Confidential Memo from Friday the 13th of October, 2017

Update memo and lessons from

Coach Mark Rauterkus, Varsity Boys Swim Coach at PPS Obama

Friday, October 13, 2017

Summary:

Topic #1. Robust discussions for addressing solutions to a suite of issues is still lacking.

Topic #2. Pool permits are still lacking. No start date yet. — UPDATE: Pool permits arrived on 10/13/17 via PPS email.

Topic #3. A solution for coaching assignments is still lacking.

#1.

This should be an exciting new time to move FORWARD with the new leadership at the school. I can’t do this alone. I want to build upon the successes I’ve delivered.

I need some type of communication pathway for higher-level discussions to assure high-quality program is delivered to our students and community. It is prudent to update to David May Stein with this Friday the 13^th memo.

I did have a 30-minute, initial, meeting with Principal Colbert from 4:30 to 5 pm on Monday, October 9. It was far too brief as most of my issues were not addressed. Red flags are waving, still, from me. One point of discussion on 10/9 was my resume. Mr. Colbert does not know me. See the last 2 pages for a summary resume from myself.

I will share some of the blame, as I realize it is time to do a better job communicating the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. I’m willing to go into high gear to educate, promote and complain if needed.

#2. Another week has gone by and no start date for pre-season swimming and water polo at Obama has been announced, the system-wide problem has not been addressed, confidence and solutions for the upcoming season are still a mystery to me.

When resources and opportunities that I provide are denied to our kids, I’m upset. Our kids deserve high-quality programs. I’m up to the hard work that this involves.

Consider these past events and overall progress:
Eight years, PPS Schenley/Obama hosted a home water polo match at Reisenstein with North Allegheny. We are in the green caps. Seven kids are in the game in the water and the bench has 13 or more. NA in white caps. I’m on the edge of the pool in black.

Five years ago, our team went on the road to Toledo St. Francis for a tournament. Our results made it into a PPS Board note.

Three years ago I coached CMU women’s water polo, I gave that up that role after a season because the 9-11 pm practices and weekend events took too many hours away from my passion, coaching city kids.

For the past two years, we have been growing a new cadre of swimmers and water polo player from the ranks of the Obama Middle School grades. In 2016, Obama had 35 kids in MS playing water polo. This is us at the Kingsley Center for a game day.

This year, fall 2017, with a new principal, I was prepared to volunteer coach at Obama for five days a week from 4 to 9 pm. Given a full week of school, that’s 25 hours a week. But instead, for the past six weeks, the swim pool at Obama has been idle, CLOSED to me and our students.

It was August 4, 2017, when the P-G ran a great positive article with the headline, “OBAMA coach ensures swimming skills are not just for dreamers.”  The day that article came out, I delivered a copy of the article to our new Obama principal with a note asking for a meeting so fall programs could get off to a good start.

I can’t coach swimming without swim pool permits.

#3.

Last year’s season was a fiasco with the head varsity girls coach of Obama. This needs to be explained and contrasted with the other successes. Our boys team moved to top 20 in the state, our boys WPIAL team was in the top 10. A boy swimmer set a WPIAL record (first and only time ever in the history of PPS).

I only coached the girls AFTER the other coach QUIT. I took three swimmers to the PIAA State Championships (2 boys and 1 girl). Furthermore, I got a girl swimmer into an out-of-state Division II university that is a great match for her with a college swim scholarship. I provided paid, swim instructor jobs to four Obama girl students this summer.

Life is too short for me to run around and compensate for another Obama coach who used an ineligible athletes more than once, didn’t show up to meets, quit, and more. Mr. Boyce, a former Obama coach put it well when he noticed her as a middle school coach and said, “She sucks the fun out of the sport.”

One Obama girl senior swimmer on the 2016-17 team, fully eligible with grades and physical, attended 50 practices and this student athlete never even saw nor talked to the girls varsity head coach. Go figure. I coached her at morning practices. It is absurd to rehire that coach.

Principal Colbert is new. So too is Dr. Hamlet and the Obama MS athletic director. None were around and aware of high-drama last year, such as when the other coach wanted to forfeit a sectional swim meet. I was patient when Dr. Walters was principal and Linda Lane was superintendent knowing that they’d not be supportive of scholastic and community sports. Even Ms. Macklin wasn’t fully aware that we got water polo approved as a team sport with the PIAA back in the Schenley era.

I’m on board with the new slogan, “Expect Great Things.” Let’s make it so.

Resume:

MarkRauterkus

108 South 12th Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15203-1226 USA

412 298 3432

Mark@Rauterkus.com

Objectives:

To coach swimming and water polo in Pittsburgh Public Schools settings where traditional support and communication among educators is the norm. This sports setting gives opportunities to leverage the experiences, relationships, methods and vision developed in other leadership positions.

Present Roles:

Head Water Polo Coach for Pittsburgh Masters

Head Varsity Boys Swim Coach at Pittsburgh Obama Academy 6-12

Executive Coach for Swim & Water Polo of Pittsburgh Public Schools Summer Dreamers Academy hosted by the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Head Coach for aquatics at The Pittsburgh Project

Coach for Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo and various community aquatic efforts

Sales and marketing associate for Autocoach of Melbourne, Australia

Executive director of SKWIM USA, a 501(c)(3) – announcement in 2017

Education:

Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 1982-1983 Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Physical Education Department (HPERD = Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance) at the Masters Level. Did not graduate.

Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 1978-1982 School of Journalism, graduate with honors, B.S.J. Courses in major, news editing. Minor courses, recreation.

Penn Hills Senior High School, 1977 graduate. Attended St. Fidelis HS Seminary for 9th-10th grades. St. Bartholomew from 1st to 8th grade.

Past College Coaching Experiences (9 seasons):

– CMU women’s water polo head coach, 1 year

– Ohio University men’s varsity swimming & diving team, assistant coach, 4 years,

– Baylor University men’s and women’s swim team, assistant coach, 1 year,

– Bradley University men’s swim team, head coach, 1 year,

– Chatham University women’s water polo teams, club & varsity, assistant, 2 years

Diverse employment experiences:

– Public Recreation: Peoria Park District, Waco, Texas; Athens, Ohio; New Trier Extension in Illinois, Crafton, Green Tree

– Non Profit Organizations: Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center, Neighborhood Learning Alliance, SKWIM USA

– Public and Charter Schools: Pittsburgh Public Schools, Manchester Academic Charter School, Urban Pathways, New Trier, Fox Chapel, Plum, Cannon McMillan

– Public and Private Universities and Colleges: Carnegie Mellon, Ohio U., Baylor U., Bradley U., Chatham U., Harvard U.

– Clubs, Camps, and YMCAs: Thelma Lovette Y, Wharenui in New Zealand, Bernals Gators Swim Club in Mass., Three Rivers Aquatics, Camp Chikopi in Canada, PA Y’s Youth & Government, Greater Pittsburgh Swim Club, Carlynton Swim Club

– Neighborhood Rec: Market House Athletic Assn board / volunteer coach, BIG LEAGUE volunteer, PIIN’s Youth Rec Task Force steering committee and presenter, Duquesne Heights Rec Center committee, PPS Athletic Reform Committee, PPS Parent Education Recourse Center steering committee, Activity leader for The Zone at U-Prep, Coach with Westinghouse afterschool water polo.

– Small Business, Entrepreneur: Publisher, Sports Support Syndicate; Special projects, Swimming World magazine; Founder, CLOH.org; Editor, Swimming in Illinois magazine; Sales, Autocoach in Australia, Tropical Penguin, Nabih’s Computers.

Other Supervision, Aquatic and Recreational Management Positions:

* Instructor / Lifeguard / Head Guard / Pool Manager

* Certifications for Red Cross Lifeguard and WSI are current

Leadership / Director positions in recreation to highlight:

Executive Head Coach:

* Swim & Water Polo Camps serving Summer Dreamers and Pittsburgh Public Schools with Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 with Neighborhood Learning Alliance in 2010, 2011 Founded and grew program to more than 35 employees, 5 school sites, 9 other swim sites and more than 200 participants with an 8-page-program guide and literacy components.

* Swim & Water Polo at after school programs:

Saturday Swim School, started in fall 2016 at Oliver High School, with Arsenal Middle School in 2016, with Obama Middle School in spring and fall 2016, spring 2017, delayed sadly in fall 2017, with Hill House and other Hill District nonprofits and churches in past years, 2014.

Ongoing Projects:

* Conducting outreach for the aquatic game of SKWIM. Leading and speaking at coaches’ clinics in Saudi Arabia and Dubai in December 2017, and Napa, California, in January 2018. Authoring five ebooks: Story, Physical Education, Swim Clubs, Rules and Lifeguards.

* Crafting support for Digital Badges.

* Crafting support for the vision of an All-City Sports Camps.

* Crafting support with USA Swimming and Team Pittsburgh.