Swim lesson program

Current Wave to U CAN Swim with ISCA's LAP from Mark Rauterkus

Talking to the swim coaches about SKWIM & Water Polo

Play SKWIM with the game's inventor at 1 pm on Saturday, June 22 at Northside pool

A special friend is coming to town for a short visit, and we're going to be hosting a special event -- a SKWIM game with the inventor of SKWIM, Kevin McCarthy, from the state of Washington.

Get your friends and family and join us at 1 pm at outdoor pool at The Pittsburgh Project, 2801 North Charles Street, (corner of Wilson), on Saturday, June 22, 2019. 

All ages and abilities welcome. Pay $3 at the gate to enter or free with your city pool tag.

This summer we got a mini-grant from Pittsburgh Play Collaborative to spread the aquatic game throughout the region -- and champion water safety as well as the concepts of playing well with others, sportsmanship, teamwork and plain-old fun! 

Plus, this summer, we're happy to report that the pool at The Pittsburgh Project is open again -- unlike in 2018 when serious plumbing upgrades became necessary. A wonderful staff has gathered too.

If you can't make it on Saturday, we also gather to play water polo and SKWIM every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6 to 7:45 pm, weather permitting, at Citiparks Ammon Pool on Bedford Ave in the Hill District. 

More updates throughout the summer with our google calendar at https://4Rs.org.

BTW, one of my goals is to get a new bottom on the pool at The Pittsburgh Project for next year -- and a SPORTS COURT bottom seems perfect for UWH and our needs. Come check out the pool and offer your ideas. 

Job descriptions for summer helpers

Fwd: Crisis in the water --- and you're invited to the Saturday Swim School this week

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

From: Mark Rauterkus 

To: 412-public-news

Hi All, near and far!

We've got a crisis -- or a few of them -- in our future.

#1. Global engagement and fitness with kids seems to be in a decline.

A great commentary was published in Swimming World magazine about the crisis in a favorite domain of mine, competitive swimming. 

From the international to the local scene, we need to evolve our interactions with our youth and gather all the support we can muster for our communities. Wellness -- from gun violence to school safety  -- matters. We've got to step up our game in many ways.

Check out my blog post with a pointer to that article on competitive swimming and a follow-up conversation about our one-size-fits-all solution. 

https://swim.cloh.org/2018/03/22/competitive-swimming-is-in-a-crisis-reports-swimming-world-and-wayne-goldsmith/

+ + +

#2. Regional 

If you do nothing else, please click the PETITION directed at the school administrators at Eastern Michigan University who want to cut its super-successful men's swim team.

https://swim.cloh.org/2018/03/21/eastern-michigan-university-gotta-keep-its-great-swimming-and-diving-programs/

+ + +

#3 Local Invite

Adults and high school kids are able to meet me on Saturday from 8:30 am to 11:30 for the Saturday Swim School. 

Kids in middle and elementary school are able to swim from 11:30 to 1 pm. 

https://Swim.CLOH.org/saturdays/

I really want to get the former students of Swim & Water Polo from PPS Summer Dreamers back in the water and playing SKWIM.

There is no charge as this is a labor of love. 

+ + +

#4 Three different Lifeguard Classes have been offered and are filling to capacity, also a part of the Saturday Swim School. https://Guard.CLOH.org to get on the waiting list.

+ + +

#5. We're hiring both kids and adults to help with our summer activities at the pools in the city.

Apply with this google form. https://cloh.org/wp/archives/2050

Email blast with lots of invites

https://pairlist6.pair.net/pipermail/412-public-news/2017-October/000048.html

More Swim & Water Polo in the days and weeks to come

http://cloh.org/wp/archives/1724

Swimming!

Great swim video

Strong Swimmers, Confident Kids from J Saunders on Vimeo.

This is the time to plan for spring swim lessons. In summer, it is sorta too late. Let's get our kids strong, and strong in the water.

In Pittsburgh, we're blessed as we have the pools. Next, we need to keep up demand and get time in our week to use them.

See you Saturday.

Obama Academy Varsity Swim Calendar

Tips:

When in doubt, call. Coach Mark is 412-298-3432. Okay to text, but the text messages are not seen as quickly.

You can bookmark this page, or get the google calendar to work with your set up on your phone and computer. Subscribe to it.

Another google calendar is the one at CLOH.org.

Let's fund Water Polo as a sport at Obama

See my expanded comments to the school board and superintendent asking for help to expand water polo at Obama. Talks of one possible next step for sport reform.

http://cloh.org/wp/archives/596

You are invited: Saturday Swim School at Oliver High School, 2323 Brighton Road, Pgh 15212

First Water Polo Game scheduled: Sunday October 23, 2016

Are you ready for some water polo? We'll go to North Allegheny on October 23, 2016.

Our teams of middle school water polo players are getting ready for the first real games. We've called our team, "Pittsburgh Combined" in the past. In 2016-17 we've got players from Manchester Academic Charter School, where we play two days a week for boys and another two days a week for girls. Plus, we have been playing at Pittsburgh Obama, co-ed, on Mondays and Fridays; Arsenal, co-ed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our Saturday Swim School can help with water polo practices. Kids from The Pittsburgh Project can join in too. Plus, we've got our 2016 Summer Dreamers who had 27 days of water polo in July and August as well.

If you want your kid to attend, email to Mark@Rauterkus.com, or call, 412-298-3432.

We want to car-pool from Pittsburgh with departing times at noon and arrival to North Allegheny Senior High School, on Rt. 19, at 12:45 pm on October 23, 2016.

Plum Counter Offer

Plum School District’s Aquatic Expansion Program

History, Summary, Counter Offer

1. A 35-page Aquatics Expansion (Water Polo) proposal was presented to the board by the Head Coach and voted down (3-4) in December, 1992.

2. In January, the proposal was voted up with the following conditions. The salary paid to Mark Rauterkus, the head coach, is to be equal to the amount of revenue generated by the program minus the expenses paid out by the program.

3. This counter offer by the board was stated verbally by Mr. Neff to Mark Rauterkus.

4. Quick action was favored so that the time-line could be adhered to. However, plenty of new questions and issues need to be formally written before the head coach would consider and accept this plan.

a. Sunday sessions are permissible.

b. Sunday custodial services are not necessary.

c. The Head Coach must authorize all expenditures.

In writing, the Program Administration = coach, lifeguards, etc., not Mr. Neff.

d. In the event that the program’s total revenues do not exceed total authorized expenditures, Mark Rauterkus will not be liable in any manner.

e. Minor schedule adjustments are permissible.

f. The head coach need not be present for every activity.

g. Minor variations to the plan are permissible.

h. This Aquatic Program, since it is a School District sponsored event, will be classified by the school district as a School Function similar to the PTA, School Booster Groups, and the YMCA Latch-key program. This program is not a private interest group, nor is it a community organization like a church, nor is it even a youth group from Plum Borough.

i. The Aquatic Program will request the use of the auditorium and adjoining cafeteria for three events to be held in the trial period, ending August 1, 1993. All the board policies will be followed including security, custodial charges and Air Conditioning payments. The events will include ticket sales and possible appearances of Matt Biondi, an Olympic Water Polo Coach, a Sports Psychologist, a weight lifter, a professional golfer, a scientist and any other author/expert that can be scheduled for a community appearance. Co-Sponsorships packages might be solicited from national organizations that do not already sponsor board activities and no sponsorship will be for alcohol or tobacco products.

News of the Peoria Journal Star Swim Meet

News clippings and older records too.

SWIMMING

Expect broken swim records Central Illinois meet opens

By DAVE REYNOLDS of the Journal Star

This year, more than any year of the recent history of the 42nd annual Central Illinois Swim Meet, may seem like a broken record.

Fourteen records have been broken in each of the past two meets, but Peoria Area Water Wizards coach Mark Rauterkus envisions many more than that in this weekend's meet, co-sponsored by the Park District and the Journal Star.

“There could be 20 or 30 records broken," said Rauterkus. "Beth Veerman is seeded over 12 seconds faster than the record in the 13-14 girls 200 individual medley. And Kara Bauernfeind has a chance for three state records in the meet.

"To my knowledge, there's never been a state record set in this meet."

Bauernfeind, a 10-year-old from Pekin, recently established a state best in the 10-and-under age group for the 50-meter freestyle with a clocking of :30.48, beating a 5-yearold mark held by Bridgett Bowman of Joliet. It was only the second 10-and-under state record broken in the past five years.

Bauernfeind is seeded at better than two seconds faster than the meet record in three events the 50-yard freestyle, the 50-yard breastroke and the 100-yard individual medley. Her seed time is also withing a second of the state mark in each event.

Photo:

Kara Bauernfeind. 10, is gearing up for this weekend's Central Illinois Swim Meet at Central Park Pool. Bauernfeind, from Pekin, set a state record last week in the girls 10-and-under freestyle in a time of 30:48. She has a shot at three more state records this weekend.

Veerman, a 13-year-old from Pekin, already owns seven meet records and, by moving into a new age group, has a chance to add to that record total.

The meet's oldest record, Bob Markowski's 20-year-old :26.8 in the boys 11-12 50 freestyle, will be threatened by two swimmers -- Derek Amerman and Curt Herrin.

Approximately 450 swimmers, about the same as last year, will compete in the meet Saturday and Sunday at Central Park Pool. Two new age groups, six and under and seven and under, will break up the always huge 8-and-under classification.

"In the past we've had as many as 40 kids fighting for eight spots in the eight and unders," Rauterkus said. "this will give everyone a better chance and should be really cute."

One other difference from past years is that novice swimmers will only compete in the 9-10 bracket, thus causing the novice / consolation records to be retired.

The meet begins at 9 am Saturday. The morning session consists of preliminaries for all age groups 10 and under. Preliminaries fro the older swimmers continue Saturday afternoon.

Open and Masters swimmers compete Sunday morning, beginning at 9 am with the age group finals beginning Sunday at 1 pm. To qualify for Sunday's finals, swimmers must finish in the top eight of their event. Warm ups begin an hour earlier than each session.

This 8 panel brochure and entry form for the meet was printed in-house with Peoria Park District in blue ink.