A tournament this March in San Diego will honor Rick Caro and Augie Nieto while raising funds for ALS research, including a new Champions Insights program
The fitness industry is used to measuring progress in strength and performance, but this March it will come together to mark something deeper: legacy and the ongoing fight against Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS will host a charity golf tournament on March 16 at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club in Rancho Santa Fe, bringing together leaders from across the fitness industry and community members to honor the legacies of Rick Caro and the organization’s namesake, Augie Nieto, while raising funds for ALS research.
Nieto, the co-founder and former CEO of Life Fitness, died in 2023 after living with ALS. Before his passing, he and his wife, Lynne, launched Augie’s Quest with a blunt premise: incurable was unacceptable. What began as a personal fight quickly became an industry-wide effort, supported by longtime colleagues and friends determined to push ALS research forward.
That effort continues today.
ALS is an incurable progressive neurological illness that attacks the nerve cells responsible for muscle movement. As motor neurons break down, people gradually lose the ability to walk, speak, eat and eventually breathe on their own.
Proceeds from the tournament will support Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS and its research priorities, including Champion Insights, a program announced last August that is examining why ALS is diagnosed at higher rates — about 25% higher — among certain populations compared with the general public. Those groups include military personnel, first responders and high-performing athletes.
Champion Insights opened recruitment last year for high-performing athletes and military service members diagnosed with ALS, using a remote participation model to collect blood samples and clinical data.
“Augie Nieto believed the most meaningful progress starts with motivation and passion,” said Augie’s Quest co-founder and president Shannon K. Shryne. “As both an athlete and a visionary in the fitness world, he pushed for approaches that challenged convention and aimed higher. Champion Insights reflects that spirit — targeting the deeper biological patterns that may explain ALS risk in communities like the one Augie belonged to. Our mission is to make sure bold ideas like this have the support they need to go the distance.”
The tournament will also honor Caro, a widely respected figure in the fitness industry who died last August. Caro owned and operated eight multi-sport clubs and co-founded the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), now known as the Health & Fitness Association. He served twice on the organization’s board, including a term as president, and also sat on the board of the American Council on Exercise. Caro’s Management Vision, which he launched in the early 1980s, offered consulting and advising services to more than 1,700 fitness industry clubs, suppliers and organizations.
Supporters of the event, which is presented by Bay Club, include Life Fitness, WellnessSpace Brands, North Castle Partners, Harris Williams, Crunch Fitness, The Alaska Clubs, Fitness Formula Clubs, Piper Sandler, Solidcore, Athletech News, Core Health and Fitness and Newtown Athletic Club.
“Augie and Rick meant a great deal not just to me, but to the entire Bay Club family, both personally and professionally,” said Bay Club president and CEO Matthew Stevens. “They shaped our industry through their leadership, generosity, and genuine care for people.”
“This tournament is a step towards honoring who they were, bringing our community together, and supporting the important work of Augie’s Quest in the fight against ALS,” Stevens added. “We’re so grateful to play a part in it.”
Participants and guests will have access to Fairbanks Ranch Country Club’s amenities, including its pool, pickleball courts and tennis facilities. Sponsorship opportunities are currently available, and foursomes will be available beginning in February 2026.
“This event is not only a day of sport and camaraderie, but a powerful tribute to Rick Caro and my late husband Augie Nieto—two visionaries who changed the fitness industry,” Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS chair Lynne Nieto said. “We are grateful to the Bay Club for their support and partnership, making this exciting event possible.”
