What We Are Missing Tonight With The Postponement of ISHOF’s Paragon Awards

If you are still getting calendar messages and alerts to your phone about your flights and stay in Fort Lauderdale, Fl for the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Induction weekend, you are not alone. It was scheduled to start tonight!

Tonight, April 24th, 2020 was the start to ISHOF’s induction weekend by honoring all the special people in aquatic sports. Obviously this will not happen as the event has been postponed until later this fall. But allow us to showcase those that were scheduled to be honored.

The still to be publicly honored recipients of the 25th Annual Paragon Awards, sponsored by Pentair Aquatic Systems are Teri McKeever for Competitive Swimming; Lynn Comer Kachmarik for Water Polo, Dave Burgering for Competitive Diving; Linda Quan, M.D. for Aquatic Safety; Betty Hazle for Synchronized Swimming and Florence Werner for Recreational Swimming.

About This Year’s Paragon Award Recipients:

Competitive Diving

Dave Burgering competed on the U.S.A. Diving National Team from 1977-1984 and was he a member of the 1980 USA Olympic Team that boycotted the Moscow Olympic Games Burgering became the head diving coach of Swimming Hall of Fame at the Hall of Fame Pool, where he currently coaches. He has coached over 169 Junior National finalists, which include 30 gold medalists at the Junior National level and 11 Senior National gold medalists. He is the past President of USA Diving, was the 2008 U.S. Olympic Diving Coach, and has been a member of the USA Diving Coaching staff for numerous other events, including Grand Prix events, World Series and Junior Pan-Am Games.

2020 Paragon Award Winner Dave Burgering

Artisitc (Synchronized) Swimming

Betty Hazle has been on the U.S. Synchronized Swimming’s International Relations committee for the past 20+ years. She overseas the exchange programs through clubs with other nations with a mutual understanding of athletes learning fellowship, culture and sport. Hazle is a FINA A judge, she is on the UANA Technical committee and will be a judge representing the United States, in the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

2020 Paragon Award Winner Betty Hazle

Water Polo

Lynn Comer Kachmarik is the founder and CEO of True Brand Sports LLC, and Vice President of Equilibria in Sports. She has 47 years of leadership and coaching experience at all sport levels. She was a twelve-time All-American water polo player and swimmer at Slippery Rock University. She was a 10-year member of the United States National Water Polo team, and then served on their Executive Committee. Throughout an 18-year career at Bucknell University, she held various coaching positions, including serving two decades as the head coach for the Men’s and Women’s Water Polo and Swim teams. Kachmarik has been inducted into six athletic Halls of Fame, including the United States Water Polo Hall of Fame, Bucknell University Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Collegiate Water Polo Coach Hall of Fame

2020 Paragon Award Winner Lynn Comer Kachmarik

Competitive Swimming
Teri McKeever was in her 28th season overseeing the University of California women’s swimming & diving program in 2019-20. She has guided the Golden Bears to four NCAA and four Pac-12 team championships. She was the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Head Coach and has been a two-time U.S. Olympic Team Assistant Coach. McKeever has coached 26 swimmers who have won 36 Olympic medals, 64 swimmers and divers who have been named CSCAA All-American Scholars and has coached 133 swimmers and divers who have been named to the Pac-12 All-American Academic Team. She has been inducted into the American Swimming Coaches Hall of Fame and the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame.

2020 Paragon Award Winner Teri McKeever Photo Courtesy: Cal Athletics

Recreational Swimming

Florence Werner was an active American Red Cross Instructor for over 50 years. For Werner, swimming was her life. And although she is retired, she continues to offer guidance to swimmers and instructors alike. Her career began in 1961 at the Curtis Pool, a City of Miami Pool, just a few blocks from downtown Miami, which was once located along the Miami River. She was recognized for her 50 years of service and teaching by the American Red Cross, but what really mattered to Werner was teaching people to swim, young and old and making them safe.

Special Event photography in South Florida.

2020 Paragon Award Winner Florence Werner Photo Courtesy: Jeff Kolodny

Water Safety

Linda Quan is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician at the Seattle Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center and a professor at the University of Washington’s Department of Pediatrics (Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development). Dr. Quan has been involved in drowning research and guidelines for many years on a national and international level. Dr. Quan and her longtime collaborator, Elizabeth Bennett’s research helped define the problem that in King’s County, teens 15-19 were at greater risk of drowning than any other age group besides preschoolers, and that drowning in lakes and rivers posed the greatest risk to teens.

2020 Paragon Award Winner Linda Quan

The Paragon Awards are part of ISHOF’s 56th Annual Hall of Fame Honoree Weekend, April 24-25, 2020. For ticket information visit www.ishof.org or call 570 594-4367. For more information about the Paragon Awards, https://ishof.org/paragon-awards.html

As part of this special evening, ISHOF presents “Specialty Awards”. The ISHOF Specialty Awards are presented annually to individuals for outstanding contributions to aquatics.

This year’s ISHOF Specialty Award Recipients:

Jordan Whitney-Wei — Buck Dawson Author Award: Katharine Whitney Curtis – Mother of Synchronized Swimming
Russell Weaver—ISHOF Service Award
James S. O’Connor —Judge G. Harold Martin Award
Patricia Cirigliano—Virginia Hunt Newman Award Sponsored by Kiefer
Julia Meno—John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award Sponsored by S.R. Smith
Wayne Goldsmith—Al Schoenfield Media Award
John Leonard —ISHOF President’s Award

Jordan Whitney Wei — 2019 Buck Dawson Author Award

The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2020 Buck Dawson Author’s Award will be Jordan Whitney-Wei for his book, Katharine Whitney Curtis – The Mother of Synchronized Swimming. This award is presented by ISHOF in the name of William “Buck” Dawson, ISHOF’s founding Executive Director, to an author of work that promotes and educates people about aquatics.

2020 Paragon Award recipient Jordan Whitney-Wei

Jordan Whitney-Wei is the great-grandnephew of Katharine Whitney Curtis. His book, Katharine Whitney Curtis – Mother of Synchronized Swimming will be released on February 25, 2020. His previous writing and research focused on philosophy and poetry, but this time, it focuses on family, synchronized swimming and his “Aunt Kate”, a woman ahead of her time. This is Whitney-Wei’s third book and his first award. Katharine “Kay” Curtis was the originator of synchronized swimming, as we know it today, she even wrote a book about it in 1936. But there was much more to her life and career. Unbound by fear, or the narrow expectations of society, this was a woman who lived ahead of her time making things happen along the way. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1979. The book will be available on Amazon for purchase.

About Buck Dawson: Dawson was a veteran of WWII who served as assistant and publicist for Generals Gavin and Ridgeway in the 82nd Airborne. From the time he was chosen to lead ISHOF in 1962, until his death in 2008, Buck traveled the world armed with Hall of Fame brochures, books, and bumper stickers, always spreading the word, always willing to talk and teach swimming and swimming history to anyone who would listen. He wrote hundreds of articles and was the author of eight books, ranging in subjects from bathing beauties to war, but especially swimming.

Russell Weaver — 2020 International Swimming Hall of Fame Service Award

The Staff of the International Swimming Hall of Fame are pleased to announce that Russell Weaver will receive the 2020 ISHOF Service Award. The ISHOF Service Award is given to an individual who has selflessly volunteered their time, energy, and/or resources to advance the interests and work of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

2020 Paragon Award recipient Russell Weaver

Russell Weaver has easily given over 25 years of his time, connections, and resources to ISHOF. He is involved extensively with business networks throughout South Florida. When he attends these meetings and events, he always has in his mind, “Can this help ISHOF in any way?” As president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Sisters Cities International and co-chair of Tower Club Internationals, Weaver works closely together with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, Broward County, and the City of Fort Lauderdale to promote Broward County’s business and cultural highlights to the Miami based Consulates and binational chamber of commerce organizations. During these international monthly meetings, new business and government relationships are established, highlighting Fort Lauderdale and Broward County as a world class destination. As always, Weaver remembers ISHOF and always gives us the opportunity to showcase our Honorees at some of these events and educate the international local community and others, about what our museum has to offer.

James S. O’Connor — 2020 Judge G. Harold Martin Award

The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2020 Judge G. Harold Martin Award is James (Jim) O’Connor. The G. Harold Martin Award is presented to someone for their long and exceptional leadership, insight, and dedication to the water safety of children and the cause of making “Every Child A Swimmer”.

2020 Paragon Award recipient James S. O’Conor

Jim O’Connor has more than 40 years-experience as an aquatic professional and is committed to the prevention of aquatic accidents and teaching children to swim. O’Connor is the Aquatics Program Manager for Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation Open Spaces Department, the third largest parks and recreation department in the United States and the largest municipal learn to swim provider in the state.

Mr. O’Connor has held numerous aquatic positions, served on the “Advisory Council” of the “National Drowning Prevention Alliance”, has been an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, Aquatics Coordinator for the American Red Cross Greater Miami and Keys Chapter, and was the Aquatic Director and Head Swim Coach at the University of Oregon.

About G. Harold Martin: Back in 1908, G. Harold Martin almost drowned in the Ohio River. Over the next two decades he almost drowned two more times. From these experiences evolved a mission to make “Every Child A Swimmer.” His civic involvement led to the building of Fort Lauderdale, Florida’s first municipal pool in 1927, Kiwanian sponsored free swim lessons at the pool, and eventually the decision by ISHOF to locate in Fort Lauderdale. An active Kiwanian his entire adult life, he was instrumental in making the Key Club an integral club within Kiwanis International and the adoption of Every Child A Swimmer as a Kiwanian project.

Patricia Cirigliano — 2020 Virginia Hunt Newman International Award

The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Patricia Cirigliano will be the 2020 recipient of the Virginia Hunt Newman International Award.

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The award is sponsored by Kiefer, the “Keep ‘em Swimming” company founded in 1947 by Hall of Fame swimming great Adolph Kiefer, this award annually recognizes outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions in the field of infant and young child swimming instruction in the name of the “Mother of Infant Swimming,” Virginia Hunt Newman.

2020 Paragon Award recipient Dr. Patricia Cirigliano

Dr. Patricia Cirigliano started the first Argentine swimming school for babies in 1960, together with her holistic method, Matronatacion®, which is a creative and original approach to aquatic initiation for babies that involves human integrity and respect for the child and the family. To present, 17,000 babies, toddlers and young children beginning at 15 days old have learned to swim and have enjoyed the Matronatacion® method at Cirigliano’s school, whose motto is “Swimming is learnt by playing”. They are at the very core of learning. The Method distinctive characteristics are freedom, game, active mother role, intelligent learning according to child maturity development, without conditioned response and didactical use of toys and materials.

Dr. Cirigliano is member of a great number of associations such as: International Physical Education Federation and Panathlon Club in Buenos Aires and the National Swimming Schools Association in U.S.A. As from 1991, she has been an active member of the Argentine Pediatrics Association.

Julia Meno — 2020 John K. Williams, Jr. Adapted Aquatics Award

The Adapted Aquatics Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Julia Meno will receive the 2020 John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award. The annual award, honoring individuals or organizations who have made significant and substantial contributions to the field of adaptive aquatics, is presented by S.R. Smith, a world-leading manufacturer of commercial and residential swimming pool deck equipment headquartered in Canby, Oregon.

Julia Meno, CTRS, ATRIC, CMT, is the founder and owner of Therapeutic Aquatics, LLC. and is an internationally known presenter and instructor on aquatic therapy and wellness. She currently instructs group wellness classes and provides individual aquatic therapy sessions. She is the author of several instructional aquatic therapy technique manuals & DVD’s. She was the recipient of the ATRI International Tsunami Spirit Award (2005) and The Aquatic Therapy Professional Award (2012).

2020 Paragon Award recipient Julia Meno

Wayne Goldsmith — 2020 Al Schoenfield Media Award

The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2020 Al Schoenfield Media Award will be Wayne Goldsmith for outstanding contributions to the promotion of aquatic sports through journalism. This award is presented by ISHOF in memory of Al Schoenfield.

2020 Paragon Award recipient Wayne Goldsmith

Wayne Goldsmith has been a thought-provoking leader and influencer in the swim industry for more than 25 years. As a regular contributor to Swimming World Magazine, his “Goldmind” articles discuss goal setting, visualization, and team building concepts. He has worked directly with many of the world’s leading coaches, athletes, teams and sporting organizations in over 30 different countries. Wayne is a recognized global expert in coaching, coach education, and coach development for peak performance. His lessons in leadership, team development, change acceleration and continuous improvement provide swim coaches with quality, credible, engaging information via articles, videos, podcasts, seminars, clinics, and talks.

Al Schoenfield was the Editor and Publisher of Swimming World Magazine (1960-1977) and served on various international committees of swimming, including the FINA Technical Swimming Committee (1980-1984). Schoenfield’s life was a commitment to swimming and he participated in its administrative structure and spread its stories through his magazines and promotions. Al died in 2005, but his legacy will forever endure to all who have benefited from his lifetime of service to swimming.

John Leonard — 2020 ISHOF Presidential Award

The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2020 Presidential Award will be John Leonard. This award is presented by ISHOF conferred in recognition of an extraordinary or exceptional achievement to promote the mission of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

2020 Paragon Award recipient John Leonard

John Leonard has served as the Executive Director for the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) for over 35 years. During his tenure, ASCA has grown from 1,000 to 11,000 coach members. Along the way, Leonard and his staff created a certification program that educated swim coaches and professionalized the sport. In fact, over 24,500 coaches have been certified by ASCA since 1985. To further that mission, swim coaches, aquatic professionals, and industry giants gather every fall at the ASCA World Clinic, which is now the largest gathering of its kind in the world. Leonard enhanced ASCA’s service to the aquatic community by creating Swim America for coaches to run learn-to-swim programs to teach proper technique and save lives. He has published numerous articles and commentaries while overseeing ASCA’s publications throughout his career. As an advocate for coaches and athletes, no other person has been more outspoken on issues relating to doping, athlete rights, and coaching representation on an international level.

Stay Tuned

We look forward officially announcing the date when we can all come together to celebrate all that is good in aquatic sports. Until then, stay safe and healthy.

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