The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this year’s 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 Saturday evening, September 13th in conjunction with the ISHOF Aquatic Awards, presented by AquaCal and MISHOF Honoree Induction Ceremonies in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Ticket information will be forthcoming shortly or call 570 594-4367.
This year’s 2025 ISHOF Specialty Award Recipients:
Barry Goldwater, Jr. (USA) – 2025 Every Child A Swimmer Award
Ludmilla Rosengren (SWE) – 2025 Virginia Hunt Newman Award
Anita Mitchell (USA) – 2025 Buck Dawson Author’s Award: “God Took My Arms but He Gave Me THIS GIFT ~ The Story of Abbas Karimi, PLY”
Terri Mitchell (USA) – 2025 John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award
Cynthia Potter (USA) – 2025 Al Schoenfield Media Award
Barry Goldwater, Jr. — 2025 Every Child A Swimmer Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2025 Every Child A Swimmer Award is Barry Goldwater, Jr. The Every Child A Swimmer 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”.
Barry M. Goldwater, Jr. is a distinguished American leader whose influence spans public service, business, and civic advocacy. The son of legendary Arizona Senator and 1964 Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, Barry Jr. has carved out his own legacy over decades of service and leadership.
Among his most recent and impactful civic achievements, Barry Goldwater, Jr. played a key advisory role in the passage of Arizona’s “Every Child a Swimmer” legislation—a critical child safety law that ensures swimming instruction is accessible to all young students across the state. This initiative aligns with Barry’s lifelong dedication to protecting families and promoting public well-being.
Known for his charisma, tenacity, and deep understanding of both business and government, Barry remains an influential figure across the U.S., continuing to shape policy, advise leaders, and inspire community impact.
About G. Harold Martin: Back in 1908, G. Harold Martin almost drowned in the Ohio River. Over the next two decades 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 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.
Ludmilla Rosengren (SWE)— 2025 Virginia Hunt Newman International Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Ludmilla Rosengren will be the 2025 recipient of the Virginia Hunt Newman International Award.
Dr Ludmilla Rosengren entered the world of infant swimming purely by chance in 1989 when her eldest daughter was two years old and began her swimming lessons. From the very start, she became actively involved and saw opportunities to develop the program. Shortly thereafter, alongside her medical studies, she founded her infant swimming school: Linnéas Simskola.
After completing her medical degree, Rosengren realised that she needed to hire instructors for the school to grow and maintain its quality. In 1997, she took another major step by launching a training program for infant swimming instructors and founded the Swedish Babyswim Association (Svenska Babysimförbundet).
She has also emphasised how crucial it is for parents to be properly prepared and informed, given that the child’s sense of security is entirely dependent on how secure the parents feel. For this reason, she wrote Babysimboken (The Baby Swim Book), which is not only included in beginner courses at her swimming school but is also used by many others and serves as course material for instructor training programs. The book is also available in English.
Since its inception in 1993, Linnéas Simskola has operated in six different cities and 18 different pools. In 2016, Ludmilla built her own swimming facility in Uppsala, where all instruction is now centralized.
About Virginia Hunt Newman: Newman was a swimming instructor of infants, and is best known for developing the non-forceful, non-traumatic method of teaching infants to swim. Her methods and distraction from normal fears associated with learning to swim and rewards for trying and performing skills, have been accepted by thousands of swim instructors world-wide.
Anita Mitchell ~ 2025 Buck Dawson Author’s Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2025 Buck Dawson Author’s Award is Anita Mitchell for her book, “God Took My Arms but He Gave Me THIS GIFT ~ The Story of Abbas Karimi, PLY.
This award is presented by ISHOF in the name of William F. “Buck” Dawson, ISHOF’s founding Executive Director, to an author of work that promotes, educates or entertains individuals about aquatics. 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.
Anita Mitchell earned her BA in Communications from Michigan State University in 1972. She taught English in the Broward County School System from 1974-1980. She eventually went back to school and earned her master’s degree in journalism from Florida International University., where she went on to get a job as a freelance writer for the Miami Herald. She was hired in 1989 by WSVN-Channel 7, where she worked for almost thirty years as a Field Producer and writer.
She began swimming for Swim Fort Lauderdale Masters Team in 2004 and still swims there today, which is where she met Abbas Karimi, whom the book is based on. Masters Coach Marty Hendrick is the one who put Anita and Abbas together to write this book.
The Book: God Took My Arms but He Gave Me THIS GIFT, ~ The Story of Abbas Karimi, PLY. by Anita Mitchell
It is the unlikely story of how an armless Afghan boy became a world champion swimmer.
The road to the Olympics and Paralympics comes from unlikely places and often reveals the best of humanity. The future looked bleak for Abbas when he was born armless. With so many other problems in Kabul, Afghanistan, people with disabilities there are a low priority. After years of being bullied he sought refuge and peace in the water where he learned to swim and began to compete.
If 15-year-old Abbas wanted to excel with his unusual skill as a swimmer, he knew that he had to leave his large and close family. How he left, how he traveled through Iran, how he petitioned the UNHCR to come to the United States, how he made the Tokyo refugee Paralympic team, how he became a US citizen and what complications ensued in his life is a beacon of triumph and a salute to the human spirit.
Abbas is a role model not only for people with disabilities, but for anyone with a lofty goal where detours are placed along the way. He always had a champion’s mindset, whether it was in how he played marbles, performed martial arts or eventually excelled to world class levels in Paralympic swimming. Today, Abbas is training with Swim Fort Lauderdale Masters Swim Team, training under Marty Hendrick, for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.
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.
Terri Mitchell (USA) — 2025 John K. Williams, Jr. Adapted Aquatics Award
The Adapted Aquatics Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Terri Mitchell will receive the 2025 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.
Terri Mitchell loves water, where she has spent much of her time during her career as an Aquatic Specialist. She has extensive experience teaching aquatic fitness classes and providing aquatic rehabilitation. She has written and published articles and taught workshops focused on Bridging the Gap to manage the transition from rehabilitation to fitness and wellness.
She is also a retired Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) of 30 years with an Aquatic Specialty, having provided orthopedic and neurological patients with techniques and guidance for improved functional outcomes. She finished her PTA career in the out-patient setting working in the pool with orthopedic and neurologically involved patients.
Terri was a Trainer with the Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute for 25 years, teaching various aquatic therapy techniques to Physical Therapists, Therapeutic Recreation Specialists, Occupational Therapists and Adapted Aquatics Professionals. Terri is adept at specialty aquatic programs including Ai Chi, AquaStretch, PNF, PiYoChi, Ortho Aquatics, Intervals, and more. She co-authored a manual and video on bringing PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) to the Pool, a technique for treating patients with neurological deficits.
Cynthia Potter — 2025 Al Schoenfield Media Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2025 Al Schoenfield Media Award will be Cynthia Potter for outstanding contributions to the promotion of aquatic sports through journalism. This award is presented by ISHOF in memory of Al Schoenfield.
A four-time member of the USA Olympic Diving Team (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980) with 20 gold medals in world competition and a 28-time National Champion making her (still) the winningest U.S. female diver in the sport (1968-1977), gave Cynthia Potter a leg up in her next career.
Potter began her broadcasting career at ABC in 1983, her first show was covering the US National Championships for the ABC Wide World of Sports with Frank Gifford, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, along with 1964 Olympic gold medalist Ken Sitzberger, covering the men. Since then Potter has been the face of diving coming into our homes during all major events.
With the exclusion of the 1988 Games, Cynthia has covered every Olympic Games from 1984 in Los Angeles through this last Games in Paris, 2024 and most of them working with last year’s 2024 Al Schoenfield recipient, Peter Diamond.
Potter has worked for just about every broadcasting company there is, including, Turner, ESPN, ABC, CBS, and NBC. She also began covering the NCAA’s starting in the 1980’s too, and she just finished covering the 2025 NCAA’s in Federal Way, Washington.
She has covered World Championships all over the world, as well as World Cups, Grand Prix’s, Goodwill Games, University Games, and many other events and she has worked with many different people. Early in her career, she was lucky enough to work with leaders in the industry, people from other sports. In addition to Frank Gifford, she worked with Jack Whitaker – Main play by play people from other sports, people who already knew the television business, when she did not ~ she was just starting and out and learning, and they gave her all the help she needed.
About Al Schoenfield: He 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 the evening of September 13th, 2025
2025 ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal
2025 ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal Recipients:
Competitive Swimming: Craig Hunter (GBR)
Water Polo: Bret Beecher Bernard (USA)
Competitive Diving: Mitch A. Geller (CAN)
Synchronized Swimming: Ana Maria Lobo (BRA)
Aquatic Safety: Lisa Zarda (USA)
Recreational Swimming: Mick and Sue Nelson (USA)
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”. 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.