Are you worth it? In today's complex aquatics world, top-level professionals who want to earn a higher salary must first earn more certifications.

How times have changed.

Twenty years ago in many facilities all you needed to become an aquatics director was a simple lifeguard certification. Of course, 20 years ago, that same aquatics director could only expect to earn $20,000 to $25,000 annually at best.

With the boom in aquatics facility growth and diversity of attractions in the '80s and '90s, aquatics director qualifications have changed. At the same time, increased concerns about litigation have led employers to become more demanding about the credentials required of aquatics professionals.

"The position deals with students, parents, recreation agencies, citizen advisory groups, community programs--all of whom feel they deserve the prime programs and hours," says Lee Rieck, superintendent of Community High School 94 in West Chicago, Ill., recalling his search for an aquatics director. "The range of expertise required is broad. It includes the mechanical issues of the pool, the chemical stability of the water, the nuances of state and local codes, the legalities of liability, the training of personnel, the marketing of the program, the management of the financial aspects of the operation, and the priority of cleanliness and safety."

In short, it takes a lot more than a lifeguard certification to become an aquatics director. Today's rap-level professionals--directors, managers and supervisors--are better trained and better paid than ever, according to a new survey conducted by Aquatics International.

Twenty years ago, the aquatics director typically wrote lifeguard and swim instructor schedules, monitored water quality by manually adding chemicals and solved patron disputes. We also did not have the technology currently available, from drowning detection to computer facility scheduling and water-quality control systems.

The modern aquatics director is part leader, risk manager, program specialist, pool operator, educator, fiscal officer, mechanic and innovator.