Meet Autumn Kusmier: Aquatics Manager
May 5th marks Aquatics Manager Autumn Kusmier’s completion of one year at The Kroc. This comes on the cusp of earning her American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor Trainer certification at a week-long course in Raleigh, NC.
Join us in congratulating Autumn on her achievements, thus far, and envisioning what the future of Kroc Aquatics programming will look like in coming months!
Role & Responsibilities
Daily life as Aquatics Manager includes managing staff needs and schedules, developing and implementing new programs, ensuring current programs run smoothly, booking and invoicing for rentals and field trips, teaching lifeguard courses, jumping in as a swim instructor when necessary, and collaborating with other departments.
Autumn’s team of lifeguards, swim instructors, and competitive swim coaches has grown to nearly 20 staff; plus, she works closely with representatives from our third-party partners like Swim Lessons With Mary and adaptive aqua therapy groups.
Firm but compassionate communication, and flexibility are hallmarks of her leadership style. Autumn’s ability to relate to her younger team members is one of her greatest strengths, allowing her to keep them accountable while still making them feel heard and valued.
Background & Experience
Prior to joining The Kroc community, Autumn accrued 5 years of experience at Goldfish Swim School as well as Pickens and Powdersville YMCA locations.
She’s earned four American Red Cross certifications: Lifeguard with CPR and First Aid including AED, Water Safety Instructor, Lifeguard Instructor, and, as mentioned previously, Lifeguard Instructor Trainer. Autumn also has plans to complete steps to secure her Angel Fish Swim Whisperer certification which will allow her to join in teaching Kroc Kids adaptive swim lessons.
Always having had a heart for working with children, Autumn started out as a summer camp counselor before eventually moving into her center’s version of Kroc Kids and getting certified as a lifeguard in 2020. Her friend encouraged her to make the jump to Aquatics, and in hindsight, Autumn sees her choice to become a lifeguard as one of the most impactful she’s ever made.
She explains, “Before getting my certification, I’d never learned the official swim strokes like backstroke and butterfly. I learned them through that course, and if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am now, doing what I love and am passionate about.”
Rec. and Lap Pools
Kroc Greenville’s Aquatics Center stands out among swim facilities in the area. Its zero-entry rec. pool provides play to families year-round with indoor, heated water, spray features, play structures, water slide, and state-of-the-art ultraviolet light technology that meets some of the highest cleanliness standards!
Additionally, ours is one of the rare Lap Pools which operates using an organized reservation system. This means members are able to book their timeslots and lanes via the Kroc Connect app and are entitled to that space.
Most comparable pools assign their lanes on a first-come, first-serve basis which can feel insecure and frustrating to swimmers. Many have voiced their preference for our orderly, reliable process.
Swim Lessons & Lifeguard Certification Courses
Alongside its amenities, Kroc Greenville also offers group, semi-private, and Kroc Courage swim lessons. Since accepting her position, Autumn has been instrumental in adding timeslots, expanding availability, bolstering participation, and adding adult and adaptive class options.
She and her supervisor Lindsey Bayne, Program Director, also helped introduce swim lesson scholarships through the Kroc Cares Peacock Grant which allows eligible applicants to receive crucial water safety instruction at a discounted rate.
Autumn’s contributions to the Kroc Aquatics lineup don’t stop there! She’s also been hard at work building up the community center’s Lifeguard Training Courses since they launched in November, 2025.
Taught monthly, the program leads participants through 12 hours of American Red Cross curriculum, blending courses to both certify and re-certify lifeguards. Upon completion, course participants receive CPR and AED lifeguarding certificates, good for 2 years.
One of Autumn’s proudest moments at The Kroc came when April’s Lifeguard Training Course’s registration completely filled. She’s proud to work at a place that provides these types of opportunities to its community.
Upcoming Opportunities
Similarly, Autumn is excited to have brought the American Red Cross’ “Longfellow Whale Tales” program to A.J. Whittenburg Elementary students this past season. She expects to expand the outreach program which teaches water safety skills to include lessons at more schools within 5 miles of The Kroc.
Her plan for the next 12 months also includes helping more Aquatics staff to feel comfortable instructing swim lessons. After all, in her role previous to joining Kroc Greenville, Autumn’s ability to work in multiple roles is part of what she believes gave her an edge and helped her work up to an Assistant Director position and eventually, into her current role. She hopes to give her employees the same advantages and trajectory as she’s benefited from in becoming a well-rounded, confident team member.
Outside of Kroc Aquatics
When Autumn is off the clock, she enjoys line dancing, hiking, and working as a nanny to an inquisitive, two-year-old girl.
She frequents The Foundry and Wendell’s with Fuego being her favorite dance. Keowee-Toxaway is her favorite, but Autumn and her boyfriend like visiting any state park, especially one with a lake. She typically sticks to moderate trails but is working up to hiking more challenging paths.
She’s been in the upstate her whole life and currently lives with her two dogs, a husky and a whippet-lab mix.
When asked about Autumn, her supervisor Lindsey responded, “She is a deeply compassionate manager and is skilled at problem solving, which she has to use very often in aquatics. I appreciate her commitment and enthusiasm for all things Aquatics.”
We echo her sentiments and invite you to get to know Autumn and the rest of our staff yourself by becoming a member, visiting on a Guest Swim Pass or enrolling in one of our Swim Lessons or Lifeguard Training Courses. Thanks for being a part of the Kroc Greenville Community!