Newtown Athletic Club owner Jim Worthington elected chairman of world’s largest fitness trade association
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
When you ask Jim Worthington to describe the Newtown Athletic Club, “business” is the last thing that comes to mind. For him, it’s a means to change lives. A vessel to carry local health concerns to the national level. It’s also his pride and joy that he built up from practically nothing 40 years ago.
In the ever-evolving fitness industry, NAC has stood the test of time thanks to owner Worthington’s leadership. Now, he’s preparing to show the world all NAC is doing right as the recently-elected chairman of the IHRSA (International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association), the highest honor one can achieve in the field.
The news of Worthington’s election came on Saturday, March 24, in San Diego at the 2018 IHRSA International Conference where education, networking and the largest fitness equipment trade show in the world are provided for 10,000 clubs representing 90 countries. Worthington had been a member of its board of directors for four years, most recently serving as vice chairman. After a unanimous vote, it was decided he would lead the IHRSA and its efforts for the next year.
“I am honored and humbled to have the privilege to serve the industry that I have been passionate about for 40 years in this way,” Worthington said. “There comes a time in every man’s life when his actions are driven more by legacy than ambition. I will do my best to make a mark in the industry that has lasting effects to propel us toward the ultimate goal of making fitness and wellness more available to everyone in the world.”
In his new role, Worthington will travel the globe, visiting countries like China, Mexico, Portugal and Brazil to educate communities on the lasting benefits of fitness and living a healthy lifestyle. As a small town guy from Prospectville, Pennsylvania, having this opportunity most can only dream of is, according to Worthington, “mind boggling.”
But after four decades of pouring his heart and soul into the NAC, the honor is well-deserved. Worthington entered the fitness field in 1978. Though he was a new graduate straight out of West Chester University, he founded the Babylon Racquetball Club in Horsham, one of the first fitness clubs in the country.
“I got into the industry when there was no industry,” he said.
Though Worthington’s first endeavor eventually closed, he was offered a position in Newtown at another local racquetball club, which was struggling to make a profit in its current state. Worthington completely revamped its usage, transforming the space from a few old courts to an all-encompassing workout space with gym equipment and a room for aerobics dancing.
This was the beginning of the NAC, which has since grown from a 15,000-square-foot racquetball club on three acres to a globally recognized 250,000-square-foot facility on 25 acres. Reflecting on those early years, Worthington explained with pride how the Bucks County community embraced the club. Now, NAC boasts more than 500 staff members, whom Worthington credits for its success, and thousands of visitors, some of whom drive 45 minutes to experience all it has to offer.
According to Worthington, the mission of NAC is to function as a “lifestyle center” rather than a gym or athletic club, with the goal of helping the community lead healthier lives. While traveling abroad during his tenure as chairman, he’ll discuss the issue of obesity, why it continues to grow, and steps NAC is taking to combat the crisis.
Domestically, he plans to visit a number of cities across the country to explain how the fitness industry may be the answer to the current health-care crisis. Worthington said it’s all about prevention, and not playing the “loser’s end game” of treating people after they get sick. By leading a healthy lifestyle from the get go, illnesses such as diabetes, and even psychological issues like depression and opioid abuse, can be prevented, which would eliminate crippling medical expenses.
Earlier this month, Worthington and other NAC representatives lobbied in Washington D.C., for the passage of a bill that would allow people to use HSAs (health savings accounts) toward health club memberships and other things that would help them lead a preventative lifestyle. This is just one of several initiatives Worthington and his team, which includes director of public and government relations Linda Mitchell, have been working on beyond the walls of the NAC. Each year, Worthington said the club spends an average of $2 million on charitable endeavors.
“It’s more than a business. It allows us to do good,” he explained.
A major project has been advocating for the Right to Try Bill, which would allow terminally ill patients to seek drug treatments that have passed phase one of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval process. After three years, the bill was recently approved by the House of Representatives. In addition to backing Right to Try, Worthington and the NAC raised half a million dollars last year for ALS research, which equated to a third of the funds raised by the fitness industry nationwide.
As Worthington prepares for possibly the busiest year of his life, which officially kicks off in June, he’s excited for what’s to come not only for the NAC, but the fitness industry as a whole. Looking at the modern-day field, he compared it to a rotary phone versus a smartphone. It’s drastically different from when he first started. Still, Worthington believes the NAC, which is in the midst of a two-year, $12 million expansion, will remain ahead of the curve no matter the changes thrown its way.
Newtown Athletic Club is located at 120 Pheasant Run in Newtown. Visit newtownathletic.com for more information. ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
