This award was established in 1974 as recognition of long and exceptional leadership, insight, dedication and friendship by a man whose YMCA career touched and enriched the lives of countless young people. In his lifetime, Joe Rogers was the first recipient of the National Distinguished Service to Aquatics Award, was the organizer of the National Operating Council on Aquatics and represented the YMCA on the U.S. Olympic Men’s Swimming Committee.

The Joseph G. Rogers Award statue is permanently located in the International Swimming Hall of Fame Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with each Honoree’s name affixed in bronze on the base. An updated replica of the statue is presented to each Honoree during their awards ceremony which is held in conjunction with the National YMCA Short Course Swimming Championships.

The creator of the statue was Daniel Gluck, whose abstract religious and sports sculptures (including the Brian Piccolo Award) are now on view in many places around the United States. The beautifully sculptured award of bronze and marble stands over four feet in height, weighs over 1000 pounds and has a mounted swimming figure that stretches nearly four feet in length.