Press Room

ACE Named Preferred Fitness Certification by JCC Association

Posted: Apr 23, 2007 in

San Diego, Calif. (April 23, 2007) – The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s nonprofit fitness advocate, is pleased to announce that the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Association, the continental umbrella organization for the JCC Movement, has named ACE as their preferred fitness certification.

As part of the agreement, the American Council on Exercise will assist the JCC Association in the development of facility standards and guidelines for the JCC Association for Personal Trainers and Group Exercise Instructors and develop continuing education to support the more than 350 JCCs, YM-YWHAs, and camp sites in the U.S. and Canada.

The JCC Association offers a wide range of services and resources to help its affiliates to provide educational, cultural, social, Jewish identity-building, and recreational programs for people of all ages and backgrounds. It supports the largest network of Jewish early childhood centers and Jewish summer camps in North America, and is also the a U.S. government accredited agency for serving the religious and social needs of Jewish military personnel through Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) Jewish Chaplains Council.

In addition, ACE will provide preferred pricing to JCC employees and staff on certification exams, textbooks, and study materials as well as promote JCC Conferences and events.

“Because of the JCC’s commitment to wellness and sports programs that serve the needs of its members and community, this alliance is a perfect fit that fully supports our organizational mission,” said Graham Melstrand, vice president of operations, American Council on Exercise. “We hope to assist the JCC Association and their membership in their pursuit of healthy, active lifestyles through quality staff certification and continuing education from the American Council on Exercise.”

“We recognize ACE’s reputation as a leader in fitness certification and we view the alliance as a value-added benefit to JCC members,” said Steven Becker, continental consultant for Sports and Wellness, JCC Association. “We hope this relationship opens the doors for more of our members to become certified fitness professionals.”

About the JCC Association

JCC Association is the leadership network of and central agency for the Jewish Community Center Movement, which is comprised of 350 JCC, YM-YWHA and camp sites in the U. S. and Canada. JCC Association offers a wide range of services and resources to strengthen the capacity of its affiliates to provide educational, cultural, social, Jewish identity-building, and recreational programs to enhance the lives of North American Jews of all ages and backgrounds. Additionally, the movement fosters and strengthens connections between North American Jews and Israel as well as with world Jewry. JCC Association is also the U.S. government accredited agency for serving the religious and social needs of Jewish military personnel, their families, and patients in VA hospitals through JWB Jewish Chaplains Council. For more information on the JCC and its programs log onto the JCC Web site at www.jcca.org.

About the American Council on Exercise (ACE)

The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s Authority on Fitness, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of physical activity and protecting consumers against unsafe and ineffective fitness products and instruction. As the nation’s “workout watchdog,” ACE sponsors university-based exercise science research and testing that targets fitness products and trends. ACE sets standards for fitness professionals and is the world’s largest nonprofit fitness certifying organization. For more information on ACE and its programs, call (800) 825-3636 or log onto the ACE Web site at www.acefitness.org.

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