Industry News: ISHOF Announces 2010 Paragon, ISHOF Award Recipients

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, May 5. THE 2010 Paragon and ISHOF Awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, May 7, 2010 at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale. Sponsored by Paragon Aquatics, the evening will begin with a reception, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm in the Hall of Fame museum, followed by the awards ceremony in the John Dupont auditorium. Tickets may be purchased by calling 954-462-6536.

For more information about the Paragon Awards, click here.

Awards to be presented on May 7, include:
Paragon Award for Competitive Swimming – John Leonard
As the Executive Director of American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA), John Leonard has had a tremendous impact on the world of competitive swimming. Under his leadership, ASCA is recognized as the world's educational resource for coaching education. In addition to being a world-class administrator and author, John gives dozens of presentations each year around the world, sharing his wisdom about every level of competitive swimming from learn to swim to the elite Olympic level.

Paragon Award for Competitive Diving – Janice Rude
When her father, Ray Rude founder of the Duraflex diving board used at every Olympic Games since 1960 allowing divers to perform dives of greater difficulty, retired from the company Jan stepped in to run Duraflex International bringing it to the next level to provide the best high-performance diving boards on which the world of diving has come to know and rely.

Paragon Award for Synchronized Swimming – Safeya Ahmed Sarwat
Born in Egypt, "Sophie" was the first Egyptian woman to start a business in Egypt (hairdressers shop for ladies) which explains her unique quality of representing women in sport. Beginning in 1950, she established and coached synchronized swimming in Egypt, served 14 years on the FINA TSSC, was a FINA "A" judge and was well known for her fighting spirit and determination when it came to women's sport.

Paragon Award for Water Polo – Eugenio Martinez
Eugenio Martinez of Cuba served on the FINA Technical Water Polo Committee from 1996 to 2009 when he was elected to the FINA Bureau joining his brother, Guillermo Martinez, now Honorary Member of FINA. Eugenio has been very instrumental in promoting water polo world-wide.

Paragon Award for Water Safety – B. Chris Brewster
Chris has been the driving force in establishing life guarding standards for beaches and open water in order to reduce deaths and injury by promoting public education. He has been the president of the United States Lifesaving Association and the Americas Region of the International Lifesaving Federation as well as the Federation's vice president, Commissioner of Lifesaving for the ILSF and Lifeguard Chief (retired) for the San Diego Lifeguard Service.

Paragon Award for Recreational Swimming – Steven Becker
Steven serves as the Director of Health and Wellness Services for the Jewish Community Center Association of North America where he serves as a resource for more than 350 JCC, YM-YWHA and campsites in the U.S. and Canada. Prior to his current position, he was fitness and aquatics director at the Marcus JCC in Atlanta for four years and the Westside JCC in Los Angeles for fifteen years.

John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award, Presented by SR Smith – Dr. Ann Weiser
Dr. Weiser has dedicated her professional life to aquatics for individuals with disabilities. At the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, she implemented one of the first undergraduate aquatic therapy professional preparation programs in the United States and at one time, had one of only two adapted aquatic instructional credentialing programs in the nation.

Buck Dawson Authors Award for an Aquatic Related Book – Tim Dahlberg with Mary Ederle Ward and Brenda Greene
Their book, "America's Girl, The Incredible Story of How Swimmer Gertrude Ederle Changed the Nation". is an intimate look at the life and trials of Ederle who in 1926 became the first woman to swim across the English Channel drawing such world-wide attention that over two million people welcomed her home to a New York City ticker tape parade. Her success became the success for all women and helped to initiate a cultural move for women in America.

G. Harold Martin Award for "Every Child A Swimmer" – Russell "Rusty" Owens
For over 50 years Rusty has been working with all stages of swimmers from the beginner to those on the competitive swim team in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area. He has taught generations of children to swim, from moms to daughters to grand daughters. He has a love for the children, makes swimming fun and instills a sense of pride to do your best. At age 73, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Virginia Hunt Newman Award – Daniel Zylberberg, Ph.D.
A clinical child psychiatrist from Paris, France, Daniel Zylberberg is a world renowned baby swim proponent. He has put his education and experience to work in the aquatics field. Daniel is the author of numerous books and articles that have been translated into many languages. Since 2008, Zylberberg has served as an expert advisor to the French Swimming Federation's special commission on baby and children's learn to swim programs.

Ticket information can be found on the Hall of Fame's website at ishof.org

About ISHOF
The International Swimming Hall of Fame, Inc. (ISHOF), established in 1965, is a not-for-profit educational organization located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Its mission is to promote the benefits and importance of swimming as a key to fitness, good health, quality of life, and the water safety of all adults and children. It accomplishes this through operation of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, a dynamic museum and shrine dedicated to the history, memory, and recognition of the famous swimmers, divers, water polo players, synchronized swimmers and people involved in life saving activities and education whose lives and accomplishments inspire, educate, and provide role models for people around the world. For more information visit http://www.ishof.org

About Paragon Aquatics
Paragon Aquatics is a Division of Pentair Water Pool and Spa headquartered out of LaGrangeville, NY. Paragon has been a leading innovator, designer and manufacturer of swimming pool deck equipment, including competitive starting platforms, for over 50 years, and is a proud sponsor of the ISHOF "Paragon Awards" since 1996.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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