Missouri Aquatics Training and Education Solutions

03/23/2026

April 2026 Upcoming Aquatics Courses.

MATES will be conducting two courses in the month of April, one Water Safety Instructor Course, the other will be a Lifeguarding Instructor Course.

The Water Safety Instructor Course will be on April 16th to the 19th at Turner Aquatics Center in Kansas City, Kansas. This course provides candidates with the knowledge, skills, and ability to teach all aspects of the American Red Cross Learn to Swim Program.

It does not, however, grant one the ability to train lifeguards.

If you want to train lifeguards, our Lifeguarding Instructor course will be on April 24th to the 26th. One will need a current American Red Cross Lifeguarding certification (which includes deep water) and be seventeen years of age. This course also takes place at Turner Aquatics Center.

For those that chose to take both courses, MATES offers a bundled instructor rate. PM Steve Murphy, our Instructor-Trainer, for more information.

Until next time . . .

We've got this!

We're MATES!!!

01/19/2026

Course Planning Announcement!
American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor Course.

MATES is in the early stages of planning a full American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor Course for late April. This post is to gauge interest and recruit solid candidates for the course.

The information is as follows:

Lifeguarding Instructor Course 2026-002 (Tentative)
Location:
-Turner Aquatics Center
-Kansas City, Kansas

Dates/Times:
-April 24th to April 26th
-Friday, 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
-Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

If you have further questions, please reach out to Steve Murphy for more information.

Until next time . . .

We've got this!

We're MATES!!!

12/11/2025

Slots are filling up on our first three Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor-Trainer Recertification Courses for 2026. Reach out to MATES today to reserve your slot before the training season starts!

Steve Murphy

The 2026 Training Season is coming!

MATES is conducting three American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor-Trainer Recertifications during the first half of 2026!

Reach out if one of these dates work for you!

11/27/2025

From the team here at MATES, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

11/03/2025

The 2026 Training Season is coming!

MATES is conducting three American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor-Trainer Recertifications during the first half of 2026!

Reach out if one of these dates work for you!

10/07/2025

Today we are pleased to announce our current schedule of American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Courses for 2026. The Water Safety Instructor Course provides successful candidates with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to teach all elements of the American Red Cross Learn to Swim Program.

Since 2023 MATES has conducted two dozen such courses in the Midwest and beyond to clients far and wide. Many of our client-partners have used this course to regenerate and augment their community learn to swim programs, which have resulted in a considerable return on investment.

Here are the courses we currently have scheduled. We anticipate adding at least one more in April 2026, and more as demands require it.

Water Safety Instructor Course 2026-004
Location:
-Turner Aquatics Center
-Kansas City, Kansas
Dates:
-Thursday, February 26th to Sunday, March 1st.

Water Safety Instructor Course 2026-001
Location:
-Excelsior Springs Community Center
-Excelsior Springs, Missouri
Dates:
-Thursday, March 26th to Sunday, March 29th.

Water Safety Instructor Course 2026-003
Location:
-Eudora Community Center
-Eudora, Kansas
Dates:
-Monday, June 1st to Friday, June 5th.

Water Safety Instructor Course 2026-002 is for an internal only client-partner and thus not listed.

This course includes a blended learning component of six hours coupled with twenty-four hours of classroom and pool time. We often draw a diverse range of candidates with a wide variety of knowledge and experience.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out today.

Until next time . . .

We've got this!

We're MATES!!!

10/02/2025

American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor-Trainer Recertification Courses for 2026.

MATES is pleased to announce our schedule of Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor-Trainer Recerts for the coming 2026 Season. If you have any questions, please contact us via PM.

Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor Trainer Recert 2026-001
Location:
-Turner Aquatics Center
-Kansas City, Kansas
Date:
-Saturday, January 3rd starting at 9:00 am.

Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor Trainer Recert 2026-002
Location:
-Heckart Community Center
-Sedalia, Missouri
Date:
-Sunday, January 4rd starting at 9:00 am.

Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor Trainer Recert 2026-003
Location:
-Excelsior Springs Parks and Rec Community Center
-Excelsior Springs, Missouri
Date:
-Saturday, March 14th starting at 9:00 am.

Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor Trainer Recert 2026-004
Location:
-Eudora Community Center
-Eudora, Kansas
Date:
-August 2026. Final Date TBD.

Note. We are not conducting Basic Lifeguarding Recerts at these sessions. Experience has taught us that it makes for a very long twelve hour day, which for folks who travel, can be a challenge.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

Until next time . . .

We've got this!

We're MATES!!!

02/05/2025

Send a message to learn more

09/09/2024

Year 2025 Missouri Aquatics Training and Education Solutions Upcoming Training Courses:

At MATES we are already planning 2025 Courses. Here is what we have on deck for January.

American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Course 2025-001
DATES: 01-02 to 01-05
WHERE: Turner Aquatics Center, Kansas City, Kansas.

NOTE: This course trains successful candidates to teach all levels of the American Red Cross Learn to Swim Program.

American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor Course 2025-001
DATES: 01-06 to 01-08
WHERE: Excelsior Springs Community Center, Excelsior Springs, Missouri

NOTE: This course trains successful candidates on how to conduct lifeguarding courses for the American Red Cross. Candidates must have a current full Lifeguarding Certification, to include deep water skills, and be seventeen years old.

There may be a Lifeguard Instructor Recertification course as well if there is sufficient demand for it.

Questions?

Contact MATES today!

09/08/2024

The MATES Aquatics Front - American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Course 2024-007, Day Two:

We are doing the work. Two of four practice teaching assignments complete, and we continue to push through the material.

Cindy, my wife, and MATES Client Relations Officer, is on the hunt to upgrade her Basic Swim Instructor Cert to a Water Safety Instructor Cert. Turns out the program doesn't have a one day bridge for people who have the BSI cert. So MATES policy these days is that any classes we run are WSI courses that give everyone the eligibility to eventually become Instructor-Trainers like myself.

Which alludes to long term plans. Eventually we hope to send my wife off to IT Academy so she can become a WSIT like me. Then we can increase our training capacity, and I personally think she brings a lot to the table from her own life experiences.

On the long range planning front, we are currently in talks with another client-partner for a WSI course of their own. Internal candidates only, this will happen in late October and is currently classes as 2024-008. They will most likely be the last one for 2024, and the last actual class for the year as well before we go into the 2024 Operational Pause.

That said, Missouri Aquatics Training and Education Solutions is already blocking time off for the following:

American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Course 2025-001
American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor Course 2025-001

Both in January.

Want to know more?

Contact MATES today!

09/02/2024

The Missouri Aquatics Training and Education Solutions Front - Water Safety Instructor Course 2024 - 007, Turner Aquatics Center:

MATES is spinning up for yet another Water Safety Instructor Course, which grants successful candidates a two year certification to teach all of the courses in the American Red Cross Learn to Swim Program.

The dates are September 6th to the 8th.

We still have an open seat or two if anyone wants to hop aboard at the last minute.

In the meantime we'll be switching over to inservice training support for a couple of client-partners over the next couple of months. Our next scheduled course at the moment will not take place until January 2025.

We wouldn't be opposed to running one or two more instructor courses between now and our 2024 Operational Pause, which is tentatively scheduled to run from November 1st to December 26th.

Reach out if you are interested.

Also, you can do MATES a real favor by liking our FB page, commenting on your previous positive experiences with us, and sharing this with your own followers.

Thank you.