Now in its third year, the Pentair Pool Pro Awards Recognize the Best of the Best in the Pool Industry

[LONDON, August 17, 2026] — Pentair Pool, a leading global provider of safer, smart, and sustainable pool solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of the 2026 Pentair Pool Pro Awards. This annual event, now in its third year, celebrates pool industry professionals who work to keep pools swim-ready in their communities. Appropriately, this year’s theme recognizes backyard legends.

The Awards will recognize and honor seven dedicated pool professionals who exemplify a deep commitment to the pool industry, possess extensive product knowledge, prioritize their customers and safety, and demonstrate outstanding leadership. This year’s Pool Pro Award categories are:

• Premiere Pool Pro (Two winners)
• Lifetime Achievement (Two winners)
• NEW: Wave Maker Award
• Unsung Hero
• Safety Advocate

Nominations for the Pentair Pool Pro Awards open on Sept. 1, 2026. Pool professionals are invited to nominate themselves or peers who have provided standout service and made significant contributions to the pool industry.

Voting will take place in October and will give the community the opportunity to select the most deserving professionals from the list of nominees. Winners will be announced in January 2027 and honored during a private awards ceremony at the Pool and Spa Show in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Jan. 25, 2027.

For more information on the Pentair Pool Pro Awards, including nomination guidelines and voting details, please visit www.pentair.com/pool-pro-awards.

About Pentair Pool

At Pentair, we help the world safely and sustainably move, improve, and enjoy water, life’s most essential resource. From our residential and business solutions to industrial water management and everything in between, Pentair is focused on smart, sustainable water solutions that help our planet and people thrive.

As an industry leader in the pool and spa space, Pentair Pool is driven to help people sustainably enjoy water. Our solutions include industry-leading pumps, automation, lighting, heating, and filtration technology that help our customers enjoy a smarter and more sustainable pool. Customer success is at the heart of our vision for bringing family and friends together in the pool and on the deck to build social connections, create lifelong memories, and help promote fitness and enjoyment. For more information, visit www.pentair.com/poolandspa.

The Grit Game is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Watershape University—a collaboration built to strengthen professional training, expand access to high-quality education, and raise the standards of excellence across the pool and spa industry.

Education is the foundation of progress, and Watershape University has distinguished itself as the premier institution for meaningful, lasting continuing education for pool builders, designers, and service professionals. Rather than teaching to the minimum standards,  Watershape U delivers meaningful, hands-on learning, technical accuracy, and ongoing support. Their classes help professionals truly master their craft and build safer, smarter, and more profitable projects. Watershape U is committed to ongoing learning and mentorship, not simply transactional one-time education.

Host Watershape University Training at Your Location

Through this partnership, distribution centers, pool builders, and service companies now have additional resources to host their own Watershape University mini events. WU      provides the instructors, The Grit Game provides the support—hosts simply provide the space and light hospitality.

Hosting benefits include:

• Bring high-quality customers that invest in their education directly to your facility
• Bring highly qualified educators directly to your facility
• Offer technical training for builders, installers, designers, and service technicians
• Provide IACET CEU-eligible education for your customers or team
• Strengthen dealer loyalty and foot traffic
• Improve workmanship and reduce callbacks through better training

This initiative makes high-quality pool builder education more accessible than ever.

About Watershape University

Watershape University delivers comprehensive education in construction, engineering,      design, business, and service & repair for outdoor living projects, including pools, spas, and other watershapes. Its curriculum—developed by respected industry masters—emphasizes:

• Technical mastery in hydraulics, structures, and water-in-transit systems
• Design excellence built on creativity, safety, and sustainability
• Business and leadership training to help companies scale and thrive
• Service and repair best practices that ensure long-term performance

Every course is taught by educators who uphold the same values: excellence, integrity, accuracy, and ongoing support.

“I came to Watershape University with a big vision for what education can be–and needs to be–for our industry. I recognized a big problem with attracting good people to work in the pool business at all levels. I firmly believe our trade deserves to be viewed with the same respect as other major trades, and in order to make that happen, we need a higher education and ongoing mentorship. I want everyone in this industry to have the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.

I am excited to bring on The Grit Game, because they are a great fit for our mission, in that they have demonstrated exceptional skills that we need. More importantly, we are completely aligned with our values. With The Grit Game’s help, we can reach more people, host more private events around the country, and provide value that students cannot get anywhere else.” – Eric Knight, Executive Director, Watershape University.

About The Grit Game

The Grit Game is redefining what a modern manufacturer’s rep agency can be. Named Pool Nation’s 2024 Sales Rep Group of the Year and nominated again for 2025, the team combines high-performance sales with education, digital content, dealer engagement, and brand-building for many of the industry’s most respected manufacturers.

By partnering with Watershape University, The Grit Game expands its mission of empowering pool pros with practical, reliable education. TGG will support the initiative through social media promotion, digital marketing, and regional event planning, helping more companies bring professional-grade training to their teams and customers.

“Education is the backbone of a strong industry. As the pool industry continues to evolve, dealers and distributors are hungry for training that actually moves their needles, and Watershape University delivers the kind of learning that genuinely changes how people build, service, and run their businesses. That impact is exactly where our values connect, and it’s why this partnership is exciting. WU and The Grit Game are both doing things differently with the common goal of helping the pool pro excel and a shared belief that this industry is at its best when the people in it are committed to helping one another. If we can create more spaces for that kind of education- that kind of community, then this industry’s future will be incredibly healthy and very bright.” – Laci Davis, The Grit Game CEO 

Education Vacation 2025 – Phoenix, AZ

As part of this partnership, The Grit Game will attend Watershape University’s Education Vacation, held in Phoenix, AZ, December 4–6, 2025. The event features hands-on classes, advanced technical workshops, and builder-focused training, guided by leading experts. Many sessions have already sold out, with limited availability remaining for select advanced courses.

A Shared Commitment to Raising Industry Standards

Together, The Grit Game and Watershape University are committed to raising standards, expanding access to education, and supporting the next generation of builders and service technicians through training that moves the industry forward.

For more information on hosting a class or exploring upcoming events, visit Watershape.org.  To learn more about The Grit Game, visit TheGritGame.com or contact your local rep about hosting your own WU event. 

Review Entry Guidelines and Meet the XXIV Edition Jury

Miami, FL August 2025 – The Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER) has officially opened the call for entries for the 24th edition of the Tile of Spain Awards in Architecture and Interior Design. The prestigious annual competition celebrates projects that demonstrate exceptional design, technical expertise, and creativity through the use of Spanish ceramic tile.

Showcasing design ingenuity and a deep respect for materiality, the Tile of Spain Awards recognize projects that push the boundaries of what ceramic tile can achieve. From artistic expression and architectural clarity to innovative applications and expert installation, the awards spotlight the power and versatility of Spanish ceramics in both interior and exterior spaces. With the 2025 edition now accepting submissions, ASCER invites architects, interior designers, installers, students, and other industry professionals to share their completed work for consideration in this internationally respected program.

The jury for this year’s edition will be chaired by acclaimed architect Julio Touza Rodríguez of Touza Arquitectos. Joining him are leading voices in architecture and interior design, including Carmen Baselga of Carmen Baselga_Taller de Proyectos, Antonio Jesús Luna of Room Diseño, and Susana Babiloni of the Colegio Territorial Arquitectos Castellón. Together, the panel will evaluate entries based on design quality, innovation, and the thoughtful integration of Spanish ceramic tile.

Entries must be submitted under one of two main categories, Architecture or Interior Design, with each further divided into two subcategories: projects using dry-pressed porcelain stoneware and projects using any of the following ceramic types: extruded porcelain stoneware, rustic stoneware, glazed stoneware, wall tiles, mosaic, terracotta, and more. A grand prize of €8,000 (approximately $8,700) will be awarded in each subcategory. In addition, the jury reserves the right to award up to two special mentions in each category to acknowledge outstanding achievements.

Project submissions are being accepted now through Monday, October 20, 2025. Winners will be announced in September 2026 during Cevisama Contract, one of Spain’s leading trade fairs for ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings. For complete entry guidelines, project submissions, or more information about the Tile of Spain Awards, visit tileofspainawards.com/current-edition.

About the Awards

The objective of the Tile of Spain Awards is to promote the use of Spanish ceramic tiles in architecture and interior design projects (both in Spain and abroad). The program boasts a consolidated trajectory and is held in high esteem by architecture professionals.

The Tile of Spain Awards offers cash prizes totaling €32,000 that are divided among four areas. The two main categories –Architecture and Interior Design – each have a cash prize of over €16,000. In all categories, entries are welcome from both Spanish and international participants.

The award ceremony will be held in Valencia, Spain during Cevisama Contract 2026. Full details of this and previous editions of the awards are available at www.tileofspainawards.com.

About Tile of Spain

In Spain, tile makers labor as they have for centuries – pushing their passion for design and innovation to new levels of artisanship. With one of the purest and strongest domestic clays available, Spanish manufacturers have an unparalleled ability to make the end product more diverse. From rustic handmade forms; to technical facades that cool buildings and clean the air; to the impossibly slim, sustainable recycled and inkjet masterpieces that fire the imagination. The Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER), together with España Exportacióne Inversiones (ICEX) are the organizations whose objective is to support Spain’s ceramic tile manufacturers and the industry as a whole by stewarding and promoting the Tile of Spain brand worldwide. A strong global leader, the Spanish ceramic tile sector is comprised of more than 100 manufacturers concentrated primarily in the province of Castellón.

For more about tile produced in Spain, contact the Tile of Spain Center at the Trade Commission of Spain, 2655 Le Jeune Road, Suite 1114, Coral Gables, FL 33134. Call 305-446-4387 or visit tileofspainusa.com.