A dramatic increase in the number of larger water parks along with rising insurance costs, complicated chemicals and constant training assure that pool operators must be well educated professionals, said Leland Yarger, the director of Ball State's aquatics program, which offers the nation's only major in the field.

"Running a pool is not a simple matter anymore where people learn by trial and error," Yarger said. "You just can't take a coach and expect him or her to know the proper mix of chemicals or how to train lifeguards. The simple threat of a lawsuit won't allow that.

"Aquatic operations and management has developed into a highly professionalized field that pays very well, which has attracted top students into our major," he said. "You see people running aquatic facilities making $40,000 to $60,000 or more annually."

To make sure that the nation's growing aquatics industry receives enough highly trained professionals, Ball State upgraded its aquatics minor to a major for the 2002-2003 school year. The university had offered a minor for 20 years before the move.

The new major attracted 14 students in the 2002 summer session and grew to 26 majors this summer. The major has a heavy emphasis on anatomy and kinesiology as well as other health and business courses.

Yarger sees a growing market for Ball State aquatics graduates. There is an average of 30 to 40 job openings monthly in the field as parks grow and as people advance to better paying jobs in aquatics management.

He said the field exploded during the 1980s and 1990s when communities and private entities began constructing large water parks across the nation. Within a few years the industry went from simple box swimming pools to major water amusement attractions.

"When I was a kid all you needed to know was how to open the gates, when to blow the whistle and basic water safety," Yarger said. "Today, you have to be a jack-of-all-trades. You have to do everything from training life guards to mixing chemicals to balancing the books. It can be very challenging."

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Yarger at ljyarger@bsu.edu or (765) 285-8282.)