The number you are seeking: 221

Yep. You found it!

221

Scavenger forward!

Youth Jobs deadline and a big story request from Mark@Rauterkus.com

Hi Friends and Fellow Travelers in these times of Protests and a Global Pandemic:

CYBER SWIM CAMP as part of Pittsburgh Public Schools Summer Dreamers should deliver 27 days of literacy, math and swimming -- all from the comfort of your living room. All virtual.

HELP! This is my call to you and yours -- as we want to have "STORY TIME" as part of our CYBER SWIM CAMP for 4th and 5th graders. I hope to collect 30 or more, 5-minute stories with something to do about water. 

Can you share a story, please?

Story should have a start, middle and end. Use your phone record it. Don't need any slides, just a story that can keep the attention of the students and be a launch point for more discussions about vocabulary, challenges, water, safety, fun, by-gone days, whatever.

Example stories are assembled at https://S6.CLOH.org/category/story

Deadline for families in the city schools to apply for that program (up to grade 5) is pressing in the next hours. 

https://www.pghschools.org/summerdreamers  

- - - -

Youth in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County have one more day to finish their applications for the job program targeted to income qualified individuals giving 6 weeks of work at 25-hours at minimum wage. Age range is 14-21. Deadline pushed to June 6, 2020. 

The number of applications might be at an all time low as it has been hard to reach and obtain the applications to work from the students without school visits.

https://Partners4Work.org

I was hoping to get some youth, especially athletes, interested in work with me and my digital projects with publishing content on swimming, sports, fitness and wellness at web pages, their own sites, collaborative concept maps, and more. https://Earn.CLOH.org. 

Lifeguard training should be in high gear, but we all know that's off for now. As guard and training opportunities arise, I'll post at https://Guard.4Rs.org, or email me.

Without swim pools, many turn to OPEN WATER SWIMMING. See my feature for the International Swim Coaches Association.

https://Blog.SwimISCA.org/open-water-swimming-feature/

Primary election day and a peaceful protest merged this week. Its been 19 years since I was first on the ballot as a candidate for mayor. Short reflections on Facebook or at https://rauterkus.com/election-day-and-a-flashback-to-a-campaign-from-19-years-ago/

Please stay safe this summer.

Call or email if you want help in getting us a recorded story.

UPREP's vision, October 23 at 6:30 pm

412-Blast Email: Great time for a community cleansing. Schedule enclosed for your consideration.

Some are saying that today is "historic" in regard to the Supreme Court nomination drama unfolding in Washington D.C.

I think it is time to take a deep breath, jump in a swim pool, practice and model "playing well with others," and of course, wrap up by taking a good scrub, shower and cleansing. Let's prepare to live a another day.

I'm on a mission to promote "playing well with others," and can you your help, as soon as tonight and tomorrow and throughout the days to come.

Background:

The focus of my swim coaching for the past decade has been in the city of Pittsburgh, Now, it is growing to a much wider reach. I'm still at some city school pools, but we're offering aquatic experiences at South Park, Mt. Lebanon, Chartiers Valley and Moon.

9/27

Tonight, Thursday, the adult water polo players, https://Renegades.4rs.org, are going to help out with a game night with the new squad of scholastic players we call Pittsburgh Combined, https://waterpolo.cloh.org at South Park High School.

9/28

Tomorrow, Friday, from 7:15 to 9 pm, kids and adults (mentors, guardians, parents, coaches) are invited to our first SKWIM and water polo practice at the new, indoor, high school swim pool at Mt. Lebanon. Rookies welcome. Fun aquatic game play with a disk. Learn and perfect appropriate counter-attacks, offense and defense.

MeetUp page:

• https://www.meetup.com/pittsburgh-free/events/254993954/

Gratis try-outs too.

10/2

Then on Tuesday, from 7:30 to 9 pm we go to another venue for the first time, Chariters Valley's high school pools. There we've got two pools and can play water polo in the deep tank and younger kids can work on teamwork, sportsmanship, fitness and swimming with the SKWIM disk and mentor leaders in the other pool.

MeetUp page:

• https://www.meetup.com/pittsburgh-free/events/vjzwgqyxnbdb/

Summary:

Sign up. SKWIM up. Scrub up and by all means -- live another day in healthy ways in our robust communities.

Peace.

Thanks for the consideration. Hope to see you, squeaky clean, out and about in the community soon.

Call if you have any questions or want to be removed from this list. Feel free to pass along the invite to others as well.

----

Mark Rauterkus Mark@Rauterkus.com

Executive Director of SKWIM USA, a 501(c)(3)

The Pittsburgh Project - swim coach and head lifeguard

Middle School Swim Coach at The Ellis School

Former Varsity Boys Swim Coach, Pittsburgh Obama Academy

Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team, https://waterpolo.CLOH.org



https://CLOH.org



412 298 3432 = cell

For the record -- Obama varsity records

Girls 200 free relay, 2013

Nicole, 27.20

Hannah, 28.15

Wendy, 28.24

Sarah, 25.80

Total = 1:49.39

Boys 200 free relay, 2013

Tommy, 23.77

Yoka, 22.94

Ben, 23.10

Erik, 22.83

Total = 1:32.64 = 8th in WPIAL

Boys 400 free relay

Tommy, 52.66

Yoka, 50.12

Ben, 52.89

Erik, 50.40

Total = 3:26.07 = 8th place in WPIAL

Obama swim times will never be the same.

MeetUp in Mt. Lebo

• https://www.meetup.com/pittsburgh-free/events/254993954/

Video interview about water safety and SKWIM

• https://mark.rauterkus.com/2018/09/19/interview-about-skwim-and-water-safety/

Launching a website that challenges web visitors with a set of quizzes on water safety at https://SKWIM.us.

https://SKWIM.us

Great times at Highland Park Pool for water polo games with NCAA teams and Renegades

Wow. Great day. Thanks Citiparks.

Trib coverage of water polo at Highland Park Pool on Saturday

https://TinyURL.com/water-polo-trib

Pass the word. Bring a lawn chair, snacks and some cold drinks in a cooler. Plus, your swim suit, of course. Pool opens in the shallow end at 1 pm. Just pay the day rate if you don't have a pool tag. 

Fwd: Upcoming guests onour podcast

----- Forwarded message ---------

From: Rick Kauffman 

Mark Rauterkus

Hey just wanted to drop you a quick note and say thank you to all our,
subscribers. We passed a mile stone today in downloads for just being
live for a little over a week.

I would say that we are well on our way to being a real success.
We are reaching people that we may not ever have a chance to reach.

Tomorrows guest is Kathleen Wilson form SwimCalm.com from
Charleston S.C.as we wrap up this water safety week.

Make sure that you listen to our past episodes with some great
content. I just finished recording next week's weekly spotlight.

Let me just say it is going to be awesome to say the least. Many of you
may know him. I just want to keep you in suspense a little longer

Have a great night and a safe weekend.

Each one of you are Warriors and are making a difference,
while saving lives.

Working together to prevent drowning,
Rick
Powered by: http://app.getresponse.com/referral.html?x=a62b&c=wg5Pi&u=SSPp2&y=3&

Richard Kauffman, 4873 Millerstown Rd, Urbana, OH 43078, United States

Fwd: Hot in the city -- invite to play well with others

Hi Friends,

A few invites to consider and pass along, mostly wet and cool -- in these hot times in the region.

#1. 

At 6 pm on Tuesday, July 3, we've been invited to an informal swimming time trial and follow-up game of SKWIM at the Greensburg Country Club. 

#2. 

At 7 pm, July 4, is the start of our traditional Independence Day open house at our home on 12th Street in the Historic South Side, Both of our sons are expected to be here too. 

#3.

From 6 to 7:45 pm on July 5, all are invited to Citiparks Ammon outdoor swim pool, corner of Bedford Ave and Memory Lane, for another of our regular Renegades (Masters) Water Polo practices Plus, we've been playing SKWIM in the middle of the pool too for kids and those not up for the full game of water polo. A reporter is expected, so we'd love to have a nice turn-out. 

#4.

Pittsburgh Combined is looking for high school and middle school swimmers who want to play competitive water polo this fall. We have players from South Park and Mt. Lebo and some from the city too. See attached PDF. This is a non-league team, so students from any school can combine to play our pending "club" schedule. Practices are starting. 

#5. 

Our camper kids at The Pittsburgh Project have been going to the pool at Riverview Park and playing some SKWIM, while our Northside pool is under construction still. But, I've also been able to go elsewhere to lead informal game days at other pools as well. We had a great time at the South Hills Country Club last week. If you want to bring your group to us -- or if I can bring our equipment (disks, fins, etc.) and some players to you -- please call or email and let's set up a joint play date.

Stay safe. Hope to see you soon.

--
Ta.


Mark Rauterkus       Mark@Rauterkus.com 

Executive Director of SKWIM USA, a 501(c)(3)

The Pittsburgh Project - swim coach and head lifeguard

Middle School Swim Coach at The Ellis School

Former Varsity Boys Swim Coach, Pittsburgh Obama Academy

Sabbatical for 2018: PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim & Water Polo 

Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team

http://CLOH.org

412 298 3432 = cell

Dancing in the park

Catherine loves to dance in the park, and especially loves this group leader.

Toastmasters invite and details

Next Step meets downtown, 1/3/5th Monday at noon, 612 Smithfield St (library conference room).

Dawn Patrol meets 1/3/5th Fridays 7:15am, above the Y on 5Av. 

Northside meets 2nd/4th Thursdays 6:30, library on Federal St. 

Plus there are dozens more clubs in and around Pgh.

Lifeguard shortage and more

Citiparks needs 50 additional lifeguards and the summer season is here.

Guards needed at The Pittsburgh Project and elsewhere too. 

This lifeguard shortage stinks. I want to step up and help to shift the tide. 

#1. I can help as a catalyst so we can have LIFEGUARDS (and junior lifeguards / friends) march in the Pittsburgh LABOR DAY PARADE. This should be a joint effort. It can be an event we promote all summer and be a capstone celebration for the end of a SAFE SUMMER and a reminder for the kids to get certified in the winter for working in future summers. 

Our presence in the parade should be early in the lineup so that our people can depart downtown in time to get back to their work sites at the region's various swim pools. Monday of Labor Day weekend is a workday for most who work at outdoor pools. 

How do we get onto the agenda for the parade marshalls? 

Can Citiparks be the "sponsor?" 

#2. I am doing other PR efforts on my end too. Email blast. Website. Social networking. They are also behind the curve for hiring at The Pittsburgh Project. But there, with the guest house, we can supply room and board for those interested in working here. We may need to import some workers for TPP, local pools and Citiparks. With our opportunities to play in a college water polo match and coach kids water polo in the summer, we can make efforts to recruit potential employees to college swim and water polo teams. 

#3. A digital badge to bestow to kids (and adults) who pass the Pre Lifeguard Swim Test is also available and being made ready for much wider deployments. Mindshare. Planting the seed of the idea to do the Nobel work as a guard in due time. 

#4. More can happen in 2019 as I get a focus upon a bigger role at The Pittsburgh Project. How about a Nipper Camp and Lifeguard Games? 

#5. I am going to Seattle to speak on Tuesday with Kevin at the Washington Recreation and Parks Association conference. Title of talk: For Water Safety, the name of the game is SKWIM. 

#6. Let's also make a local water safety booster group, among friends. A few have been BCCed. Perhaps I can host a monthly conference call that turns into a podcast resource. 

Thanks for all you do. 

Vote for Catherine for AAA President

 https://rauterkus.com/election-for-ame…iology-president/

Voting has started.

Act 47 recommends -- Throwback to June 30, 2004 and the Trib

Pittsburgh has a new acting director of Citiparks in early 2018, and I'm excited to meet with him about some fun summer plans.

This is a snip from the Tribune, June 30, 2004 when a divided council passes the Act 47 plan. The headline in this part read: Key recommendations of the Act 47 recovery plan:

Playing well with others, in the city, took a beating in those times and never fully recovered.

Impossible is nothing

Do not remember where we were here. Might have been Beijing, but I doubt it as i am wearing some type of name tag. 

Penn Hills Baseball - Team photos

Click image for larger view. 

Robins

First year of organized baseball. One game I made all three outs in the same inning. Our team was up at bat. I played second base and was jazzed that we were winning by so much. Then we took the field and my team mate, Kevin, (middle of the photo) revealed that obscure stat to me on my at-bat performance that past inning.

Orange team. 

I think we went with colors as the team name. I stayed, by choice, in farm league. Our teams always had a lot of double plays.

Back row: Timmey, Frankie, McBunney, Mr. Will.
Middle row: Maxwell, Me (Mark Rauterkus), Danny Anderson, Janokaweki, Higgins.
Front row: Dave Cioca, Duffu, Garry, P. Beraradino, M. Beraraino (brothers I guess). Spelling unsure. Source is scribble on back of photo.

Mavericks. 

Back row: Mr. Finn on back left, then me, Mark Rauterkus, ? George Boyle, Dan Anderson, Terry Flaherty.
Middle row:
Front row:

Angles:

Back row: Coach ?, me, Mark Rauterkus, ?, Timmy Meyers, Coach, Coach.
Middle row: Tommy, Jan B, Randy R, Binywild, Sammy.
Front row: Straw, Kevin, Joey, Mark Kucher, ?, ?

Newspaper coverage: National Fatherhood with Evelyn Hines, Erik Vecere and Mark Rauterkus

Photo in December of January as the Christmas tree was still up.

Erik was 8 and Grant was 5.

Tribune Review article.

My Quora Answer to a sports question:

How do you explain why people like sports to someone who doesn't like sports?

by Mark Rauterkus, Swim & Water Polo Coach

Sports are games. The games have rules. The realm of these rules and game play makes an alternative reality. This is pretend importance and escape from life. This is high drama of meaningless outcome. Entering the bubble of sports is fun.

Sport is unscripted too. Outcomes are uncertain. Think mystery. Who wins and who is the goat is for all to see. Sport often delivers new terms and jargon. The language gets twisted in sports with new meanings and pretend signals with superstition and superstar play. GOAT, for instance, means GREATEST OF ALL TIME.

Sports put humans at their very best in my opinion. We go higher, faster, longer in quests for greatness. Be the strongest and be a better self every week, every day, hour and minute growing a passion of excellence.

There are some take-home messages from sport for life. The lessons of sport can transcend into life. Sports should help, illustrate and encourage society and individuals to be better. Through sport and because of sport, rise up and be a better citizen, student, parent, professional.

If one does not like sports, well, fine. Different strokes for different folks. Try golf instead. Golf gets a pass into the world of sports because the thought of bashing small balls with such great force and accuracy is to scary to imagine out of the context of sports.