An NSPF landmark celebration and a presentation by an Olympic Hall of Famer will mark the 2015 World Aquatic Health Conference.
This is a big year for the National Swimming Pool Foundation – its 50th anniversary.
To celebrate, a welcome reception will be held Oct. 8 at WAHC, an annual NSPF event. This year's will take place at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Arizona.
NSPF’s journey began in the 1960s with the original mission of “receiving and maintaining funds to use for scientific and educational purposes that would influence the design, construction and operation of swimming pools and spas.”
Over the years, its efforts reflected changing times and needs. For example, NSPF developed its Certified Pool/Spa Operator program, as well as a comprehensive online training series that focused on specialized programs in aquatics, such as the Certified Pool/Spa Inspector, Aquatic Play feature and many other courses. NSPF also was first to fund creation of a science-based, free Model Aquatic Health Code, which is now published by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
The list of accomplishments continued to grow as NSPF took on new initiatives, such as its Step into Swim campaign to create one million more swimmers, reduce drowning, improve health and help build demand for pools. The organization remains committed to furthering advances in research to demonstrate how aquatic activity creates healthier lives, such as NSPF’s recent sponsorship of Swim Today, a campaign promoting the sport of swimming for youths.
To join the celebration of NSPF’s 50th anniversary at WAHC, register online.
WAHC will feature other highlights. Olympic gold medal swimmer Rowdy Gaines will present the keynote speech on Oct. 8 at 8:30 a.m. His talk is titled “Dedication and Commitment Through the Peaks and Valleys of Life.” In addition, Market Growth, a new educational track, will be presented that same day, 10 a.m.-4:50 p.m. The sessions in this track are meant to show aquatics professionals how getting more people to swim can benefit their individual businesses and increase sales overall.
“We need to better understand today’s consumer, message effectively together, and ride the coattails of major health and economic trends,” said Tom Lachocki, Ph.D., CEO of Colorado Springs, Colo.-based NSPF. “Healthier people and greater prosperity will be the result for the entire industry and the public.”
