How Are You?

Tip: When lifeguards ask that simple question, “How are you?” Be honest.

Lifeguards and swim coaches need to know more about the children than a typical lunch lady. Furthermore, younger people often don’t know how to self-evaluate, self-diagnose or filter a simple question from a stranger minutes before a phone call to EMS is placed. If it comes to an emergency, the coaches and lifeguards need to have a child’s health information available.

Parents and guardians, and other adults with a keen interest in helping with overall participation in Swim & Water Polo Camp are asked to do these four things.

#1. Fill out the health forms provided by PPS. Give the forms to the school. All schools have a nurse on duty during Summer Dreamers. Note: school principals and staff change for Summer Dreamers, so don’t depend on a child being remembered from the school year.

Links to PPS Health Forms are at http://Guard.CLOH.org.

#2. Sign a letter that says: “Dear PPS Administrators and School Nurse. I am the legal guardian of (insert your child’s name) and I grant you permission to share with the LIFEGUARDS and COACHES all health-information matters of already provided to you about my child (or children). Thank you.” Sign your name and note your phone number if there are questions.

#3. Use the WEB FORM designed for guardians to communicate health information to the coaches. This information goes directly into the Swim & Water Polo Attendance Application and is used on a daily basis by LIFEGUARDS at every site.

Health conditions for the kids change. We want to know if the upset stomach ache is due to a possible broken rib. Did our young runner obtain a bad splinter in her foot the prior day, or does she just want to talk with friends instead?

With our special events and running in races, we’ll need to make calls and reach out to parents/guardians. It helps if coaches have the email address to all guardians. We want the guardians to join us at various competitive events, but you’ll want to confirm the entry and that you’ll meet us at the right time and place so there are fewer worries. If we dash to North Park, Sandcastle or assemble an All Star Team for a meet at Pitt, we’ll want to communicate, mobilize and keep everyone on the same page.

An injury or illness should be communicated to us, hopefully with the form so it can be noted in our constantly updated database and organizer we call the Attendance Application.

Cosmetics, not so much.

Those in Swim & Water Polo Camp should pass on getting perms and fancy nails for the next two months. In July and August, we’ll be running and swimming and getting our hair wet. Skin may get a bit dry, so get lotion. Use it at home in the evenings, nights and mornings. In water polo, officials check the length of fingernails and toenails so scratching is kept to a minimum. Trim nails short and often, at home, so that you are ready to play at the pool.

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