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The I-League can start with one school.
It would be great to have a set of five founding members in the first couple of years.
Western Pennsylvania has 70 high schools as part of the WPIAL that do not have varsity swim teams. A bunch of those schools do not have swim pools.
When the I-League begins, many of the first practices are local. But within the first months, arrangements can be made with other pools for game-play, clinics and travel events. Those travel events could be arranged with existing varsity swim teams.
After some league-wide positions have been addressed with the WPIAL and PIAA, outreach to schools can begin. Marketing to school boards and administrators could occur as early as the summer and fall of 2023.
Launching new aquatics programs from scratch would take some months if not years. In the announcement phase drop-in clinics and open SKWIM games would be publicized along with pre-lifeguard training. The older students, jobs candidates, are asked to become certified lifeguards so as to build capacity for safety and open pools.
A first year's activity is human resource recruitment. We'll need to find interested adults and volunteers to transition into local coaching and instructor roles.
Bring a friend clinics, lessons, practices and game-days with group invites to other school-wide teams, clubs and organizations would be scheduled on a regular basis so as to build relationships and a critical mass on contacts for the team's roster. These reverse-tryouts activities allow students to tryout aquatics with an understanding that there are no cuts -- they have a spot on the team regardless of present swimming abilities.
The first visits and weeks at the pool for the I-League's include on-the-spot sign-ups with follow-up onboarding with reading and videos shared for consuming away from the pool.
Yes. The I-League could be established in other cities and regions. Plus, our friends in Canada are closely watching and could spread the I-League there too.
While replicating the entire scope of the I-League experience elsewhere is welcome, it is much easier to replicate bits and pieces.
Since swimming is a year-round activity, it never ends, same too with the I-League.
Holding introductory meetings with school administrators concerning the I-League is expected to be its most troublesome the week before the new school year begins late August.
I-League collaboration with individual schools includes:
Insurance is always a gotcha question asked by those in schools wishing to reject facility usage. Glad to take on this concern straight away.
First of all, what does the school district do about insurance for the other sports teams at the school -- such as baseball, football and basketball?
As a school sponsored sports activity, swimming, water polo, SKWIM and other associated educational activities should be insured by the school district.
Outside groups that use the school-owned, (generally public-financed) facilities for their own programs generally need to furnish proof of insurance coverage for certain dollar amounts for liability, personal harm, damages, etc. However, this proposal is about energizing a school-based program with outside support.
Secondly, in the context of the sub-contracted athletic trainer model: What does the school require for insurance for the athletic trainers that are integral to the athletic programs?
Swim clubs that use school facilities as outside groups can obtain insurance. USA Swimming membership provides coverage. Same too with American Water Polo and the A.A.U. A number of insurance options are available, for a price, if desired.
Costs becomes an issue. However, reduced payment options exist with diversity classifications with USA Swimming.
Proper solutions for the insurance requirements are expected. Some research is necessary. See I-League Insurance.
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