15 Unique Data Points to Track in 2025
Over the past few years, the aquatics industry has seen a growing emphasis on digital tools for managing aquatic facility operations, with data playing a crucial role in ensuring pool safety and efficiency. From tracking water quality indicators like chemical levels and pH balance to documenting staff certifications and daily attendance, leveraging data-driven strategies helps aquatic professionals reduce risks, optimize resources, and enhance safety. By moving records to digital platforms and focusing on key metrics, aquatic facilities can not only meet regulatory guidelines but also provide a safer and more enjoyable experience for all visitors.
Even though we already track a lot of key metrics like staff certifications and in-service topics, there are still plenty of other data points that can help us improve operations, reduce risks, and tell a more complete story about the value of aquatics. Here are some you might want to consider:
- Day Camp Visits
A study from the American Red Cross shows many camp programs lack standardized swim tests, swim training, and adequate staff-to-camper ratios, which increases risk. The National Drowning Prevention Alliance also notes that children in group settings like camps are at a higher drowning risk due to the challenges of supervising large groups and varying swim abilities. Keep track of camp visits by having staff fill out a form each time a camp visits, including details like group size, camper-to-staff ratios, and the safety rules covered in the pre-swim orientation. - Lifejacket Check-Outs
Lifejackets are essential for reducing drowning risk, especially for non-swimmers or weaker swimmers. Many facilities require lifejackets for children or anyone who can't pass a basic swim test. Tracking lifejacket check-outs helps ensure compliance with safety guidelines and lets you see when demand is highest, so you can plan accordingly. - Swim Test Administration
Swim tests are key for identifying swimmers who need additional supervision or flotation devices, which reduces accidents and rescues. Documenting these tests – like how many were administered and how many passed – can help you spot trends and identify areas where more swim education may be needed. - Staff Performance, Audits, and Spot Checks
Routine evaluations, audits, and spontaneous spot checks help reinforce good practices and pinpoint areas for improvement. By documenting these evaluations, you can hold staff accountable, promote a culture of excellence, and reduce operational risks. - In-Service Topics, Equipment Used, and Facility Areas Covered
Logging the topics covered during in-service sessions, the equipment used, and the facility areas practiced ensures your training is thorough and targeted. This data also helps you tailor future sessions based on what staff need to improve. - Pool Closures Due to Maintenance and Weather
Tracking pool closures, whether due to maintenance or weather conditions, helps with resource allocation, scheduling, and communication with patrons. By documenting the reasons for each closure – whether mechanical failure, water quality issues, or weather – you can identify patterns and plan preventative measures. - Scholarship Use and Subsidies
Tracking scholarships and subsidies helps measure the reach of your programs and ensures you're meeting accessibility goals. By keeping tabs on the number of scholarships granted, free passes given out, and other subsidies offered, you can better assess the impact of your programs and demonstrate your commitment to community engagement. - Events, Talks, and Classes
Recording free events, talks, and classes offered at your facility highlights your community impact. Quantifying your outreach – like the number of safety talks or certifications offered – shows how aquatics programs contribute to public education and recreation, beyond just paid programs. - Recruitment Outreach
Monitoring recruitment efforts helps fine-tune your hiring strategies and see which outreach methods work best. Tracking recruitment activities lets you assess which channels bring in new talent and identify any gaps, helping with future workforce planning especially for seasonal hires. - Retention Numbers and Employee Survey Results
Keeping track of employee retention rates, alongside feedback from surveys, offers insight into staff satisfaction. This data can help reduce turnover, improve workplace culture, and guide decisions around pay increases or employee enrichment programs. - Attendance by Program, Pool Area, Weather, and Demographic
Tracking attendance by program, pool area, and demographic helps you understand usage patterns and tailor your programming accordingly. Additionally, combining weather data with pool attendance can show how external conditions, like temperature or humidity, affect pool use, and help you adjust policies on pool hours during bad weather. - Segmented Data Based on Incident Reports
If you're already tracking incidents as required by health codes and the CDC's Model Aquatic Health Code, take it a step further by breaking down incidents by time of day, area of the pool, or type of emergency. This data can help inform policy changes and staff training. Additionally, tracking lifeguard shifts alongside incident rates can give insight into when fatigue might be impacting performance. - Near-Miss Incidents
Tracking near-misses like almost-drownings, near-collisions, or slip incidents can reveal areas where safety protocols need to be improved. Mapping where near-misses occur can also help pinpoint high-risk spots that might need additional safety measures or staff presence. - Poolside Equipment Usage
Track the usage of non-water-related poolside equipment like lounge chairs, umbrellas, and showers to better understand demand and allocate resources. Additionally, monitor the use of toys and fitness equipment in the pool, such as foam noodles or kickboards. This data helps identify which items need replacement and which are in high demand, improving guest satisfaction and assisting with budget planning. - Water Quality Indicators Linked to Pool Events
Tracking how large pool events (like swim meets or birthday parties) affect water quality can help identify any special maintenance needs after these events. Large groups of swimmers may require adjustments to filtration or treatment systems to maintain optimal water quality. Monitoring how your water quality benchmarks change during these events can also help plan for future operations.
Each of these data points provides valuable insights, helping to tell a fuller story about the role of aquatics in your community and demonstrating a commitment to safety, operational excellence, and service.
By adopting data-driven strategies for pool safety and efficiency, your aquatic facility can unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation. Whether it's monitoring water quality during large events, tracking attendance patterns, or documenting staff performance, every data point contributes to building safer, more effective, and more community-focused aquatics programs. Investing in digital tools for managing aquatic operations today empowers your team to reduce risks, optimize resources, and showcase the vital impact your facility has on public safety, recreation, and education. The more data you collect and analyze, the stronger the foundation for a thriving, resilient aquatic facility tomorrow!
Article originally written for the Association of Aquatics Professionals (AOAP)
