Here we are again. The beginning of another year. Twelve as-yet-untarnished months of possibility stretching out into the unknown distance.

It's not the New Year yet, and yet I find myself in one of those reinvention phases. You know how it is. You take a look around and take stock and think, I'm bored with myself.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 56.7 million people in the United States with a disability in 2010. That represents 19 percent—nearly one-fifth—of the population. This includes both physical and mental impairments that have an impact on major life activities.

Whether you want a wet and wild adventure or you just want to chill, waterparks and splash play areas offer a tremendous range of opportunities for fun, action, adventure and relaxation on, in or near the water. And with this tremendous range of variability—in rides and attractions, in ways of managing water, in programming and marketing opportunities—come the usual challenges and innovations around keeping things running successfully.

What are the things that matter most, in terms of sustaining a cohesive culture and an engaged community? How do we foster connections between people of different—or even similar—backgrounds, ages, genders, races, economic strata, etc., in an age of smartphones and technological saturation?

You can build a swimming pool for your guests, and it will surely be used for fun and recreation, and maybe even exercise, but the vast majority of respondents to our survey report that they do a little something more to get people into the pool by providing a variety of programs.

Last month, I traveled to Orange County for a few days. Most of my time there was taken up by working and networking, but toward the end of my trip, I found myself with some spare hours, so I decided to take a walk to the beach—a little more than two miles one way.

If you are in charge of a recreation, sports or fitness facility, you know that there are unique challenges and problems that can arise. Some problems have easy fixes, while others take a little or a lot more effort. But no matter what kind of challenge you're facing today, it's highly unlikely that it's unique

The Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) is a set of guidelines published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), bringing together the latest science and best practices in order to help state and local government officials develop and update their pool codes.

As a follow-up to our annual State of the Industry Report, we cover the careers and salaries as reported by nearly 1,600 professionals working in the recreation, sports and fitness industry.