For Release: Immediate
Contact: Paul Entin at 908.479.4231; paul@eprmarketing.com
Date: April 5, 2002

PATENTED POOL BASKETBALL GAME SCORES POINTS WITH KIDS TO PROMOTE FACILITY USAGE AND AID MEMBER RETENTION
Pool Shot Varsity A Big Splash At Health Clubs, Hotels, Resorts

Saddle Brook, NJ: Aquatics Director Andrea Frey of the Parkview YMCA, Ft. Wayne, Ind., is responsible for keeping 13,000 members participating in aqua aerobics, instructional swimming, physical therapy and other classes in pool facilities that are open more than 14 hours per day, seven days per week. As part of the organization's member development and retention strategy, the pool was outfitted with a 66' flume slide, a whirlpool and lap lanes, en route to establishing the pool as a center of recreational activities. Seeking to create interactive opportunities to bring together the many adults, families and children who comprised the membership, Ms. Frey turned to the Pool Shot Varsity, a patented pool basketball game engineered specifically to thrive under the punishing, non-stop play typical of commercial aquatic environments.

"I felt the Varsity would help promote the social interaction our members want from their fitness center," recalls Ms. Frey, who conducted several weeks of research before selecting the Varsity last year. "The kids love it! I see parents and children playing Pool Shot basketball almost the entire time the club is open." But what sold Ms. Frey "was the safety factor. The Pool Shot has no movable parts, it's sturdy and virtually untippable."

Without drilling or mounting, the Varsity virtually anchors to the deck with a high capacity, portable base. When filled with up to 50 gallons of water (or sand), the rugged, rotationally molded polyethylene base creates a highly stable platform that remains deckside during non-stop, aggressive play. The durable base is immune to rain, snow, extreme weather conditions and sunlight and can be left outside year-round. The Varsity features Pool Shot's signature winged backboard, a patented design that captures errant shots and returns the ball into the water, minimizing the need to leave the pool.

"I would definitely recommend it to other aquatic directors or to anyone responsible for promoting the use of a recreational aquatic facility," says Ms. Frey.