“Swimming is a life skill and we must find ways to make it more accommodating”

There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer, and over the next few weeks, Swim Ontario will be featuring stories about some of our many volunteers who give back to our sport. Thank you to all of our hard working and dedicated volunteers!

There’s a very good chance that you’ve heard the slogan – “the Pepsi Challenge”.

It’s been an on-going public relations promotion for more than 50 years, involving a battle of soft drink companies, vying for consumers.

Quite familiar with one of the marvels of marketing that has, and continues to have, glowing results, is Canadian-born Jamie Peetsma.

Born in Winnipeg and now a resident of Burlington, Ont., Peetsma is a middle management executive with PepsiCo – and he thinks Swim Ontario, already the largest provincial swim organization in Canada, just might need a catchy slogan to support membership growth.

“We need to find a way to continue to market ourselves better,” said Peetsma, who is Swim Ontario’s Treasurer, and has been a member of a distinguished and articulate Board of Directors since his election in 2019.

“I look at the stability of the organization. We have a large membership, but we can’t sit back. There is a commitment to grow, improve and attract more swimmers.”

An experienced senior manager, Peetsma has been with PepsiCo for 32 years – and each year, he says, the company grows.

“Swimming is a life skill and while it’s also an expensive sport, we have to find ways to make it more accommodating” he said.

Since there are individuals who have a taste for Pepsi, it just might be the right time for a jingle or rallying cry to stimulate more growth in Ontario recreational and competitive swimming for people of all ages.

Like most youngsters challenged with so many activities taking up personal time, Peetsma had his own interests and hobbies.

There was also that first computer – an Atari 400. Commitments to a newspaper route, along with other opportunities, were huge incentives to collect and save revenue for things he enjoyed, like arcade games.

Growing up in London, Ont., Peetsma had formal swim lessons at the age of 10.

“We had to learn (to swim) as kids, but my parents made sure that we had those lessons,” said Peetsma, who would become a multi-sport athlete in high school and then focus on earning an academic degree in Information Technology from the University of Western Ontario.

Not one for competitive swimming or coaching, the lure back to the pool came with his children joining the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays swim club. Chaperoning the kids to classes gravitated to conversations with other parents, involvement in activities, and becoming an executive member of the club for seven years.

Peetsma took a liking to officiating, and is now working on his Level 4, along with close to earning his 15-year pin from Swimming Canada. Highlighting some exceptional people, Peetsma is being featured in Swim Ontario’s “Heart of the Volunteer” series.

“I saw an opportunity to get involved and to do more, spoke to our head coach and then filled in a form to seek nomination to the (Swim Ontario) Board (of Directors),” outlining the route he took before he was elected.

With strong professional skills and a varied career at PepsiCo., Peetsma has a passion for working on all types of data. He heads up a conversion team that reports to him from various parts of the United States.

While people have a taste for a soft drink, Peetsma knows there are thousands who will have a taste for sound physical exercise, enjoyment, and an opportunity to excel in the sport of swimming.

“Swim Ontario is a great place to be,” added Peetsma. “You’re surrounded with a great group of committed people who are always finding ways to do things better.”

David Grossman is a veteran multi award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 45+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations.