Legendary Adolph Kiefer to Deliver Keynote Address at World Aquatic Health Conference in Ireland, March 11-13, 2005 - Sponsored by the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) [Hosted by the Institute of Technology-Tralee, Ireland]

Mr. Adolph Kiefer, Kiefer Sports Group, is scheduled to deliver an inspirational keynote address at the three-day World Aquatic Health Conference, sponsored by the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF). The conference, slated for March 11-13, 2005, at the Institute of Technology (IT), Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland, focuses on the needs of aquatic program managers, environmental health officials, pool and spa operators, researchers and educators.

Colorado Springs, CO; Tralee, Ireland December 11, 2004 --
Mr. Adolph Kiefer, Kiefer Sports Group, is scheduled to deliver an inspirational keynote address at the three-day World Aquatic Health Conference, sponsored by the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF). The conference, slated for March 11-13, 2005, at the Institute of Technology (IT), Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland, focuses on the needs of aquatic program managers, environmental health officials, pool and spa operators, researchers and educators.

It is a special honor to have Adolph Kiefer deliver our keynote address, says Thomas Lachocki, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the NSPF. Mr. Kiefer will reflect on aquatics and the Olympics since earning his gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Games, and he will help us see the future he imagines.

Adolph Kiefer has been committed to aquatics for nearly 8 decades. A 2003 magazine profile on Kiefer writes, Since winning the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke when he was 17 years old, Kiefers been much more to the industry than just an Olympic champion. He revamped the swimming instruction program in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He performed aquatic shows, doing diving and swimming stunts and racing seals. He started an aquatic supply business, and invented products and supported others products that have dramatically changed the speed and growth of the sport over the decades. He has been instrumental in developing water-safety standards in both the United States and abroad.

Kiefer continues today to be totally dedicated to the advancement of swimming as a sport and more. From aquatic therapy to safety and rescue equipment, training and workout gear and the latest in technology - this is what Adolph Kiefer is thinking about. From the Olympic Pool at Atlanta to the one at any high school, Kiefer is striving to make swimming as safe as it is fun. Mr. Kiefers address will set the stage for over 21 additional outstanding speakers and exhibits that feature the latest technologies and services for swimming pools and spas.

More About the Conference
Global leaders in the recreational water industry will gather to discuss minimizing the risk of illnesses due to poor pool and spa water quality. A series of presentations are scheduled to help guide public health officers, aquatic directors, academic and industrial researchers, university/college educators, new technology marketers, and technical educators on how to protect people from disease outbreaks, suction entrapment, diving injuries, drowning, and harmful contaminants in the water. To help reduce epidemic levels of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other diseases, the conference seminars will also illustrate the benefits of aquatic exercise and teach how to create programs that attract people to aquatic activities.

Several presentations and a strategic planning session will be held to establish a framework of college courses for the aquatic industry. The aquatics field is complex, and employees often require some education in business, chemistry, microbiology, engineering, physical fitness, business management, public health and other areas. There are no university degree programs with these broad requirements. Several speakers from leading universities will describe their aquatic degree programs. Dr. Joseph Beck, an expert in public health, recreational water, and strategic planning will facilitate planning sessions to help create a vision of the aquatic university curriculum of the future. Every employer I have ever asked reaffirms that there are no college programs that build the proper background in our industry, states Lachocki. People enter our industry more by accident than by design. They are hired based on a talent in one area and then must be trained in the other areas. We have to design college curricula that will fulfill the demand for qualified people and put the training in the hands of university educators, he adds.

The Conference features five strands:
-Aquatic Disease & Injury Prevention
-Aquatic Academic Training Programs
-Aquatic Operator Training Programs
-Program Excellence & Health Benefit
-Industrial New Technology

On Friday evening, March 11, the conference will open with a reception, including snacks, at the beautiful Brandon Hotel. Michael Carmody, IT-Tralee Director, will welcome the delegates, and Adolph Kiefer will deliver his inspirational keynote address. In addition, an NSPF Scholarship will be presented to a student at the Institute of Technology-Tralee. On Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13, the symposia will feature speakers from 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. and include an exposition with companies and non-profit organizations. Lunch and entertainment will also be provided. Attendees can purchase tickets for the Saturday banquet, which includes Irish dancing entertainment, and an awards ceremony. The banquet will be held at the Brandon Hotel from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Extra activities and outings are planned for Monday, March 14, for attendees who wish to extend their stay in Ireland and celebrate St. Patricks Day. Events include a golf outing and a Ring of Kerry County tour.

Conference Registration
Conference attendees should register by contacting NSPF at 1-719-540-9119 or by downloading a registration form and conference information at www.nspf.org. Registrations should be mailed to NSPF or faxed to 1-719-540-2787 (in U.S.) or 00-353-66-714-5651 (in Europe). Early registration is 275/US$345 per attendee for registrations received prior to December 31. Regular registration is 350/US$435 (between December 31 and February 1). Late registration is
395/US$495 (after February 1). One-day passes are also available. Information regarding exhibitor display spaces may be obtained by contacting NSPF.

About NSPF
The National Swimming Pool Foundation is a non-profit international organization dedicated to improving public health by encouraging healthier living through aquatic education and research.
NSPF works toward its mission with educational products, like the Aquatic Safety Compendium, Certified Pool Inspector training, the World Aquatic Health Conference, and the Certified Pool-Spa Operator (CPO) training program. The CPO training program is the worlds leading education program for pool and spa operators and health officials. Over 15,000 persons are certified as CPO graduates each year. Proceeds from educational programs are reinvested in research grants, graduate research fellowships and educational programs. NSPF funded over $200,000 in grants during 2004, and organized the first Aquatic Health Conference in October 2004, in Atlanta, Georgia. This conference focused on protecting people and encouraging better health through aquatics. Based on the exceptional response, this program has been expanded to reach a broader world audience.

About IT-Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland
IT-Tralee is a university-level institution with a range of programs from certificate to post-graduate level. ITT has over 3,500 full-time and part-time students and a staff of 250. Established in 1977, the Institute has operated autonomously since 1993. It provides education and training and facilitates industrial research and consultancy. ITT is also a major engine of economic and social development in the region, which encompasses County Kerry and parts of counties Cork, Clare and Limerick.

The School of Science offers a broad curriculum of health and leisure studies including courses in aquatics:
-National Certificate in Health and Leisure Studies - Two-year program
-National Diploma in Health and Leisure - One additional year
-Bachelor of Science - Two additional years
-Post-graduate studies leading to masters and Ph.D. qualifications

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