How does your centre run lessons? What is the best way to schedule and run your swimming program? This article will discuss pros and cons of the 2 types of program, which may give you some food for thought when scheduling lessons for your centre.
Perpetual Swimming
Swimming year round has benefits and negatives attached to it. The following are a few things to think about when scheduling your perpetual swimming program.
Perpetual Swimming Pros
- Keeps clients swimming throughout the entire year without giving them an option for a break.
- Avoids the headaches of rebooking week and alleviates long lines for administration.
- Financial payments continue throughout the year while clients continue to swim.
- Clients don’t need to remember or pay attention to breaks as they continue to swim.
- It is the client and not centre’s responsibility to continue swimming or cancel as they see fit.
Perpetual Swimming Cons
- Staff may become tired, run down and cranky without a designated break.
- Classes can become stagnant without much movement or change over time.
- No time within the program for holiday courses, free intensives, clinics or special occasions.
- Ethical dilemma to take payment for times when swimming won’t occur – eg public holidays.
- Swimmers get used to the same teacher each week and may not be willing to give others a go.
Term Swimming
Having a centre that runs within school terms or creates its own swimming terms can be both a positive and negative experience. The following are a few points to consider when scheduling Term swimming within your centre.
Term Swimming Pros
- Beginning and end date for parents, swimmers and staff to work towards a common goal.
- Payment can be made in full for an entire term upfront or ongoing.
- Instructors, classes and times have the chance to change once a Term has finished.
- Gives swimmers who are tired, bored or uninterested a break so they can return refreshed.
- Offers swim centres a chance to schedule more or less classes depending on seasons, public patrons, school swimming program, time of school year and other extenuating circumstances.
Term Swimming Cons
- Administration spends a lot of time rebooking clients into exactly the same booking.
- If clients are away during rebooking week they may miss out on their regular spot.
- A break may harm swimmers who crave routine and repetition.
- New clients booked into established classes may pose a challenge for instructors.
- Terms may not match up with all schools due to Private, Public and Independent systems.
These are just a few thoughts on the Perpetual VS Term swimming debate in the Aquatics industry. What are your thoughts on the above? Please comment if you have further points for discussion.
Laurie Lawrence