Fitness industry veteran and CEO of SCW Fitness Education, Sara J. Kooperman, JD, has earned another accolade to add to her growing list: the 2021 Most Innovating Fitness Pro Award from the Fitness Industry Technology Council (FIT-C). This prestigious honor recognizes an individual that demonstrates exceptional innovation using technology to serve their clients in new and unique ways.
“Sara really stood out to us in this very competitive category because she had such a tremendous impact, reaching about 20,000 industry professionals since COVID began,” says the Accenture team that selected the winners.
During the initial 24 months of the pandemic, Kooperman quickly pivoted her primarily in-person business to deliver 19 live-streaming fitness professional conventions. In March 2020, no live-streaming convention programs existed in the fitness industry, so Kooperman’s team built their own proprietary live-stream convention program and site and trained staff and presenters how to use the system.
As group exercise and personal training went virtual, SCW also taught hundreds of fitness professionals – including longtime supporters and competitors – how to integrate video, music, and microphones for digital delivery of fitness services.
To engage and motivate the industry, SCW Fitness Education produced three free webinars weekly during the pandemic, each drawing 100-300 attendees, and with Kooperman leading more than 200 to date. During the height of the pandemic in 2020, one webinar attracted 1200 viewers nationwide, as Kooperman and her husband shared their legal and business expertise to explain the process to apply for a PPP loan.
Also during the pandemic, this determined entrepreneur collaborated with industry colleague Ann Gilbert to develop Supported Exercise for Ageless Training (S.E.A.T.), an instructor-driven, chair-based workout program for active agers and disabled populations.
And to help health club professionals and industry suppliers navigate the disruptive business landscape due to COVID-19, Kooperman is a co-host of IHRSA’s monthly Talks & Takes talk show, where she donates her own and her staff’s time to research industry topics and create videos and promotional materials.
Kooperman’s dedication kept her entire staff employed during the pandemic, while she personally reduced her salary by 75 percent and is continuing to do so until the company’s live events recover to pre-pandemic levels.
“I’m thrilled to receive this award among so many excellent candidates,” says Kooperman. “And I’m so proud to have been able to serve not only my SCW family, but also the industry at large during such an uncertain period. It’s not about competition; it’s about spreading a love of education, health, and wellness.”
Kooperman also founded the WATERinMOTION® pre-choreographed group aqua exercise program that provides fitness professionals with video, music, and choreography every 12 weeks. She serves on IHRSA’s Highlights Committee for Facility Standards, the Gold’s Gym Think Tank, and the canfitpro Advisory Panel, and is a founding board member of the Women in Fitness Association (WIFA). Nominated for the 2022 IDEA Leader of the Year Award, she is a National Fitness Hall of Fame inductee and an Illinois State Businesswoman of the Year.
About Sara Kooperman, JD
Sara Kooperman, CEO of SCW Fitness Education and WATERinMOTION®, is a visionary leader that has transformed the fitness education community. A successful business owner and advisor, she is a keynote speaker, published author, webinar host, podcast presenter, and sought-after industry trailblazer. Kooperman has launched seven successful live MANIA® fitness professional conventions, another six streaming conferences, and more than 35 live and online certifications. Her company has touched more than 100,000 fitness professionals face-to-face, engaged another 300,000+ in virtual connections, and produced over 600 fitness instructor training videos. Kooperman currently serves on IHRSA’s Headlight Committees for Facility Standards and is a co-host of IHRSA’s Talks & Takes Monthly Talk Show. She also is part of the Gold’s Gym Think Tank and the canfitpro Advisory Panel, and was a founding board member for the Women In Fitness Association (WIFA). Recently nominated for the 2022 IDEA Leader of the Year Award, Kooperman is an inductee into the National Fitness Hall of Fame, an Illinois State Business Woman of the Year, and a winner of AEA’s Global Award for contribution to the aquatic industry.
About SCW Fitness Education
SCW Fitness Education has been in business for 40 years and is the largest provider of continuing education conferences in the world focusing on group fitness and personal training with an emphasis on execution, leadership, and management. Seven regional MANIA® Conferences and Business Summits are held annually in Washington D.C., California (San Francisco), Florida (Orlando), Atlanta, Dallas, Midwest (Chicago), and Boston. These fitness conventions offer 10-12 sessions every hour on various aspects of the fitness/wellness industry, including HIIT, functional training, cycling, mind/body, barre, dance, aqua, nutrition, recovery, business, and leadership. SCW regularly reaches over 8,000 fitness professionals in face-to-face contacts, 70,000 via email, and another 300,000+ in virtual connections. SCW Fitness Education is unparalleled in its provision of live and online certifications, continuing education courses, and conventions to fitness professionals in multiple disciplines.
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