The 2014 IHRSA Health Club Consumer Report was compiled in partnership with ClubIntel, led by industry veterans Stephen Tharrett and Mark Williamson. This publication is available in PDF format at www.ihrsa.org/consumer-report for US$99.95, or US$199.95 for non-members.

Industry unites against ALS

Hot on the heels of this summer’s global internet phenomenon, the Ice Bucket Challenge,
IHRSA highlights its own ongoing support for those looking to find a cure for ALS

This summer, it was impossible to turn on a computer without witnessing an Ice Bucket Challenge: someone dumping a bucket of iced water over their head to promote awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. When the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was issued to IHRSA by Life Fitness, we gladly accepted. Led by president and CEO Joe Moore, the IHRSA staff completed the challenge on 22 August.

IHRSA is no stranger to supporting ALS research: in July, ASAE – the association of associations – awarded IHRSA a 2014 ASAE Power of A Gold Award for its support of Augie’s Quest. Named after Augie Nieto, the co-founder of Life Fitness who was diagnosed with ALS in 2005, the quest has raised over US$41m in a bid to find treatments, making it the largest individual ALS fundraising programme.

“I heartily congratulate IHRSA for benefiting not just its own industry, but society at large,” said Paul Pomerantz, chair of the Power of A Judging Committee. “It’s heartening to see an organisation like IHRSA excel at bringing the fitness industry together, harnessing the power of the association for inspiring results.”

The ‘harnessed power’ to which Pomerantz refers consists of the more than 35 members of IHRSA’s leadership and membership who actively organise and promote the annual BASH for Augie’s Quest; the roughly 1,000 annual BASH attendees; and the hundreds of clubs that have run individual fundraising events for Clubs for the Quest. The BASH, which raised more than US$1.7m in 2014 and has averaged more than US$1.5m per year over the past nine years, brings the entire industry together to show its support for Nieto and its determination to find a cure for ALS.

Led by president and CEO Joe Moore, the staff of IHRSA readily accepted and completed their ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in August

Led by president and CEO Joe Moore, the staff of IHRSA readily accepted and completed their ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in August

Community award: apply now

IHRSA is now accepting applications for its annual Outstanding Community Service Award, which will be presented during IHRSA 2015 in Los Angeles, California. This award is presented to an IHRSA member who has made a longstanding commitment to making a difference in, and beyond, their community. The 2014 winner was Kim Austin Kenyon of Gold’s Gym Dutchess County (pictured above accepting the award from Brent Darden at IHRSA 2014). Log on to www.ihrsa.org/awards to apply by the 14 November deadline.

The 2014 winner was Kim Austin Kenyon of Gold’s Gym Dutchess County

Lindkvist lined up for IHRSA 2015

Trendspotter and futurologist Magnus Lindkvist, who spoke at the 2013 IHRSA European Congress, will present ‘Thinking About the Future in an Uncertain World’ at IHRSA 2015. The following Q&A is excerpted from IHRSA’s 2013 interview with him.

What are the key trends affecting the fitness industry? In no particular order, I see the blurring of ageing and age groups, the fading of industry boundaries, and the start-up revolution. Millions of young people are growing up with no job security and an abundance of cheap technology at their fingertips: there’s a tsunami of competitors, imitators and frenemies on the horizon.

How can operators put these trends to good use? One word: experimentation. Try, fail, remix and recycle failure. Learn and relaunch. But make sure your failures are cheap, and constantly find new metrics to identify your organisation’s shortcomings.

About IHRSA

Founded in 1981, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association is the only global trade association, representing more than 10,000 health and fitness facilities and suppliers worldwide.
To learn how IHRSA can help your business thrive, visit www.ihrsa.org
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