American Pool’s Guard for Life recruiting and training programs celebrated the kick-off of the 2020 lifeguard season at our annual Recruiter Summit. Our lifeguard recruiters and leaders from all over the country gathered to review the summer of 2019 and bring their 2020 vision into better focus. During this two-day summit, our recruiters reflected on the previous season’s challenges and achievements and shared their insights. With the summer season fresh in their minds, they brainstormed new strategies to enhance the season ahead for their lifeguards and ultimately the pools they service.

This year’s summit was held at the Asbury Hotel, located in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The small sea-side city, home to the Stone Pony and a historic boardwalk, was the perfect location for our recruiters to spend time together after the day’s sessions. American Pool held a staff only happy hour complete with live music so the team could continue building the relationships that would support their work in the coming year. With plenty of restaurants and sites to see from the Asbury Park Boardwalk and Paramount Theater and Convention Hall to the Silver Pinball Museum, the possibilities were endless.  

Achieving Success at Work & Home with Time Optimization

An early workshop session for the senior associates was held on day one with a focus on time optimization. Having smart goals and planning ahead are cornerstones of American Pool’s planning process each year. Taking that approach a step further, finding the balance between prioritizing professional and personal goals is essential to success. Creating this work/life balance is a great aid to one’s overall job satisfaction and success. Time Optimization as a skill is an important tool for all associates to utilize in their everyday lives, especially when preparing for another busy season of recruiting and lifeguard training. 

The Lifeguard Experience 

At a previous summit, the recruiting team developed a statement to guide their interactions with lifeguard associates. These words remain relevant and are repeated often throughout the year to help maintain a focus on the lifeguard team culture and experience. 

“We treat our lifeguards with respect and enthusiasm instilling a genuine sense of belonging to our team. Our lifeguards are the face of our company their good work will be recognized and their concerns will be met with care” — American Pool

Recognizing Excellence in 2019 Lifeguard Programs

This year’s Lifeguard Program Excellence Award went to our Alpharetta, Georgia/American Pool Aquatic Solutions office. Serving several locations throughout the country including military bases and counties throughout the metro Atlanta area, this office hired nearly 500 Lifeguards. They completed the 2019 season with great success, demonstrating excellence in categories including hiring goals, payroll management, lifeguard training, safety, and more. The Georgia office stood out by going above and beyond to create an inviting and positive work culture for their lifeguards and we look forward to their continued success for the 2020 season. Congrats to American Pool Georgia and their Staffing Director, Jayme Stroh!

Featured: Ben Basch, Chief Development Officer, Jayme Stroh, Staffing Director