Miren Oca, owner of the Ocaquatics Swim School, was honored by the United States Swim School Association (USSSA) at the USSSA 2018 National Conference with the association’s Guiding Light Award. The event took place during September in Las Vegas, NV.
The Guiding Light is an annual award given by the USSSA Board of Directors to someone who made a particularly outstanding contribution to the organization. It seeks to honor individuals who have provided exceptional service to the U.S. Swim School Association and other members of the U.S. Swim School Association. The Guiding Light recipient demonstrates a generous commitment to teaching, helping, sharing and otherwise serving the Association and its members.
“Miren is the epitome of our Guiding Light Award,” said Lisa Zarda, USSSA executive director. “She has dedicated countless hours to giving back with her experience, talent and big heart. And as she continues to grow her schools, she has never lost sight of the small swim schools we serve as an organization. We congratulate Miren on this well-deserved recognition.”
Oca, who started with swimming instruction in client homes, moved to her first location at a hotel in 1994. After operating for years in outdoor locations, she moved to her own indoor facility in 2009 and opened her fourth swim school location in April when Ocaquatics Swim School celebrated 24 years in business. The fourth Ocaquatics Swim School is located in the West Perrine neighborhood just off Florida’s Turnpike at the Eureka Drive exit, near Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay.
The U.S. Swim School Association (USSSA) began in 1988 and has become the largest and preeminent swim school association in the country with more than 500 members providing swimming and water safety instruction to over 550,000 students each year.
Oca has served in many roles within the association over her years as a lifetime member, including board of directors, president, committee member and committee chair. She currently chairs the Infant Toddler Committee with a dedication to bringing baby swim instruction to members across the country.
Oca says she was greatly pleased to be recognized in this way.
“I am humbled and honored to have received the Guiding Light award from the U.S. Swim School Association,” she said. “I love this association and it has helped me build my business. It means so much to be recognized by so many people that I consider to be guiding lights to me and my team.”
Contact Ocaquatics at 305-969-SWIM (7946) or visit www.ocaquatics.com for information.
Yay, Miren! Boy, how I still mourn the fact that South Miami was too … to accept your offer to design and manage our pool.