Navigating Neva

Megan Owens

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/fan_mail/new] Megan Owens of Bluesky Recreation Consulting joins Navigating Neva to talk about parks, recreation, camps, aquatics, nonprofits, and what it really takes to build strong organizations from the inside out. In this episode, Megan shares why seasonal jobs still matter, especially for teens and young adults, and how lifeguarding, camp counseling, and recreation work can become the foundation for confidence, leadership, and long-term careers. We also discuss organizational alignment, staff culture, retention, and the leadership lessons aquatics can teach the wider recreation field. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/support] 🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield. 💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook. ❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at navigatingneva@gmail.com. 📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield [https://www.amazon.com/author/nicolefairfield]. 📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content! 🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

Selena Willows: week 7

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/fan_mail/new] In this episode of Navigating Neva, Nicole sits down with Selena Willows for a thoughtful conversation about what confidence in the water really looks like—and who owns the process. They discuss the “confidence loop,” how parents and instructors can recognize when to proceed, pivot, or pause, and why crying in swim lessons should never be dismissed without context. The conversation explores trauma, safety boundaries, parent-created fear, and the way children can absorb fear from the adults around them. Nicole and Selena also answer listener questions, reflect on themes from Selena’s Instagram content, and preview next week’s discussion. This episode is for swim instructors, parents, and aquatic professionals who want to build safer, more emotionally aware swim learning environments—without sacrificing skill, safety, or progress. https://www.instagram.com/swimtosafetybyselena/ https://www.swimtosafety.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/selena-grinham-willows/ Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/support] 🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield. 💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook. ❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at navigatingneva@gmail.com. 📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield [https://www.amazon.com/author/nicolefairfield]. 📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content! 🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

Steve Murphy

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/fan_mail/new] In this episode of Navigating Neva, Nicole sits down with Steve Murphy, owner of Missouri Aquatics Training and Education Solutions — MATES — for a direct, honest conversation about lifeguard culture, aquatic leadership, zone validations, supervision, and what it really means to be responsible for the people in and around the water. Steve brings sixteen years of experience, a practical training mindset, and a clear message for aquatic professionals: certifications matter, but leadership, awareness, accountability, and action matter just as much. Together, Nicole and Steve discuss why “minimum standard” thinking is not enough, what facilities often miss when it comes to safety, why zone validations should be taken seriously, and how aquatic leaders can better support lifeguards before something goes wrong. This episode is for aquatic directors, lifeguard instructors, pool managers, swim school owners, recreation professionals, and anyone who believes aquatic safety depends on more than a certification card. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/support] 🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield. 💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook. ❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at navigatingneva@gmail.com. 📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield [https://www.amazon.com/author/nicolefairfield]. 📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content! 🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

Steadfast Safety

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/fan_mail/new] Tonight on Navigating Neva, Wesley King and I hosted Kevin, Blake, and Charles from Steadfast Safety for a great conversation on lifeguarding, emergency response, and aquatic safety innovation. We discussed the Steadfast Rescue Tube, The Growler Oxygen Key Whistle, how these products were developed, and the operational gaps they were designed to address in the field. Since May is National Water Safety Month, it felt like the perfect time to have this conversation. If you work in aquatics, lifeguarding, pool operations, or emergency response, this episode is definitely worth the listen. Find them here: https://steadfastsafety.net/ Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/support] 🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield. 💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook. ❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at navigatingneva@gmail.com. 📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield [https://www.amazon.com/author/nicolefairfield]. 📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content! 🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

Selena Willows: Week 6

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/fan_mail/new] In this episode of Navigating Neva, Nicole and Selena discuss how swim skills can become unintentionally gatekept when “prerequisites” turn into rigid myths. They unpack why skills like back floating, bubbles, breath control, and stroke readiness should be taught with more nuance—especially when every swimmer brings different body composition, muscle tone, proprioception, emotions, communication needs, and comfort levels to the water. They also discuss bubbles: why we teach them, when they help, when they may not be the first priority, and why breath control should connect to the swimmer’s ability to get another breath—whether by popping up, rolling over, or finding air safely. A thoughtful episode for swim instructors, aquatic professionals, parents, and anyone ready to rethink how we teach swimming with more awareness, flexibility, and respect for the individual swimmer. https://www.instagram.com/swimtosafetybyselena/ https://www.facebook.com/SwimtoSafetybySelena https://www.linkedin.com/in/selena-grinham-willows/ https://www.swimtosafety.com/ Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961195/support] 🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield. 💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook. ❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at navigatingneva@gmail.com. 📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield [https://www.amazon.com/author/nicolefairfield]. 📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content! 🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!