Most people who work as swimming pool managers have two things in common
-- they love the water and they enjoy working with people.
"I love the water," says Catherine Trudeau. She is an aquatic director
for a YMCA. (Swimming pool managers are also often called aquatic directors.)
After taking swimming lessons as a child, Trudeau decided to become a lifeguard.
She discovered that working in the water was for her. She now holds 15 different
certifications, all of which she has taken through the YMCA.
"I'm a YMCA kid," says Trudeau. Her certifications cover everything from
instructing and training to marketing and managing.
Trudeau plans on working towards her recreation management degree while
continuing to work for the YMCA.
"Having a degree [or certificate] is absolutely a good thing to have,"
says Trudeau. Although pool managers do spend time in the water, they also
spend many hours hiring, training and scheduling staff, developing marketing
programs, and even performing water-quality tests.
"You need to do more than just set schedules," says Trudeau. "You have
to know all aspects of management."
Wayne Shults is an aquatic director at a YMCA in Plano, Texas. He agrees.
"I would strongly encourage getting a degree," he says. He believes his degree
in sport management played an important role in where he is today.
Shults says his typical day includes everything from staffing to planning
how the facilities should be used. If the facilities aren't being used enough,
it's up to him to decide how he can generate more business. He also fills
in for staff when they can't come in to work, which means he teaches swim
lessons and acts as a lifeguard.
This, of course, requires several different certifications, including all
levels of swimming as well as lifeguarding, first aid and CPR.
Knowing this, it's not surprising that a pool manager needs a wide variety
of skills to be successful. And that doesn't just mean water skills. Shults
says schedules are often unpredictable and can change quickly.
"Knowing how to prioritize is extremely important and time management is
also a great plus," says Shults. He adds that you have to know how to react,
think on your feet and not get stressed if you want to do a good job.
"You need to know how to wear a lot of hats," says George Rohman. Rohman
started as a lifeguard and is now the operations manager for a water theme
park in New Jersey.
Rohman is responsible for all pool management duties, which means everything
from hiring and scheduling staff (from lifeguards to guest service attendants)
to pool maintenance. At times, it even means some customer service work.
"I don't just have one job," says Rohman. He says in this business, you're
expected to do a lot of different things. "I'm a manager, but I'll still paint
a pool."
He adds that being responsible for a variety of things sometimes means
making decisions "by the seat of your pants." But he insists it builds character.
And with 3.3 million people passing through his park's gates each year, character
is a good thing to have.
To accommodate the large number of visitors, Rohman says the company hires
approximately 150 seasonal people each year. That brings the total number
of employees to 1,300.
Before the water park opens in May, Rohman must de-winterize the pools
to prepare them for the summer crowds. The pools must be cleaned and filled.
He has to make sure that all the filters work. Once the park opens, he continues
to do preventative maintenance and a lot of staff management.
"It's an interesting business," says Rohman. He says he learned all of
the ins and outs of the business through hands-on experience, similar to many
others in pool management, especially, he adds, in amusement park settings.
"There is lots of room to grow in this industry," says Elyse Silver. She
is the corporate staff director for a pool company. She says many of their
staff has hands-on experience. Many started their careers as summer lifeguards.
This experience is valuable for many reasons. But perhaps most importantly,
it provides the opportunity to work with the public.
"You meet a lot of interesting people," says Shults. You have to be able
to communicate effectively. "A big part of it comes down to your personal
skills."
That includes everything from using correct grammar to being assertive
and taking charge. He adds that you also need to be able to read people. You
have to be a good team player.
"You have to enjoy people," says Rohman. That means all ages, races and
personalities. And for most people who work as pool managers or aquatic directors,
that's exactly why they chose this career.
Working with families is why Shults absolutely loves his job. He also likes
the fact that he's accountable for the success of the pool's programs. "My
success is directly affected by the time and effort that I put into my work,"
says Shults.
Trudeau feels much the same. For her, being able to give back to the community
and help kids learn to swim was the driving force behind her
choosing this profession. And, she says, she's a leader by nature.
"You have to set goals and achieve them yourself," says Rohman. "And you
have to be motivated."
That's especially true when you're dealing with 50- to 80-hour workweeks
in the summer. Sometimes there are long hours, and sometimes there's aggravation.
But all in all, says Rohman, "it's a pretty cool job."