Risk management is one of the most important aspects of ensuring a community rec center runs effectively and safely.
With diverse users participating in a range of activities, the potential for injury or emergencies is always present. Beyond safety, risk management builds trust within the community, showing members their well-being is a priority.
According to Jim Paro, the founder and CEO of Operate Fit — a company assisting community-focused recreation organizations manage compliance, track incidents and streamline daily operations — the biggest shift he’s seeing in risk management is organizations moving from a reactive approach to being predictive and preventive.
Thanks to that swing, Paro said there are currently three central trends happening with risk management in the industry.
“The first trend is associations want their incident data in one place where they can look at it,” explained Paro. “Seeing this data allows you to act on it. The second trend is around certification tracking. We’re hearing more customers ask how software can help them stay ahead of expirations rather than finding out after the fact. Lastly, we’re seeing teams focused on Praesidium accreditation and customers are asking how software and systems can help ensure staff are meeting and exceeding the requirements.”
Below, learn what challenges are facing rec centers when it comes to proactive risk management and what strategies prove to be successful.
Embracing Digitization
Paro saidmost associations are still running risk management out of binders and spreadsheets, which isn’t a software problem — it’s a process problem. The right software is what ensures staff have easy access to the components they need to do their jobs.
“Certification tracking is one of the biggest pain points,” explained Paro. “Branches end up with their own spreadsheets, so when leadership wants a holistic view of data across the association, it becomes a manual project. Staff stop seeing the point of the paperwork because nobody ever closes the loop with them. Add Praesidium expectations on top of all of that, and you’ve got a lot of people trying to manage risk with tools not built for it.”
To overcome these issues, Paro urged centers to start with one workflow at a time and guarantee it’s done well before moving on to the next. Aquatics audits are a good place to start, as it’s a high-risk area and most associations still have a paper process in place.
“Convert the form to a digital format, keep it short enough so staff will complete it and make sure the aquatics director reviews the results every week,” said Paro. “Once you can see the data, act on it. Build certification tracking into the daily flow instead of treating it as an HR problem. Finally, reward staff who do this work well. Risk management improves when staff know their work is noticed.”
The Missoula Family YMCA
Keri McHugh, the COO of the Missoula Family YMCA in Missoula, Montana, said her organization’s primary focus when it comes to risk management mirrors Paro’s analysis — staying ahead of the curve.
McHugh said her team is keeping safety at the forefront by moving away from a reactive mindset. “Recently, we’ve been focused on the idea that if a risk can exist, we must assume it will manifest unless we intervene,” she explained. “This means looking at everything from digital security and data privacy to the physical safety of our expanding youth programs.”
To reinforce this mindset, McHugh said the Y’s most effective policies have been those that empower every individual in the building. Specifically, their “See Something, Say Something” attitude has been a gamechanger.
“By removing the bystander effect and making safety a shared responsibility between staff and members, we’ve created a much tighter safety net,” said McHugh. “Additionally, our strict adherence to updated Protection of Minors protocols and regular, unannounced safety audits ensures preventative actions become our standard operating procedure.”
Operations at the Missoula Family YMCA are built on cross-departmental communication. Risk management isn’t siloed into one department; instead, the team works together through three main avenues:
- Weekly Leadership Team Meeting. During these, they discuss potential hot spots or equipment concerns before the day even begins.
- Integrated Training. The staff conducts joint emergency drills involving everyone from front-desk staff to personal trainers, ensuring in a crisis the hand-off between teams is seamless.
- The Fresh Eyes Approach. Leadership encourages staff to walk through departments other than their own to spot potential hazards a person working in that space daily might overlook. Also, they conduct random and unannounced audits throughout the entirety of the campus.
Siegel JCC
As a Jewish agency, Ivy Harlev, the CEO of Siegel JCC in Wilmington, Delaware, said security is a central focus in the J’s approach to risk mitigation. While this may differ a bit from other centers, protecting members from potential acts of violence and antisemitism remains a top priority.
“We take a proactive approach by providing regular staff training focused on situational awareness and emergency preparedness,” said Harlev. “From a resource standpoint, we prioritize investments in professional security personnel, access control systems, lighting and surveillance technology to ensure a safe and secure environment.”
Harlev said access control policies such as badge readers, monitored entry points and enforced member check-in procedures have been critical in ensuring only authorized individuals enter the building.
In addition, the J’s partnership with professional security personnel and coordination with local law enforcement have helped create a visible and effective security environment.
From an operational perspective, the J emphasizes a strong staff presence, clear communication of rules and a culture of safety. Harlev said the organization further supports member safety through targeted capital investments.
“For example, we recently replaced our indoor pool deck with more slip-resistant materials and are planning similar upgrades in our outdoor pool locker rooms,” said Harlev. “We’ve also upgraded our gym flooring to provide better shock absorption for activities like basketball and pickleball, helping reduce joint strain and injury risk.”
Siegel JCC also prioritizes ongoing communication around safety and security concerns. “Training is a key component of this approach,” noted Harlev. “In addition, our campus is equipped with tools like panic buttons, and staff utilize two-way radios allowing for immediate communication and coordination during an incident.”
Monroe Family YMCA
At the Monroe Family YMCA in Monroe, Michigan, Penny Marino, the CFO and HR director, said the organization’s top priorities right now focus on child abuse prevention, facility risk assessments and ongoing staff training.
Specifically, the Y’s child abuse prevention policy is one of the most important commitments the team makes to the community. It includes mandated reporting, thorough screening and background checks, and clear expectations for how staff interact with youth.
“Our membership policy also plays a key role, as it outlines expectations around behavior, safety, and facility use, including guidelines related to prohibited conduct, age requirements and overall member responsibility,” said Marino. “These expectations are consistently enforced to help maintain a safe and respectful environment.”
Also, staff are trained to build positive relationships with members, because when people feel seen and respected, they’re more likely to speak up if something feels off. That awareness and communication are critical components in preventing issues before they escalate.
Marino said risk management is a shared responsibility. In fact, the Y conducts an annual emergency action plan training for all staff, covering real life-scenarios such as fire, severe weather, medical emergencies, active threats, aquatics incidents and hazardous material situations. “This ensures our team is prepared to respond effectively in a variety of situations,” explained Marino. “Keeping our Y safe takes coordination, communication and consistency across every level of our organization.”
Finally, Marino said to invest in your people, keep training ongoing and to create an environment where staff feel comfortable speaking up.
“When safety becomes part of your daily culture — not just a checklist —that’s when it really makes an impact,” said Marino. “Risk management starts with culture. When your entire team sees safety as part of their role, that’s when it becomes truly effective.”
Lasting Advice
For the industry at large, Paro said to keep in mind that insurance conversations are changing fast. Now, reps are asking for things that didn’t come up five years ago: digital incident records, trend reports across branches, and evidence somebody reviewed the data and made decisions based on it.
“The associations that show that work quickly and easily have very different renewal conversations than those who can’t,” said Paro. “The other thing is risk management really lives or dies with frontline staff. They’re the ones doing the work. If your system makes their job harder, they’ll work around it. If it makes their job easier and they’re recognized for doing it well, incidents go down.”
For McHugh, her biggest piece of advice is to combat complacency at all costs. She advised for centers to adopt a preventative lens and always operate under the mantra, “If it can happen, it will.”
“Don’t just hand out a handbook. Build a culture where staff feel proud to report a wet floor or a broken latch,” emphaszied McHugh. “Be human. At the end of the day, risk management is about protecting people and the community we love. When you frame it as ‘caring for our neighbors’ rather than following a rule, the buy-in from your team will be much stronger.”
