Cauble coordinates LTS program with 8 years experience

Brita Cauble ‘18 became Augustana Recreational Services’ youngest Learn to Swim (LTS) program coordinator in May of her sophomore year. Now the gig is her full time job.

Mark Hecht, director of Rec Services, said that her experience with the program made her a great fit.

Cauble went through the LTS program as a child, became a water assistant her freshman year of high school, moved into lifeguarding, and became a lessons instructor junior year of high school. During her freshman year at Augie, she shadowed the coordinator at the time to become the student coordinator. She took over the role as coordinator in May 2017.

“There’s been nobody else that has gone from being a participant all the way up to the director, so that experience was a big piece,” said Hecht.

Hecht said he admired Cauble’s strong work ethic, follow-through and personality.

“As a swim instructor, she was one that we consistently received many positive comments on from parents,” he said. “Just her approach with children, her care, thoroughness, quality of teaching.”

Now she is able to employ those teaching skills in giving evaluative feedback to instructors. Cauble said that she randomly chooses instructors to watch.

“It’s kind of a time for me to catch them on things that they’re doing really well and maybe some growth areas that we can work on together,” she said.  “Also, if [the instructors] have any ideas of things that we could be doing differently or improving on, that’s kind of time for us to learn from each other but be more intentional about it.”

Cauble graduated last semester after three and a half years with a degree in business administration with a management emphasis and a Spanish minor. She said she was able to put much of what she learned in the classroom into practice at work.

“One of the things we do as a Rec Services staff is go to the Global Leadership Summit in August each year,” Cauble said. “I think that summit has been really impactful for me. It has opened my eyes to different ways to lead and I think that it’s been really helpful because I am able to be more aware of how I can be learning from others just as much as they can be learning from me.”

Cauble also said her marketing classes have specifically helped her.

“We didn’t have a specific strategy that we were employing [at the Elmen], because we were relying on a lot of word of mouth to attract families and swimmers to our program,” said Cauble.

Now, the Learn to Swim program is utilizing both a Facebook page and a website to attract new swimmers.

Hecht said that since starting her position as coordinator, he has seen Cauble grow in her time management, proactivity and organization skills and her ability to have confident interactions with parents and coaching instructors.

“She’s very patient, even-keeled. She doesn’t get rattled,” Hecht added.

Cauble said she enjoys forming relationships with families, especially repeat swimmers. “When I get to see people grow up in the program, that’s really fun for me.”

“[Lessons] are a time where I get to talk to families who are coming swimming and it’s just a really great way to connect with people not only in the Augie community but also the Sioux Falls community and surrounding areas that come for lessons here,” Cauble said.

When she’s not at work, Cauble said she loves to be outside, work on her material for her Master’s degree and spend time with family and friends. She’s currently watching NCIS: LA and she prefers Caribou Coffee over Starbucks.

“Something with coffee and chocolate is the requirement for me,” she said.

Cauble said she really enjoys being busy. This fall, in addition to being a student and LTS coordinator, Cauble served as co-chair of the Viking Days committee.

“If I’m not busy I think it’s kind of weird,” she said. “I just prefer to do something with my day rather than maybe relax, which sometimes can be imbalanced but that’s kind of how I like it.”

As for swimming, Cauble said it is something she loves too much to not continue. Her favorite stroke is the freestyle, because “you get the most distance for the effort you put into it.”