18 My avatar... ish

This is going to be frustrating but the point of my business is to be all inclusive. Race, Gender, Religion should not play a part in our decision of who can join the team and pay the team dues.

Our restrictions are limited to participation limits by numbers and income more than anything. Ultimately due to the monthly fees we would be looking more geared towards a middle to upper income family.

The participants themselves would be athletes that are in shape physically to meet our speed and time standards. By in shape, we are looking for well to moderately toned athletes, as excess body weight will ultimately slow any participants down. We would require that a previous time standard be met before allowing them on the team, to bypass any physical standards, times can be met. The participants are going to be students ranging ages 10 to 22. Past college level would require private sessions to maintain that familiar feeling and common interest of the athletes currently on the team. The participants' hobbies would be swimming, more likely than not another sport that works alongside with the practice times. Most participants will play water polo, basketball, lacrosse or another sport with strict disciplines up until high school level. Once at that level most sports become difficult to choose between two due to time restraints.

The family we would be looking at would range anywhere from a single parent to a full family. Although we are open to large families, it’s become common that the most a single family will have, children wise, would be two or three while being able to meet each child’s need for their sport.

In my head when I picture my ideal customer, I see a mom, a dad, because paying close to $300 a month for a single child to participate would be easier with two incomes, not one. And then I see two to three kids. Four years apart so the family has time between children to save up for college and pass down one car to the next child when the time comes. I imagine both children playing two sports outside of swimming, one that is completely devoted to the water and playing water polo, while the other is more of a rebel and chooses a ground sport/activity like band or lacrosse. Maybe even video games? I imagine ages 11 and 15 for the children, with parents in their mid to late thirties, even early forties. The mom loves being a team mom and is active as much as possible with the kids, and the dad takes on the supportive coaching-on-the-side dad. Of course the coach and the dad butt heads sometimes when the parent crosses the line, but only because they want their child to succeed, so as a coach we understand. 

It’s hard to picture someone because I see a huge array of skin tones, height, and backgrounds. Water doesn’t discriminate. I’d be lying if I said this assignment didn’t frustrate me, because I can’t see outside of the family love and perspective. That’s really the main focus, because if there isn’t an incredible love and relationship with their child, they wouldn’t pour so much time and money into a sport like swimming that requires close to 26 hours a week at an elite level.

What I have in common with these people are the love for the sport. It's seriously as simple as that. You're in it because you love it and hate it at the same time. I've been exactly where they are. I've been in the water working out so much that I lost track of time. I've been on the elite team that had to cough up outrageous sums of money in order to compete and somehow my family has made that happen for me. Do I think it's a coincidence? Maybe? In the sense that running into the same person at the coffee shop every morning is a coincidence. People who love the same things run into each other more and more over time. The love for the sport doesn't come for the faint of heart. A lot of people quit at an early age, 8-10, which is why the program would start around 10-11 year old children. Sport brings out a passion in people they don't typically have in otherworldly activities. Who knows. Sports can really change people's perspectives, especially earlier in life. I think it'll be a coincidence if I run into these people ten years down the road. Time will only tell.