ALTS Instructor Certification with specialization in adaptive methods-- San Francisco

U.S. Masters Swimming is hosting a USMS-ALTS instructor certification course on Sept. 18-19, 2019, in San Francisco. This class is offered in partnership with Disabled Sports USA and was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herin are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Wednesday, Sept. 18
Check-in: 7-7:30 a.m.
Classroom instruction: 7:30 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Lunch: 12 p.m.*
In-water pool instruction: 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 19

Check-in: 7:30-8 a.m.
Classroom instruction: 8-10:30 a.m.
In-water pool instruction: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

*Lunch will be provided by USMS on Wednesday. Please note that most of the lunches are sandwich-based and do not always include a vegetarian option or recognize dietary restrictions and food allergies. If you have food restrictions, please feel free to bring along something that will accommodate your needs.

Location of instruction
Embarcadero YMCA
169 Steuart St.
San Francisco, CA 94105

Instructors
Dominic Latella is a lead USMS-certified Adult Learn to Swim instructor. He also teaches U.S. Masters Swimming coach certification classes. He has been appointed twice -- the max amount -- as a coach for USMS High Performance Camp. He also works with wounded servicemen and women, providing swimming rehabilitation and adaptive swimming instruction at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He is an adjunct professor of Health and Fitness at American University and is the owner of SwimBox, a swimming-lesson company that utilizes the technology of an Endless Pool to give swimmers of all levels an advantage in learning proper swimming technique. 

Bill Brenner is the Chief Operating Officer and Education Director of U.S. Masters Swimming. He has over 35 years of experience coaching swimming at the age group, college and Masters levels. A USMS certified level 4 Masters coach, Bill has been involved in the evolution of the USMS Masters coach certification courses curricula and has taught hundreds of classes to thousands of Masters coaches. Bill established the USMS Adult learn-to-swim certification program and serves as an ALTS lead instructor. With the knowledge acquired from coaching 20-30 Masters swim clinics each year, Bill recently wrote the USMS Clinic Course for Coaches, teaching Masters coaches how to run a successful USMS stroke development clinic. Bill serves as an ambassador and advocate for USMS by visiting hundreds of existing clubs and workout groups, establishing new Masters programs, speaking at national aquatics conferences and maintaining relationships with strategic partners such as USA-Swimming, USA-Triathlon, Y-USA, LifeTime Fitness and the Kroc Centers. Prior to joining USMS as a staff member, Bill served USMS as a volunteer at the local and national level. He has been a swim meet director, support team staff member and coach at his local program, the Sarasota YMCA Sharks Masters. Bill enjoys sharing his passion for swimming with others by encouraging adults to swim for life.

ALTS Prerequisites
You must be a current USMS member to participate in the course and receive USMS ALTS Instructor certification. If you are not a member and are attending under the DSUSA-USMS partnership, you may register for USMS membership in class, and 2019 membership fees will be waived.

Additionally, you must be able to perform the following five water-competency skills:

• Step or jump into deep water and return to the surface
• Float or tread water for one minute
• Turn around in a full circle and find an exit
• Swim 25 yards to the exit
• Exit from the water

Certification
Upon successful completion of the classroom coursework and the in-water instruction, including all successfully completed tests, each person will be awarded USMS ALTS Certified Instructor certification.

Fees
With support from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA), a limited number of seats are offered at no cost to VA staff, DSUSA Chapters and sport providers who serve disabled Veterans (at no cost to the Veterans). 
Your ALTS Certified Instructor designation is active until the end of the calendar year in which it is achieved, and can be renewed by paying a $30 annual fee when updating your USMS membership each year. USMS provides references and support for active member instructors only.

Maximum
Maximum attendance is 15.

Who should attend?
Anyone who teaches, or wants to teach, adult swim lessons, especially those who work with disabled veterans. Anyone interested in supporting their community by helping to teach adults to swim. Priority registration is offered for disabled veterans, disabled members of the armed services, VA staff, and Disabled Sports USA chapter members. Other adaptive sport organizations and interested individuals working with disabled veterans will be welcomed as space permits. 

Online Registration
Online registration only. Registration closes at midnight Pacific time on Tuesday, Sept. 17, or when the course enrollment reaches 15.

Travel assistance
You might qualify for travel assistance from DSUSA. More information can be found here.

Questions
Contact Holly Neumann

ALTS certification course registrations are non-refundable and non-transferrable to another individual. However, you may transfer your registration to a course at an alternate date and location.  Questions, please email Holly Neumann.