Practice the Hard Stuff
Why more than 150 of our staff spent a Sunday night preparing for the day we hope never comes.
THE PARENT PLAYBOOK: PRACTICE THE HARD STUFF
On Sunday night, October 11, more than 150 of our coaches and staff gave up two hours of their weekend for American Kids Safety Response training.
Nobody gets into coaching kids because they love emergency plans. They do it for the swimmer who floats on her own for the first time, the ninja who finally lands their first Gargoyle Flip, or the dancer who nails her routine while grandma cheers from the front row of the Christmas recital. Sunday night was about a different part of the job, the part we hope we never have to use.
Most parents never see this, but before our toddlers learn a single trick on the trampoline, they learn how to fall safely. They also learn how to wait their turn and follow directions. We practice the safe stuff over and over, so if something goes wrong, their body already knows what to do.
Our staff training works the same way. We spent the night on emergency response, walking through a lot of different scenarios and the best way to respond to each one. We also covered how to keep a group of kids calm, together and accounted for if a situation ever calls for it. When it counts, nobody should have to stop and figure out what comes next. You want people who already know.
The training was hosted by Alpha Safety Solutions, a California safety consulting firm that helps businesses build and practice their emergency response plans, including the workplace safety plans California now requires. Before the training, their team spent a lot of time reviewing our facilities and how our day actually runs, and they talked with staff at every level of American Kids.
Our team at Safety Response training with Alpha Safety Solutions on Oct. 11.
Our goal at American Kids has always been two things at once. Great coaching, yes. But also a place where you can drop off your kid and know they're in good hands, no matter what kind of day it turns out to be.
Most days, safety at American Kids looks pretty boring. It's coaches counting heads in the preschool room, eyes on every swimmer in the pool, and foam pit rules that never take a day off. (Ask your kid what the foam pit rules are. They know them better than you know your Wi-Fi password.) Boring is exactly what we're going for.
So, a question for your house: if something went wrong tonight, would everyone know what to do?
A few easy ones to try this week:
- Pick a family meeting spot outside your house and walk to it once.
- Make sure your kids know your phone number and how to call 911.
- Talk through how everyone would get out of their bedroom if there were ever a fire and the door or hallway wasn't an option.
It's the same reason our staff spent a Sunday night preparing. You don't expect anything to happen. You just want to be ready if it does.
To every coach and staff member who showed up that night: thank you. Parents will hopefully never have to see this part of your job, but it's one of the most important things you do.
See you soon. We'll be the ones counting heads.
— Matt Williams, Director of Operations, American Kids Sports Center
PS. Speaking of being prepared: school's out Wednesday, Nov. 11 for Veterans Day. Our EPIC! Veterans Day Camp is open at both gyms, so the kids can burn off all that day-off energy with us instead of on your couch. Sign up at aksc.com/camps.
PPS. Want to see it for yourself? You can tour any of our gyms, no appointment needed. 📱 American Kids app · 📞 (661) 589-2100
The Parent Playbook Blog
