In a recent news release from the Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute (ATRI) recently announced the recent award winners recognized at the Aquatic Therapy Symposium 2014.

Winners included Julie Fettig, CTRS, CMT, ATRIC, who was named the recipient of the 2014 Aquatic Therapy Professional Award during the Sanibel, Fla-based symposium. Additionally, Tsunami Spirit Awards were presented to Laurie Denomme, B. Kinesiology and Connie Jasinskas, MSc.

Aquatic Therapy Dolphin Awards were presented to Barb Batson, AS, and Debra May and Joey Zucchelli of Nekdoodle.

ATRI reportedly presented the awards during the event.

The Aquatic Therapy Professional Award is designed to recognize outstanding professionalism and contributions to the aquatic therapy industry. Recipient Fettig is the founder/owner of Therapeutic Aquatics, Inc.

Fettig instructs therapeutic exercise classes and offers individual Myofascial Aquatic Body Work, AquaStretch, and adaptive aquatic sessions. Fettig has also authored and published the Bad Ragaz Ring Method Visual Instructional Manual and Video and co-produced PNF in The Pool and Myofascial Aquatic Body Work DVDs.

The release notes that the Tsunami Spirit Awards are intended to recognize individuals, facilities, and businesses that show exceptional innovation, creativity, and the implementation of new ideas in the aquatic therapy and rehabilitation industry.

Tsunami Spirit Award winner Denomme is an AquaStretch instructor, a NG360 Nike Golf Performance specialist, and GIFT Fellow through the Gray Institute. Denomme has also presented nationally and internationally at AEA, ATRI, IDEA, and other conferences, and the release adds she was voted as a Top 10 presenter at AEA’s International Conference in both 2011 and 2012, and is the recipient of the 2013 AEA Fitness Professional Global Award.

Jasinskas was also a recipient of the Tsunami Spirit Award, and has been bringing her passion to her work as an international author and educator since 1984. The release notes that Jasinskas is an AquaStretch Foundations and AquaStretch Certificate Course co-author, and specializes in AquaStretch.

Rounding out the awards, the release states that the Aquatic Therapy Dolphin Award is designed to recognize individuals who have made a difference or been an inspiration to others by creating harmony in the field of aquatic therapy and rehabilitation.

Among the Aquatic Therapy Dolphin Award winners was Batson, who has been am AEA Aquatic Fitness instructor since she was certified in 1995, according to the release. Batson provides personal training and group classes meant to both general and special populations. Batson also currently offers services at the Human Performance Center Vanderbilt University Medical Center and is Fitness Host coordinator for Fun & Fitness Travel Club.

Additional award winners May and Zucchelli are water enthusiasts who created the Nekdoodle, a flotation device that the release says can be used in a variety of ways in and out of the water, such as aquatic therapy, fitness, recreation, relaxation, learning ?to swim, and floating. The Nekdoodle has also been reportedly used for Bad Ragaz, Myofascial Release, AquaStretch, and aquatic massage techniques. According to the release, seated therapeutic exercises can be done while sitting on the Nekdoodle and the Nekdoodle is built to be effective when used in pairs for upper extremity flotation.

See a full list of current and past award winners

The Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute Inc is a nonprofit educational corporation that aims to provide educational courses that advance the competencies, knowledge, and skills of the aquatic therapist.

[Source: Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute]