raise funds by swimming lengths of the pool or performing safety skills for the length of a normal lesson or swim practice. Swim for Hope is tailored by each swim partner to match the skills to the curriculum and levels of your swim school.

Join our community of more than 200 swim school partners and help save a child’s life. Your partnership makes a huge impact by giving the gift of swim lessons to underserved families like Eli’s.

To learn more about becoming a swim school partner, visit www.hopefloats.foundation today!

About Hope Floats Foundation: Hope Floats Foundation, founded in 2016, is a national nonprofit organization.

Its mission is to prevent drownings by providing scholarships for swim lessons to disadvantaged children. Hope Floats partners with local communities to offer financial need-based scholarships in over 200 swim school locations in 32 states.

Each year, thousands of swim lessons are provided by Hope Floats to empower disadvantaged children with the swimming skills to save their own lives. For more information about Hope Floats and how to make a lifesaving donation, please visit www.hopefloats.foundation.

USSSA MEMBER SHOUT OUT!

NEW MEMBER LIST

Brandon Whitehead, SWIMkids USA USSSA Member, Brandon Whitehead of SWIMkids USA was the recipient of the Pay It Forward Award

by AZ Family, Channel 3TV. Brandon was nominated by a member in his community who recognized his hard work, patience and talent as a swim instructor and was surprised while at work with the award and $500 prize. USSSA is so proud of you, Brandon! Way to Go!

AQUATICS DOWN UNDER Melissa Rickwood Thornleigh, NSW Australia AQUATICS IN MOTION SWIMTASTIC Mark Bone Auckland, New Zealand AQUA-TOTS SWIM SCHOOL – PEARLAND/PASADENA Franciscoe Elguada Pearland, TX BLUEFIN SWIMMING SCHOOL Jiaxin Zhang Chengdu, Sichuan, China CHAMPIONS SWIMMING ACADEMY H20 George Mwansa Zambia

Lulu Cisneros, LULU CISNEROS Educación Acuática Lulu Cisneros hosted a very successful USSSA Infant Course in Colombia!

The course was taught to 88 participants! After having been apart for so long due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the in-person event was one filled with excitement and important education. What a great opportunity to continue the education efforts for swim instructors in Columbia!

Do you have something cool to share or someone you want to send a shout out to? Contact the USSSA office to get your story highlighted in our next issue. Email Anne Swanson at anne@usswimschools.org

ELEMENTAL AQUATICS Angela Wild Escondido, CA GYM MAGIC KIDS Nancy Bates Las Cruces, NM SWIM4LIFE COLORADO Courtney Kline Conifer, CO

LIST OF ADVERTISERS A3 Kids | p10

FINIS | Inside Front Cover

Risk Management | p18

CareerPlug | p14

Green Sprouts | p17

Splash About | p4

Charlie Banana | p14

iClass Pro | p13

TeamUnify | p8

Cintas | p25

Jackrabbit Swim | p6

Tri Swim | p21

CouncilmanHunsaker | p17

Neptune-Benson | p21

Cressi | p2

Paddock | p11 USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 29

Announcing the

USSSA Certified Fundamental Swim Instructor (CFSI) TM

A National Certification benefits the industry by creating standards, validating skills & knowledge of swim instructors while also assuring the public.

Purpose is to demonstrate skills & knowledge in: Safety Swimming development & readiness Basic child development Overview of special abilities Professionalism Swim class management

Our USSSA INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION™ includes a swim instructor training course that provides swim instructors with the skills and knowledge needed to provide swimming instruction that meets our standards. Those earning the certification must pass an exam to validate their skills and knowledge.

Learn more at usswimschools.org or pre-purchase at https://bit.ly/CFSIform

TM