Meet Cassidy – our General Manager at Russell Aquatics! Cassidy oversees facility operations, scheduling, backyard lessons, manages administration staff and trains all of our instructors to ensure that the quality of service offered at Russell Aquatics is second to none. Cassidy is a certified National Lifeguard and First Aid instructor, examiners and instructor trainer. She has attended several international conferences where she has been able to learn from experts in the field to bring world-class instruction to Russell Aquatics. Her love for aquatics and passion for teaching make her a great asset to the Russell team and go-to for any questions or concerns.
As long as she can remember, Cassidy has loved the water. From bath time as a baby to participating in triathlons as a teen, it’s no surprise that she decided to pursue a career in the aquatic field. “Growing up, my family always seemed to be in the pool,” says Cassidy. “I developed a love for water early on and that early exposure really helped in ensuring that I was never afraid to jump right in”. With swimming lessons beginning before she can even remember, Cassidy is an advocate for getting kids in the water as early as possible. “It helps to prevent the development of fear and is a huge sense of relief to know that in the event of an accidental fall-in, your child knows what to do”.
Cassidy worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor throughout high school, where she learned of her love for teaching – both swimming lessons and essential lifesaving skills. After graduation, she went on to pursue a career in nursing but quickly found that her passion lay in aquatics. After working for several swim schools and gaining hundreds of hours in experience, Cassidy found her home at Russell Aquatics. “I feel like I belong at Russell Aquatics,” says Cassidy. “Everyone shares the same passion as me in teaching such an essential life skill and it’s great to feel supported in doing work that is so important to me”.
Outside of work, Cassidy is the older sister to younger sister, Kaitlin and brother, Spencer – both of whom are also members of the Russell team! She happily lives with her boyfriend of six years, Justin and they adore their “son”, Bear – a small mixed-breed dog who captures the heart of anyone that crosses his path. Cassidy loves to spend time with family and friends, is an avid fan of the Montreal Canadiens and loves Disney movies. In fact, one of her nicknames amongst family is Neem (a short form for Nemo), due to her passion for swimming and love for the movie “Finding Nemo”.
Next time you see Cassidy at the swim school, feel free to say “hi” and pick her brain on all things aquatics. She is one of our most knowledgeable staff and will always have an answer!