V O L U M E 2 9 | I S S U E 2 2 018
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
GETTING THE RELUCTANT CHILD TO GO UNDERWATER TOP 10 TEAM BUILDING IDEAS
The Value of a Secret Shopper
DISCOVER
SMALL SCHOOL PROGRESSION LEASING YOUR OWN FACILITY
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IN THIS ISSUE 6 TOP 10 TEAM BUILDING IDEAS
3
Letter from the President
5 From the Desk of the Executive Director
6 Top 10 Team Building Ideas 8 Uncovering Insights while Under Cover 11 Behind the Brand 12 Small School Progression 14 Calendar of Events & Sponsors 16 2018 Spring Workshop Highlights
COVER PHOTO CREDIT
18 Ask Al 20 Getting the Reluctant Child to Go Underwater 22 Do You Have a Team Charter 24 Teaching Swimming Lessons: Dealing with Different Individuals 27 Stop Drowning Now 27 New Member List 27 Index of Advertisers
ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd., Suite 109 Cave Creek, AZ 85331 480.837.5525 usssa@usswimschools.org usswimschools.org Executive Director Lisa M. Zarda, CAE, CNAP Editor Monica Martin ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President John Kirk, Little Otter Swim School Vice President Mike Williams, American Kids Sports Center ASSOCIATION DIRECTORS Tracy Koleber, Nitro Swimming Tiernan Murphy, Making Waves Swim School Jeff Purchin, 5 Cities Swim School Casie Shore, Swim to Shore Swim School Matt Young, Hubbard Family Swim School
28 Making Industry Waves USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 1
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT The theme of this issue is discover. One of the greatest gifts that we can give ourselves is to discover who we are and what makes us happy. Too many times in business we get caught up in the jobs that are necessary but not vital to helping us achieve our dreams. In college, I learned that accounting was not my best subject. In the early years of my business I did what most of us do and tried to do everything. It was a tremendous weight off my shoulders when I was able to hire someone to do this for me. It is a far better use of my time to pay someone to do a job that I am not good at, so that I can work on things that will move my company forward. Take time to categorize the things you do well and bring you joy. Figure out a way to concentrate on those tasks and find someone who is good at the other tasks that bog you down. Put another way, what tasks cause you to lose all track of time because you get in the “zone” when working on them. Those are the tasks to hang onto! Another thing to discover is how to make our businesses better. I am always taking notes when I am out and about. I take pictures on my phone and jot down a few ideas. For instance, I think it is brilliant that Apple stores have done away with the cash register kiosk. If you know what you need just take it to one of the employees and they will charge your card, email your receipt and you are on your way in no time. I also like QT convenience stores. They place their registers in the middle of the desk with service areas on both sides and can ring up 2 customers at once. While they wait for the first customer’s card to be approved, they can start the second customer. They can clear a line of customers in short order. How can I make those ideas work for me? I am thinking about it! Sharron Crowley, USSSA member and owner/CEO of Aquaventures Swim Centre, gave me a clear pouch a few years ago. Its purpose was to collect things to think about later, like a flyer or card that comes in the mail. I still have the pouch and think it’s a great idea to have a designated place to store interesting ideas. I tend now to use the computer and my phone for this exercise. No matter what method of capturing ideas works for you, there is always time to learn and discover. Make it a part of your daily routine!
JOHN KIRK President US Swim School Association
USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 3
FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR “Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something different.” ALBERT SZENT GYORGYI Nobel Prize Winner
When you have kids they tell you that one of the joys of being a parent is to once again discover the world through the eyes of a child. To watch them put their feet in the ocean for the first time, or have their first taste of birthday cake, there is nothing sweeter. I think the same can be said about teaching a child. Whether in the classroom or in a pool, helping a child discover and master a new skill can be so rewarding. But teaching is tough. The day in and day out can turn the joy of teaching into frustration and monotony. So how do you help your teachers keep that joy of teaching present and in the forefront? HERE ARE A FEW IDEAS TO TRY AT YOUR SCHOOL: • Teacher Appreciation Week Ask parents and kids to write and decorate notes for their teacher, present to teachers at your staff meeting or display on your community board. • Teacher Moments At the start of each staff meeting or shift, have teachers gather in a circle and share a teacher a-ha moment from the day before. • Power of Music Have upbeat positive music playing in the staff changing area to get teachers in a positive, happy mindset. • Favorite Discovery Ask staff to take turns making a poster that depicts one of their favorite discoveries as a child, as a teacher, or pick a theme and let them be creative, put on display in your staff room or school for families to continue to get to know your teachers. Staying motivated and energized can be a challenge, but with a little fun and creativity you can help your staff continue to discover why they love what they do!
LISA M. ZARDA, CAE, CNAP Executive Director US Swim School Association
TOP 10 TEAM BUILDING IDEAS
BY JON GORDON BEST SELLING AUTHOR & SPEAKER
In a world where we’re more virtually connected than ever it seems that our teams are more disconnected than ever. For example, in my work with sports teams I have found that far too many don’t make the time to invest in relationships and team building. They work on their conditioning, skills and plays but too often fail to develop the chemistry and relationships that truly build winning teams. United, high performing teams don’t happen by accident. They are built and developed through great communication, shared experiences, positive interactions, common challenges, and vulnerable story telling that connect people at a deeper level. For these reasons I’m convinced you and your team must make time for team building to foster communication, connection and commitment. Talent and practice can make you a good team. But you must come together if you want to be great. This applies to businesses, schools, hospitals and non-profits as well. In this spirit here are 10 team building ideas. (I’m a proponent of a weekly team building session, but you can find what rhythm works best for you. For example, the Pittsburgh Pirates do a team building session before each new series.)
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4. HERO, HIGHLIGHT, HARDSHIP I learned this one from Cori Close, the UCLA women’s basketball coach, who told me this idea when I spoke to her team a few weeks ago. With this exercise each person talks about one of their heroes and why they are their hero. Then they share a positive highlight as well as a hardship from their past. 5. THE HARD HAT As a team, discuss and identify the characteristics of a great team member. What does it mean to be a great team member? Write all the characteristics on the board/wall. Have each person choose the one that resonates most with them. Visit HardHat21.com for 21 ways to be a great teammate.
1. IF YOU REALLY KNEW ME If you really knew me you would know this about me____. I recently took a leadership team through this exercise and at first they shared very shallow comments like “you would know that I’m very generous and wonderful.” But after challenging them to go deeper and sharing something vulnerable about myself they started sharing meaningful stories and feelings that connected the team in a deep and powerful way. Thanks to author Mike Robbins for the idea. 2. SHARE A DEFINING MOMENT When a leader and each team member share a defining moment in their life you learn things you never knew before. Immediately you know your team members a whole lot better and feel more connected to them. I like to have each person in the room simply stand up and share a defining moment in their life. It’s amazing how simple and powerful this exercise is. 3. THE SAFE SEAT I recently wrote about how Dabo Swinney, the head coach of the Clemson University Football team, put a “safe seat” in the middle of the team meeting room and had each team member sit on the seat and answer questions about his life. It’s called a safe seat because what is shared in the room stays in the room. This makes it safe for each person to be vulnerable and transparent.
6. GET ON THE BUS TOGETHER A lot of leaders have their teams read The Energy Bus to create unity and a common dialogue but Rhonda Revelle, the University of Nebraska Softball coach, took it one step further. She paired up her team and had each pair present to the rest of the team 1 of the 10 rules of The Energy Bus in a fun and creative way. Some made a video, others sang a song, some gave a speech, some made a painting, etc.. Rhonda told me the team took on a whole new life and energy after these teammates brought the rules to life for each other. She said this energy propelled them to the College World Series that year. 7. ONE WORD Have each team member choose one word that will help drive them to be their best and bring out the best in others. You may choose a word such as: connect, commit, serve, give, help, care, love, tough, relentless, excellence, selfless, and so on. Each person should choose a word that is the right fit for them. Once you choose your words you can make a team poster, sign or image that features all the words of the team. Visit Getoneword.com for more ideas.
8. FUEL UP THE TANKS The Brown University Women’s Lacrosse team gave each player a manila envelope with a picture of a bus and their name on it. The envelopes represented their energy bus tanks and were placed on a table in the locker-room. Players were also given index cards where they could write something positive about a teammate and place the card (positive fuel) in their teammates manila envelope (energy bus tank). After practices and games players were encouraged to write positive comments and fill their teammate’s energy bus tanks with positive energy. The exercise created more positive interactions and generated appreciation and encouragement that fueled the team throughout the year. 9. LEAVE A LEGACY Have each team member create and share a legacy statement that includes the kind of impact they want to have on their team. How do you want to be remembered? What do you want others to say about you a year later? Knowing how you want to be remembered helps you decide how to live today. 10. 20 QUESTIONS Make up a list of 20 questions. During each team building session pair up with a different team member and ask/ answer the questions about each other. This will help you get to know your team members and become more connected. It’s a great exercise for sports teams to do when they are on the bus or plane. Jon Gordon’s best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous Fortune 500 companies, professional and college sports teams, school districts, hospitals, and non-profits. He is the author of 15 books including 5 best-sellers: The Energy Bus, The Carpenter, Training Camp, You Win in the Locker Room First and The Power of Positive Leadership. Jon and his tips have been featured on The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, The Golf Channel, Fox and Friends and in numerous magazines and newspapers. Jon is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a Masters in Teaching from Emory University. He and his training/consulting company are passionate about developing positive leaders, organizations and teams. Learn more at www.JonGordon.com.
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BY JAY FEITLINGER FOUNDER AND CEO OF STRINGCAN INTERACTIVE
UNCOVERING INSIGHTS WHILE UNDER COVER: THE VALUE OF A SECRET SHOPPER Whenever my team and I meet with a new client, we usually ask what kind of feedback they’ve gathered from their customers about their business. The shocking answer on a few occasions has been, “what feedback?” I say this is shocking, but it actually makes sense that many companies don’t get regular, insightful feedback from their customers because doing so takes a lot of time, intentionality, and it requires them to step out of their comfort zone. The desire might be there, but the list of “need-to-do’s often gets in the way and crowds out the “want-to-do’s. Gathering feedback from customers can take a variety of forms, but what’s most important is that it’s happening in one form or another. If you’re able to interview your customers through a 10minute, in-depth phone call and compile all the responses - that’s incredible. If you can only send out a five-question survey in order to get some insight into how your customers feel - that’s still a great step. 8 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG
Even if you know your customers well, the important thing to remember is to never make assumptions about what their journey is like as a customer of yours - and what their perspectives might be. You need to hear that from them firsthand, so you can make adjustments and position your swim school to really thrive. And this is where a secret shopper comes in. SECRET SHOPPERS HAVE ONE THING CUSTOMERS DON’T The two methods of collecting customer feedback I mentioned above (interviews and surveys) can serve a purpose and shed a lot of light on your business. But they both suffer from the same challenge: customers, especially busy parents of swimmers, often don’t have the time to answer your questions, whether in-person, on the phone or through a webform. The likelihood of getting ample responses that are given time and attention is pretty slim.
JAY WITH SARAH HILLER (LEFT) OPERATIONS MANAGER & ANDREA TURNBOW (RIGHT) DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, LEAD GENERATION AT STRINGCAN HEADQUARTERS
This is why commissioning secret shoppers can bridge the gap and save the day. They have what your customers don’t have: time. You can find these people in a variety of places (online forums, freelance websites, social media sites, marketing agencies, professional businesses who provide these services), but the goal is to find people who have never interacted with your swim school. You want to have a group of individuals made up of the same average ages and demographics of your current customers, and they should definitely be parents, too.
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HOW DOES IT WORK? Once you gather a few people who can serve as your first group of secret shoppers, write up exactly what you want them to do and exactly what you’re hoping to learn. I advise against meeting them first to talk about expectations, because that will give them exposure to your swim school location and to one of its staff members (you) before they jump into their role. Write down that you’d like them to call or visit your school and ask some questions about signing up their child in a class. Then ask them to complete the enrollment process, show up for the first day of classes and have their child participate in that class (if they’re unwilling to do that last part, they can stop after the enrollment process and just give you feedback about those first few steps). Instruct them to take notes about every aspect of the experience, including topics like first impressions of your school’s
aesthetics and cleanliness, thoughts about your website, warmth of your employees, level of customer treatment, thoroughness of responses to their questions and beyond. As soon as they’ve completed the portions of the customer journey you’ve asked them to, sit with them for a detailed debrief. You’ll want to carve out time to meet with your secret shoppers while their experience is still fresh in their mind. Even though they’ll have taken notes, they’re far more likely to recall specific feelings and suggestions if you meet with them shortly after they’ve interacted with your swim school. PUTTING WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED INTO PRACTICE After you get feedback from this first group of secret shoppers, compile the information and see what trends and patterns you can pull out from it. One snippy comment to a secret shopper
from an employee might be able to be chalked up to an employee who had a bad day. But if three different secret shoppers had a dissatisfactory experience with the front desk - you might have a deeper culture problem on your hands. If you can get into the habit of using secret shoppers regularly (e.g. a handful of them roughly once per quarter), you can start to frequently glean powerful insights into your customer experience. If you gather negative feedback, you’ve been given a chance to act on it and improve. And if you gather positive feedback, you have an arsenal of positivity to share with your team. When you go directly to your audience (the parents of your swimmers) or to those who are playing the part of your audience (secret shoppers), you take away priceless perspectives that can be used to move your swim school forward. And that’s a great deal of value!
USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 9
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BEHIND THE BRAND WITH RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES BY DEBBIE WILLIAMS RMS SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Just recently, we had the good fortune to catch up with USSSA partner, Debbie Williams, at Risk Management Services. In the spirit of the “discover” theme of this summer edition magazine, we thought it would be apropos to learn more about our industry sponsor and longtime Association friend. For many of you, Debbie is a familiar face at USSSA Conferences and Workshops. We hope you enjoy going behind the scenes at Risk Management Services!
WHAT AREAS ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR AT RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES?
My primary responsibility is to handle all aspects of insurance needs for the US Swim School Association and its members. This could range from basic GL program needs to additional business related coverage needs. For instance, I provide assistance when members build their own facility or plan on making tenant improvements. Of course, I am also here to help with the challenges of reading and meeting contract obligations for leased locations.
RMS OFFICES ARE LOCATED IN SUNNY PHOENIX. HAVE YOU ALWAYS RESIDED IN ARIZONA?
No, I am from Dayton Ohio where all of my family still resides. I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to Arizona in 1997. It took a while to acclimate to the summer months here, but I fell in love with the winters and beauty of Arizona. The one thing I never got used to was living in a house where I regularly had scorpions and black widows. I sold the house and moved last year!
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY?
Definitely by accident! I always thought I would do something involving animals and worked in a pet store for a few years, but then I thought I would give an office job at a local insurance company a try. I was young, so I wanted more of a social life than a retail business can offer. I liked the insurance company, my co-workers and the opportunities for growth. I then went to the Insurance Agency side, which I enjoyed even more. I realized interacting with customers and helping them was what I really liked to do! In my many years of experience, I have had quite a few different types of customers, and I can honestly say, the customers I have now are the best I have ever worked with. This is why I have enjoyed my job for 14 years!
WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED AT WORK EACH DAY?
I work with friends that care and respect each other, personally and in business. I never dread coming to work! RMS is unique in many ways. Our office has a total of 7 employees, 5 of us have worked together off and on for the past 20 years. We are fortunate to have a happy work atmosphere!
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU ATTENDED USSSA CONFERENCES AS A SPONSOR/PARTNER?
My first Association Conference was in 2004 and it was held in Washington DC. I haven’t missed one since! The event is something we look forward to every year. It’s such a good opportunity to spend time with the current members and meet new ones. We became a sponsor in 2006 and have enjoyed the working relationship with the Association every year since. The USSSA Members are as passionate as we are about saving children’s lives and drowning prevention, which makes working with them such a good fit.
SPEAKING OF CONFERENCES, DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE MEMORY OR EVENT?
One of the unexpected benefits of my job is the travel. If not for the Association Conferences and Workshops, I would not have visited as many cities as I have. I will say Chicago has been my favorite so far. What an amazing city. Actually, there have been so many favorite moments over the years that it’s hard to pick just one!
WHAT MAKES RMS STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD?
Without a doubt, our customer service! We are very focused on taking care of our clients and receive frequent letters thanking us for our great service. Several times, I have had my boss ask me in a joking manner, “how much did you pay so and so to write this letter?” One of the biggest benefits of RMS is the vast experience within the swimming community. We have been the consultant and broker for USA Swimming for more than 25 years and continue to develop dedicated insurance programs for the sport of swimming.
USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 11
LEASING YOUR OWN FACILITY SMALL SCHOOL PROGRESSION/
BY CASIE SHORE SWIM TO SHORE SWIM SCHOOL
SWIM TO SHORE SWIM SCHOOL AFTER CONSTRUCTION
Every swim school owner begins their journey in their own unique way. Some begin their business in their backyard pool, others in a leased location such as a hotel pool, while some even begin by traveling from home-to-home. The one thing many of us have in common is our dream to grow our school by leasing a facility or building one in order to create a permanent indoor location that we can call home. Although the process of making this happen may seem overwhelming to you, many of our USSSA members have made the leap with great success. But before you jump all in, there is some important planning to do. The most important, is determining your vision and how to achieve it. Critical decisions you need to make include the size and space you need, your location, your budget and how to obtain your financing. If you plan to lease a facility, you’ll need to find an experienced commercial real estate agent that you can trust. Get familiar with some important lease terms before you and your agent negotiate an agreement with the landlord. You’ll need to know how much the security deposit is, as well as the tenant improvement allowance and the CAM fees (common area maintenance) that you will be required to pay. Find out if there are extensions to renew the lease at the end of the term. Ask if you are responsible to maintain or make repairs to any equipment previously installed such as an A/C unit and plumbing. It is also important to find out what utilities you will be responsible for. Finally, find an experienced business lawyer to thoroughly review the lease agreement. Once your lease is signed, sealed and delivered you need to build your team. You’ll need to hire a general contractor, a pool contractor and an architect. Take time to find the right people as you will be working very closely with them. Then, plan to be on-site as much as possible to keep a close eye on their work and progress. Make sure they are on task and reinforce how critical the deadlines are for your opening day. If you really want to keep your team motivated and eager to please, don’t underestimate the power of coffee, donuts and smoothies. Yes, seriously...they work wonders! Continued on next page...
12 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG
Whether doing tenant improvements in an existing facility or constructing your own building, be warned that it probably won’t go as smoothly as you might hope for. This is not meant to discourage you, but to prepare you for the reality of the unexpected obstacles that will come your way as you navigate through the process. As daunting as all of this seems, you don’t have to figure it out on your own! You are fortunate to have our talented USSSA friends and mentors to give you moral support. They have walked in your shoes and are eager to share what they have learned through their mistakes and challenges as they built their own schools. There are also a medley of resources offered in your local business community that you can take advantage of and most of them are free. Yes, FREE!!! (See resource list at the end of this article). Although navigating through this process can be a wild ride at times, there’s nothing more exciting than reaching the finish line and seeing your vision come to life! Happy building!
“The biggest risk is not taking any risk.” MARK ZUCKERBERG
FREE ONLINE RESOURCES: www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/sbdc www.sbdcnet.org/find-your-local-sbdc-office
SWIM TO SHORE SWIM SCHOOL DURING CONSTRUCTION
CALENDAR OF EVENTS JUNE 21, 2018
THE WORLD’S LARGEST SWIMMING LESSON wlsl.org
JULY 24-27, 2018
SWIM AUSTRALIA INTERNATIONAL SWIM SCHOOLS CONFERENCE HAMILTON ISLAND, GREAT BARRIER REEF swimaustralia.org.au
JULY 30-AUGUST 1, 2018
AUSTRALIAN SWIM SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL SPECTACULAR AUSTRALIA’S GOLD COAST australianswimschools.org.au
SEPTEMBER 23-25, 2018
USSSA NATIONAL CONFERENCE LAS VEGAS, NEVADA usswimschools.org
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THANK YOU ANNUAL SPONSORS
2018 SPRING WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS 30TH ANNIVERSARY
2.10.18
2.11.18
BY STAFF CONTRIBUTOR USSSA
The 30th Anniversary Spring Workshop was a Texas-Sized success!
TO G ETH E R THIRTY
YEARS
EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS U S S W I M S C H O O L A S S O C I AT I O N W DALLAS VICTORY
2018 SPRING WORKSHOP
USSSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS POSE WITH ANNIVERSARY CAKE: (LEFT TO RIGHT) LISA ZARDA, JOHN KIRK, MIKE WILLIAMS, CASIE SHORE, TRACY KOLEBER, JEFF PURCHIN, MATT YOUNG, TIERNAN MURPHY
16 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG
The downtown Dallas destination offered more amenities than you could shake a stick at and The W Dallas Victory Hotel was urban, sleek and cowboy chic. This was the very first time a workshop was hosted in a downtown setting and the USSSA Conference Team made every effort to enhance opportunities for members to network and connect. The event included a 30th Anniversary Reception, hosted lunches and attendees had the exciting new option to join dinner reservations at an assortment of venues. Turnout was excellent this year and contributed to an intimate setting! There were many swim school teams in attendance and the scene was high energy. Members also arrived from Canada and Mexico. The presentations covered a full spectrum of topics relevant to every aspect of the learn-to-swim business and the two professional keynote speakers added powerful ideas to the mix. The synergy of learning, sharing, creating and connecting made this a memorable event for all!
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ASK AL BY ALVARO G. MENDOZA COMMERCIAL ENERGY SPECIALISTS, INC.
Our facility will open later this year and the pool professional is telling us it will cost around $30,000 more to have the pool turnover in 90 minutes. We’re told the plumbing has to be bigger, pumps bigger, etc. To have the pool turnover in 2.5 hours, he won’t have to increase the plumbing, so it will cost about $15,000 more. FIRST OF ALL, IS IT THAT IMPORTANT TO HAVE TURNOVER IN 90 MINUTES VERSUS A FEW HOURS? SECOND, SHOULD IT COST THAT MUCH MORE?
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.
To properly discuss this, we must first review what filtration rate we really need, and what would be the relative cost of improving your “turnover rate” – defined as the rate at which the “entire volume” of the pool is processed through the pumping, filtration and treatment system. 18 | USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG
I HAVE QUESTIONS: • First, $30,000 more than what? What turnover rate were they proposing originally, and maybe it was unrealistically low for your application. (More on this topic later) • Second, are they ready to substantiate the difference in pricing, as $15,000 seems like a lot for just the equipment, and you should seek an itemized list of the differences. Let’s look at a couple of facets to come up with a comprehensive answer. THE BASIC PROBLEM: Most pool companies are inexperienced with high temperature, high-loading swim school pools. It’s like they really don’t believe you’re actually going to put thousands of kids a week through a tiny pool. Also, an alarming number of them have little experience with chemistry controls, high ORP operations, supplemental oxidation such as UV, Ozone, etc., and many other proven solutions for swim school operators. Sometimes their only qualification is that they are willing to build a tiny pool for you. Often times, the really qualified companies, with necessary experience with ORP, UV, high-flow, etc., only build larger pools — so they seldom get approached. THE LAW: Most State and Local Department of Health (DOH) codes vary the turnover rate depending on the type of pool. The more demanding the load on the body of water, the faster the turnover rate. This ranges from quiet condo-type or low use hotel pools at 6-hour turnover rates – and higher-load lazy river and wave pools at 2 or 3-hours, to spas at 30-minutes. So, a 90 to 240-minute turnover rate for a swim school is about right. It is also code, or best practice, to provide 5-gallons per bather as a base recirculation rate. So, if you want 50-bathers (students, teachers, and parents) in the water at one time, you better be ready to provide 250 Gallons per Minute (GPM) of flow. If your pool is 25 x 50, or 35,000 gallons, that is a 140-minute turnover right there. DOH codes also require certain pipe sizes for various flow rates and dictate what size of pumps and filters need to be used. The Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), a national-based best practice/
code, properly identifies a swim school as a higher risk venue due to temperature and bather loads and may require supplemental treatment equipment to help keep patrons and instructors safe. WHAT TURNOVER DO YOU REALLY NEED? It ultimately depends on what type of swim school you want to operate. Forget about 6-hour turnover altogether unless you are happy with 200-300 lessons a week, but even then, the bare minimum turnover rate – due to the high temperature, sensitive nature of the patrons and the long exposure time for the instructors – should be 4-hours or 240-minutes. Any less than that is selling your swim school operation short. But that is a minimum, we have developed a few guidelines over the past 30 years – namely: • 300-500 bathers a week: requires 4-hour or 240-minute turnover • 500-1,000 bathers a week: requires 180-minute turnover • 1,000-1,500 bathers a week: requires 120-minute turnover • >1,500 bathers a week: requires 90-minute turnover WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR EQUIPMENT? To answer your question let’s look at a sample 25 x 50 (35,000-gallon) pool. Here is how the equipment might change as you change your game plan: • 500 bathers a week: It would take about 150 GPM - which is a 3 HP pump and at least 10 Sq Ft of (sand) filter area. • 1,000 bathers a week: 200 GPM – which is 5 HP pump and 13 Sq Ft of filter. • 1,500 bathers a week: 291 GPM – which is 6-7.5 HP pump and 20 Sq Ft of filter. • > 1,500 bathers 350 GPM – which is a 10 HP pump and 23 Sq Ft of filter. WHAT ABOUT PRICING? Each example above would require different pipe sizing per code. It is true that larger piping costs more, and potentially exponentially more. For example, a 2” elbow – good for a 100 GPM system, is less than $2 at the store, and a 3” elbow is twice as much, but a 6” elbow, needed for higher flow systems
can cost up to $30. Having said that, the material costs for upgrading piping can be a few hundred or a few thousand, not tens of thousands of dollars. As per pumps and filters, a 5 HP pump is a few hundred dollars more than a 3 HP model, but a jump to a larger platform size (7.5 or 10 HP model) might be a few thousand dollars. The same goes with filters. Maybe the largest jump in pricing may occur with UV, where systems are certified or validated for certain water flow, and then you need to jump to the next model. Sometimes we may settle for 130-minute turnover, as going to 120-minute might cost several thousand dollars for a larger UV system. Conversely, items like chemical controllers, chemical feeders, handicap lifts, etc., change very little depending on the size of the pool. THE CONCLUSION: Experience has taught us that swim schools are pretty darn demanding pools – especially when we consider the number of bodies per week, per gallon of water. A 25 x 50 pool, with a full class of 50-60 kids, has a loading ratio almost 2-3 TIMES the loading density of a large water park. The bottom line, even if it is a bigger financial hit during construction, consider that once the pool is built, it is your livelihood. Cutting corners with pipe sizes, flow rates and equipment normally means huge issues with water quality, instructor comfort and safety down the road. Plus, something that might cost you a few thousand to upgrade now, normally costs many tens of thousands to fix later on… not including the cost of business interruption. The best idea is to hire an engineer or consultant that you trust to co-handle your game plan and not allow a single contractor to call all the shots. Once the pool is designed in YOUR best interest, THEN you can get competitive quotes to make sure you are getting the best deal. Please advise if we can assist in any way. Hope that helps! Please feel free to forward your questions and comments through the Association office, or directly to me, via email at amendoza@ ceswaterquality.com. Best Regards, Alvaro G. Mendoza USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 19
GETTING THE RELUCTANT CHILD TO GO UNDERWATER BY ANDY BROIDO QUALITY SWIMMING, INC.
The US Swim School Association is celebrating 30 years of success! In honor of this milestone, we are reprinting this article gem from the Association’s May 1998 newsletter titled, Swim School Scene. At the time, the publication was celebrating with a 10 Year Anniversary Edition. It’s often said, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Cheers!
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When you are teaching a child, you are being entrusted with a parent’s most cherished possession. You must immediately begin gaining the trust of both the parent and the child. THINGS TO REMEMBER e The first lesson is the most important one. The first impression you make on a child is the most important one. Swimming skills are secondary here and should only be introduced if the child is encouraging it. e Watch the child’s eyes. Tears are a tell tail sign of being afraid – not mad. e Smiles and hugs go a long way. All children are different, adjust your lesson to the child. e Try to learn as much about the child as you can. Names, siblings, pets, schools, toys, etc. e Remember these personal things about them for the next lesson. Each child is different. Your routines may have to be changed depending on the child. Once you have developed trust with your young student, time to introduce the student to that wonderful skill – “Going under water!” It’s not that bad. Remember: Work on getting completely wet at this time. Not getting completely submerged. Do bubbles, splashing, swishing, etc. Get the hair wet. Be imaginative here. Try the water can, squeeze toys, teacher goes under, etc. Once it is time to submerge keep in the back of your mind these things: At Quality Swimming we do not do forced submersions. We will help a child go under the water that initiates the action. If an instructor can get the student to take a big breath and close their mouth, the child has initiated the action and we will help them go under. We always use cues – “1-2-3,” “eyes down,” “face down” and then let them hear you take a breath. Also, be sure the student has eye contact and sees you. Watch their face. Be sure a full breath is taken, slowly bring them under and up at a consistent smooth pace. Touch is involved too. The student feels you squeeze and release during the cues, submersion and recovery.
Andy Broido & Dave DuBois Circa 1998 Photo featured with original article
Andy Broido is known worldwide as a leader in the aquatics industry. With over 45 years of experience developing competent swimmers and running a large multi-location swim school, Andy wanted to share her knowledge with like-minded child activity centers. In 2011, Andy launched Swimconsultant.com, a leading full-service management and consulting firm to the child activity center community. Serving child activity centers, as well as gyms and preschools in the USA and internationally, Swim Consultant specializes in curriculum development, teacher training, on-site visits and more. Andy was the recipient of the 2016 US Swim School Hall of Fame Award. She has been a frequent presenter at multiple USSSA conferences and holds several industry memberships including: USSSA since 1989, also one of the original members of the USSSA Infant Toddler Educator Training, NDPA, Safe Kids & ASSA. Andy’s personal passion is her family dogs, which she has taught to be safer around water.
DIFFERENT POSITIONS YOU CAN USE INCLUDE: e Holding over the armpits, swim towards you e Hold under the armpits, swim towards you e Swim child towards the wall e You can sit older children on your knee, then they go under at the count cue e They can be helped to submerge with a backwards sweep with your hands under their shoulders e Try also facing you while you and student go under water It’s important to get the student all the way under. Let them feel water pushing them up, not falling. Students will not usually take in water if they have a full breath of air when they go under. Show them this Magic Trick or name them Mr. or Miss Fish Cheeks. Make fat cheeks. Goggles may help. Once the student enjoys the lesson, make sure some submersion and skills are done without goggles at each lesson. Do some Monkey Walking along the wall (we have gutters to hang onto) to help the student to feel independent and more confident around the water and lesson. Teach inhaling through the mouth (not the nose). Hum, blow bubbles out the nose under water. Nose breathers have a difficult time and never become comfortable. Shallow breathers – if you hold their nose they feel like they are suffocating! Parents can help with this at home. Children should learn to come up and take a breath and go back under softly and relaxed.
USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 21
DO YOU HAVE A TEAM CHARTER? BY JOHN SPENCE
I have been teaching quite a few high-performance teams workshops in the last several months and have been surprised to discover that not one group I worked with had ever created a “team charter.” By this I mean, a written list of rules and expectations that the team all agrees to and guides the way they work together. I believe this is an essential document to help people clearly understand their role on the team, what behavior is appropriate and what things will not be tolerated. Without a charter, members of the group are simply guessing at how they are supposed to act and behave together as a team, leading to assumptions, politics, rumormongering, conflict, lack of accountability and ultimately lack of results. To help your organization avoid these issues here are a few ideas of what a team charter might look like:
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A RECENT ARTICLE IN THE HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW RECOMMENDED THAT A TEAM CHARTER SHOULD INCLUDE THESE BASIC FOUNDATIONAL TENETS: e I agree to be on time, realizing everyone’s time is limited and extremely valuable. e I agree to show respect to every other member of the team and give them the benefit of the doubt. e I agree to give my best effort in accomplishing every task, the team’s mission, and our shared purpose. e I agree not to engage in any gossip about my team members and to put a stop to it if I encounter it. e I agree to communicate early and often pertaining to any time off needed for my personal life. e I agree to handle disputes, perceived offenses, or conflicts with dignity and professionalism. THIS IS THE CHARTER FROM A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION I WORKED WITH: e Be accountable e Think before you speak e Ask for clarification e Set clear expectations e Treat people with dignity and respect e Empathy e Ask for help e Be direct and loving e Look for the positive first e Create safety zones where people can be honest in their feedback without fear of retribution e Be present e Check up on folks e Helpful and supportive e Communicate professionally e Spend time together e Have fun THIS LIST IS FROM A MANUFACTURING COMPANY THAT I ASSISTED: e Listen to each other with an open mind without interruption e Share knowledge, information, and experience with those who can benefit e Take key decisions based on reasoning, not rank e Express concerns only to those responsible for dealing with them e A responsibility culture, not a blame culture e Base our work on the ‘customer’ e Strive for continuous improvement e Behave with integrity e Positively challenging dishonesty or destructive behavior e No ego These are just a few ideas to help you in creating your team charter, however, it is essential that you develop a written, clear, and well-communicated charter that everyone on the team is fully committed to and agrees to support at all times. Without this document, it is impossible to build and sustain a high-performance team. For more than 23 years John Spence has traveled worldwide helping people and businesses be more successful. John is the author of five books and co-author of several more, a business consultant, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker and executive coach with a client list that includes numerous Fortune 500 firms to small businesses, professional associations and other organizations. John’s areas of expertise include: leadership, high-performance teams, managing change, organizational culture, consultative selling, strategic planning, strategy execution and the future of business. John has made a career of “Making the Very Complex… Awesomely Simple”. Visit www.johnspence.com.
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TEACHING SWIMMING LESSONS: DEALING WITH DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS BY LAURIE LAWRENCE WORLD WIDE SWIM SCHOOL, FORMER AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC SWIM COACH & 2017 NATIONAL CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER
As teachers, we are challenged with many different situations in every lesson such as language barriers, frightened students, behavior issues and various swimming abilities. Challenges like this could be all in one class.
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Think about this: How could I teach this class homogeneously? What strategies and tools would I implement? How will I communicate effectively? Where will I position myself so to effectively communicate to all? I’m sure there are many more questions you could ask yourself – the possibilities are only limited by your thoughts!
BE POSITIVE Don’t get frazzled! I know it can be daunting for experienced and new teachers teaching swimming lessons with a combination like this. Look at it like a challenge, be positive and keep it simple. BODY LANGUAGE The body language we display is a form of non-verbal communication consisting of body posture, gestures, facial expressions and eye movements. As teachers, we send and interpret such signals almost subconsciously. By learning how to read your students and parents body language this will help you to decide how to approach the lesson with confidence. VERBAL COMMUNICATION Ask questions! Get to know your parents/students as this helps with rapport and building trust. Talk to your colleagues and work together giving each other ideas to help with issues that may arise in your classes.
HERE ARE 3 SITUATIONS YOU MAY COME ACROSS: Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Scenario 3
3-4 YEAR OLD CLASS (PARENT STILL IN THE WATER) You have a 3-4 years’ class with three students and you’re in Week 4 of the term and they are swimming right across the pool. In Week 5, two more children book into your class and they only can push and float out to parent a small distance. Week 8 comes along and you have a new student who has never been in the water before.
BEGINNER CLASS You have a beginner Learn-to-Swim class with four students and for the past 6 weeks you’ve gained their trust. Swimmers are happy and can work the circuit, put their eyes in, hold their breath, push and float with eyes in with a board, back float with a board unassisted, but still not quite ready to move up to the next level. You then get a new child in the class that is very scared and crying. What do you do?
WORKING WITH A PARENT You have a class (doesn’t matter what age or level). You notice a parent holding onto their child who is very nervous, overwhelmed about starting their swimming lesson. What would you do?
Strategies To Work With This Class • Group class according to ability • Teach the same skill though vary the skill for everyone so it’s achievable • Stay central, and be hands on to support each student • Make the lesson enjoyable for all
Strategies To Work With This Class • Engage in an activity in shallow water where all students can work on their breath control skills, make the activity fun by using toys e.g. cups, rings. Communicate, build rapport and trust • Vary the activity for the new student in the class • Set achievable goals for all
Strategies To Work With This Class • Communicate, listen, be empathetic to the parents’ concerns • Build rapport and trust with parent and child • Set skills that are comfortable for the parent to achieve with their child • Encourage and praise The World Wide Swim School is the leading online swimming resource for parents, teachers and swim schools, developed by Olympic Gold Medal and World Champion Swim coach, and former Australian Rugby Union Representative, Laurie Lawrence. Known for being Australia’s water safety guru, Laurie developed the World Wide Swim School in order to educate children, parents and the swimming industry about safe water practices and to improve swimming standards on an international scale. Visit online at worldwideswimschool.com.
USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 25
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The USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash initiative saves children’s lives through swim lessons. Join our network of swim lesson providers and help provide EVERY child in America the opportunity to learn to swim.
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SPRING INTO ACTION WITH SDN Spring is underway and the Stop Drowning Now team is keeping a breathless pace, just as all USSSA members and friends are keeping this time of year. Dan Berzansky has pioneered a groundbreaking relationship with California’s City of Aliso Viejo. Dan conceived, pitched and won a commitment – and funding! – from AV to be the first-ever SDN City. A model for other towns everywhere, the SDN team is supporting Aliso Viejo in customizing this program for 2018. SDN’s Jackie Fielder has made great progress with the Boy Scouts of America. Boy Scout troops will have a Stop Drowning Now program and the opportunity to earn an SDN badge. A private
donor is funding the Inland Valley CA troop’s badges and associated production costs to get started. On the East Coast, SDN’s Joe Oehme is following legislation in New Jersey for drowning prevention education. NJ Bill A-269 will make classroom water safety education a requirement in all schools statewide. It is a rare example of complete bipartisan support. Hearings are underway to take the bill from an idea to a law, and eventually to an actual classroom program. Joe is organizing a meeting in April with legislators to learn how SDN may help. Finally, and perhaps most important, the SDN Curriculum Gateway development is progressing according to plan,
NEW MEMBER LIST
led by our technology partner Sweb Development. Next milestones will be preliminary design concepts for a new SDN website and continued investment in the Curriculum Gateway infrastructure. SDN has a ton more going on! We need your help always. Contact Sara Batchelor, Jackie Fielder or one of our BOD members to join, elevate your membership, make a one-time or ongoing donation. We also would love to hear your thoughts on the projects above and how we can end drowning in our lifetime together. Visit us at www.stopdrowningnow.org or contact sara@stopdrowningnow.org or jackie@stopdrowningnow.org.
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Finis | Inside Front Cover
AQUA-TOTS SWIM SCHOOL Tyler Klingaman Scottsdale, AZ
NOMAD AQUATICS AND FITNESS Mark Minier Huntersville, NC
BLUE LEGEND Shuo Yang Sugarland, TX
PLANET SWIM Katarina Filova Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
BRITISH SWIM SCHOOLS Nikki Taylor Boulder, CO
SWIM CLO AQUATICS AND FITNESS Claudine Blair Vancouver, BC Canada
Cressi | p10
SWIMMING INTERNATIONAL SWIM SCHOOL Isaac Bentolila Panama City, Panama
RCPS Really Cool Pool Stuff | p17
FPIA KID SWIM CLUB Jacky Feng Shanghai, China ISWIM ACADEMY Anita Patel Plano-Frisco, TX LORI’S H2O SKILLS Lori Weber Milford, OH
THE AQUATIC ACADEMY Charyl Teal Pearland, TX
Dolfin | p2 StringCan Interactive | p4 Jackrabbit Swim | p9 A3 Performance | p10 Your Phone App | p15 Charlie Bananna | p17 Tri Swim | p23 Aquam | p23 CES | p26 USA Swimming Foundation | p26
THE SWIMSTITUTE Todd Sleizer Rancho Cordova, CA USSWIMSCHOOLS.ORG | 27
MAKING INDUSTRY WAVES
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY
THE WORLD’S LARGEST SWIMMING LESSON
The path to the top is never straight. Let USSSA help get you there! We value your support and want to make sure you continue to receive every benefit. Keep your membership active and continue to be part of our swim biz community! Renew online at usswimschools.com/sign-in.
Join WLSL on Thursday, June 21. Register at wlsl.org.
THIS TEAM SHINES The stellar staff at Hubbard Family Swim School are honored with the USSSA Outstanding Teacher Award! You can order the same award for your team yearround. Email admin@usswimschools.org.
USSSA UNVEILS NEW ANNIVERSARY EDITION LOGO Join us as we celebrate 30 years of serving the learn-to-swim business!
YOUR INFORMATION CONNECTION!
FRIENDLY WELCOME Warmest wishes to Jaclyn Fielder, new onboard as Operations Director at Stop Drowning Now!
Members are raving about our industry webinars! A full spectrum of business, marketing, staffing and operations information is now available online. Quick and convenient! A purposeful way to spend 60-minutes of your day. Visit app.ilearnpro.com/usssa.
VIVA LAS VEGAS! National Conference Early Bird Registration Opens in May.
Look for this quarterly Association update exclusively for swim instructors! We encourage all members to share the eblast with their team. Enjoy!
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FREE MARKETING TOOLKITS Checkout these 2 BRAND NEW Member Benefits! These popular Marketing Toolkits are available for you to customize with your swim school logo and contact information for professional marketing pieces that are versatile and easy to use. There’s even a debut water watcher card with DIY instructions. To access the full file of marketing materials please visit usswimschools.com/sign-in.
Introducing the USSSA Owners Circle! This is serious fun and we mean business. YOUR SHIP HAS COME IN The cruise is a Royal Caribbean 7-Night Southern Caribbean cruise departing San Juan, Puerto Rico, on January 27, 2019.
From our partner, USA Swimming! USSSA Members are invited to the Regional Build-a-Pool Conference series offering comprehensive education in building, renovating and programming both new and existing facilities. Flyers available! Email monica@usswimschools.org.
NEW IDEAS, NEW HORIZONS This event is open to all USSSA Owner Members, with a focus on building relationships, sharing swim school best practices and having some fun along the way. Celebrate Drowning Prevention Month
ADVENTURE DESTINATIONS San Juan, Puerto Rico Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis St. Johns, Antigua Castries, St. Lucia Bridgetown, Barbados Philipsburg, St. Maarten RSVP TODAY, SPACE IS LIMITED! We are now accepting reservations with a $200 per couple deposit. Space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Full itinerary, featuring reasonable rates and registration form, available now online usswimschools.com/events.
SHARE YOUR SNAPSHOTS Do you have swim school photos you would like to share with the Association for editorial use? If so, we would love to hear from you! Email admin@usswimschools.org for more details. #SayCheese
USSSA MEMBER INVITATION: LET’S CRUISE TO A NEW LEVEL
Share Your Love-to-Swim Message
BOARD APPLICATION AVAILABLE! THE ASSOCIATION IS NOW RECRUITING!
There are 3 director seats on the Board of Directors that will be available in September 2018. These are each a 3-year term open to those who have been a member of USSSA for at least 3 years. Application deadline is July 22, 2018. Email admin@uswimschools.org.
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