What are you doing this summer? Got a job? 

Recorded this on May 17, 2019, a day after my 60th birthday. This year, we've been pushing some buttons to try to fix this lifeguard shortage. There are some new employees in Citiparks on Grant Street, and in PPS with Athletics as well as with PPS in terms of leadership for Physical Education and Health.

All are welcome to drop-in at the Saturday Swim School and visit with Coach Mark to gain confidence in the water in advance of the lifeguard course

The Northside pool in PPS Allegheny is across the street from the Aviary. Come on down to take a swim and get some stroke coaching so you're ready for the swim test.

Getting across the pool, going 300 yards without stopping, treading water, and other swim skills need to be practiced now and then. 

Saturday Swim School activities do not look like that in the photo below. But, you can bet those lifeguards in the boat know how to swim well. 

https://www.candgnews.com/news/amid-lifeguard-shortage-a-need-for-swim-lessons-surfaces-113999

Citiparks has made some progress on its hiring needs and the lifeguard recruits are working on getting their certification. So, the needed number might be closer to 30 or 40 as of the uploading of this video, on May 17, 2019.

Meanwhile, The Pittsburgh Project, still needs lifeguards. Learn more and apply at https://www.pittsburghproject.org/jobs.

Why cities should support swim teams

• Blog post at SwimSwam.com.

Nice reasons, but there are two more that I’m always promoting.

ONE, we need lifeguards at the pools. When the swim teams dies / evaporate, then there are not enough kids who like to swim and know how to swim to become lifeguards. They don’t have fun at the pools and would rather mow grass or flip burgers and not work in aquatic settings.

TWO: We need to teach our kids how to play well with others. Get in the game, mix it up, compete, train, and battle with other friends in the pool. Sportsmanship, teamwork, PLAY matters. And, for all the athletes, getting in the water is cool in the summer. X-Country, basketball, football, LAX, Hockey, etc. We like to get the kids engaged at the pool and then mixing it up with others so that the pool is this safe, meeting ground where leadership, communication skills, quickness and more can be tested, tuned and challenged in a low-threat way, even among boys and girls and with older and younger players.