The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance is preparing to roll out a few changes, new benefits and programs:
Service/operator certifications: With the merging of APSP and NSPF, each organization brought with it a commercial operator certification program — NSPF’s Certified Pool Operator (CPO) and APSP’s Professional Pool Service Operator. PHTA will retain both programs in a tiered structure: PPSO is renamed CPO and serves as the entry-level certification for commercial pool operators; NSPF’s original CPO now is a higher-level program, renamed CPO Advanced and targeted to pool managers, administrators and professionals looking to recertify.
Insurance program: The organization plans to offer a health insurance plan to its membership. It will be gradually rolled out, beginning in Texas in early 2020 and growing from there.
New chapters: A new chapter recently formed in San Diego and,next year, PHTA expects more to launch in Los Angeles, North Carolina, Minnesota, Las Vegas and Alabama.
Additionally, through its nonprofit foundation, PHTA has awarded scholarships and fellowships to four university students.
Scholarships go to Certified Pool Operators and PHTA instructors or immediate family. To qualify for fellowships, recipients must be enrolled full-time in work toward a degree.
Kristen Kohout of University of Wisconsin and Rachel Cargill of University of South Alabama received $2,000 PHTA Board Scholarships. Zachary Barzilay of High Point University in High Point, N.C., was awarded $1,000.
Youngwook Kim was given a $2,000 Fellowship to study disability disciplines in pathokinesiology and athletic training at Utah State University, where he is researching the how aquatic balance and mobility exercise models affect older adults and their fall risk. He presented at last year’s World Aquatic Health Conference.
