A Look At Tonight’s ISHOF Specialty Awards Recipients As Part Of Hall of Fame Weekend
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) has announced the recipients of the ISHOF specialty awards. The ISHOF specialty awards are presented annually to individuals for outstanding contributions to aquatics. This year’s awards will be presented on Friday evening, October 14th, in conjunction with the Paragon Awards and the 57th Annual ISHOF Honoree Induction weekend.
This year’s ISHOF Specialty Award Recipients:
Michael Loynd – 2022 Buck Dawson Author Award: The Watermen: The Birth of American Swimming and One Young Man’s Fight to Capture Olympic Gold
Jordan Whitney-Wei — 2021 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
Julia Meno—John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award Sponsored by S.R. Smith
Wayne Goldsmith—Al Schoenfield Media Award
Mike Loynd – 2022 Buck Dawson Authors Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2022 Buck Dawson Author’s Award is Michael Loynd for his book, The Watermen: The Birth of American Swimming and One Young Man’s Fight to Capture Olympic Gold. 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.
Mike Loynd is chairman of the St. Louis Olympic Committee, a representative on the International Olympic Committee’s World Union of Olympic Cities, a member of the International Society of Olympic Historians, and a sports attorney and lecturer. He is the author of All Things Irish: A Novel, and now, The Waterman: The Birth of American Swimming and One Young Man’s Fight to Capture Olympic Gold, the story of ISHOF Honoree, Charlie Daniels. Loynd lives in St. Louis with his family.
Jordan Whitney Wei — 2021 Buck Dawson Author Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2021 Buck Dawson Author’s Award is 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
Jordan Whitney-Wei is the great-grandnephew of Katharine Whitney Curtis. His book, Katharine Whitney Curtis – Mother of Synchronized Swimming was 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 also wrote a book about it in 1936. Though there was much more to her life and career. Unbound by fear, or the narrow expectations of society, she was a woman who lived ahead of her time making things happen along the way. Curtis 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. He was always spreading the word, and 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 — 2022 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 2022 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.
Russell Weaver has easily given over 25 years of his time, connections, and resources to ISHOF. He is extensively involved 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. He helps 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 — 2022 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 2022 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”.
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’s first municipal pool in 1927. Kiwanian sponsored free swim lessons at the pool, and eventually influenced the decision by ISHOF to be located 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 — 2022 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 2022 recipient of the Virginia Hunt Newman International Award.
Dr. Patricia Cirigliano started the first Argentine swimming school for babies in 1960. The school was centered around 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’s distinctive characteristics are freedom, game, active mother role, intelligent learning according to a child’s 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. Since 1991, she has been an active member of the Argentine Pediatrics Association.
Julia Meno — 2022 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 2022 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. Julia has a profound love and respect for the power of water as a healing instrument. Individuals can learn the freedom of movement that they may not have been able to achieve otherwise, thus opening up an aquatic world for opportunities to grow, socialize and exercise.
She founded Therapeutic Aquatics, Inc. in 1996 and began providing aquatic therapy services in Jackson, WY. Julia also worked closely with the Jackson school district’s Adaptive PE Program, L.I.F.E. grants, and Wyoming Medicaid Children’s Waiver which all provided a platform to create Pediatric AquaHab© for children with challenges. She also became a Certified Massage Therapist, which complimented her aquatic training. Thus far in her career, she has studied and authored An Introduction to the Bad Ragaz Ring Method: A Visual Instructional Guide (1999). Julia Co-authored: PNF in the Pool (2004), Myofascial Aquatic Body Work DVD (2006), the Pediatric Aquatic Therapy Certificate Course (2010) and the AquaStretch™ Specialty Certificate Manual 1st ed. (2013).
Julia has worked as a Dementia Care Coordinator and as an instructor for Motivations, Inc., providing continuing education teaching in Pediatric AquaHab©. She is currently a presenter and faculty for the Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute, Inc. She was the recipient of the ATRI Tsunami Spirit Award in 2002 and the Aquatic Therapy Professional Award in 2014 for her innovations and contributions in education to the aquatic therapy industry. Today she continues to provide individual and group aquatic therapy as well as wellness classes in addition to individual aquatic therapy sessions.
Wayne Goldsmith — 2022 Al Schoenfield Media Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2022 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.
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.
Additional Awards During 57th Annual Hall of Fame Honoree Weekend
2022 Paragon Awards
“For more than 20 years now, Pentair has been honored to be associated with the International Swimming Hall of Fame in recognizing leaders in the aquatic industry who play a prominent role in the promotion of aquatics with the Paragon Awards”, said Jim Drozdowski, Institutional Aquatics Sales Manager for Pentair Aquatic Systems.
The annual Paragon Awards is a spectacular event that celebrates the unsung heroes who make competitive and recreational aquatics possible. These are the people who save lives, promote water safety, and further aquatic education around the world.
2022 Paragon Award Recipients:
Competitive Swimming: Ellaine Cox
Water Polo: Al Beaird
Competitive Diving: Julie Alhering
Synchronized Swimming: Margaret MacLennan
Aquatic Safety: Arturo Abraldes, Ph.D.
Recreational Swimming: Kent Williams, PPOA
About ISHOF
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) museum opened its doors to the public in December of 1968 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That same year, the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) – the governing body for Olympic aquatic sports – designated the ISHOF museum as the “Official Repository for Aquatic History”. In 2018, Sports Publications Inc, publisher of Swimming World Magazine and its multi-media platforms, merged with ISHOF to expand the museum’s reach and impact. Today, ISHOF’s vision is to be the global focal point for recording and sharing the history of aquatics, promoting swimming as an essential life-skill, and developing educational programs and events related to water sports. Show your support for the sport of swimming by becoming a member of ISHOF.
