Everyone at Saint Viator High School knows where the volleyball and basketball courts are. Most know where the weight room is, but if anyone asks where the pool is, their question will be met with a look of confusion, and soon they will be told Saint Viator has no pool.
Over the past few years, Saint Viator’s pool has become less and less used, and for non-swimmers, there is virtually no reason to venture down into the basement to visit it.
“At this time, the pool will remain closed due to significant deferred maintenance,” said athletic director Mr. Nolan Dowling. “The original decision to close the pool was based on the need for extensive repairs. After reviewing the high cost of the necessary improvements, it was determined that pausing pool operations and reassessing our long-term options was the most responsible choice from a budget and safety standpoint.”
With this closure, both swim programs must now find a place to practice off-site, which may challenge future participation.
“Most of our team this year was seniors, so it’s going to be a small team if they have one next year,” said senior Claire Franczyk, a four-year member of the girls swim team. It can be hard for students to practice at an off-site location, and it can be a major deterrent for any prospective swimmers. Families must now ask themselves whether the sport is really worth committing to if practice adds an extra 30 minutes to their commute.
“It will probably be a little inconvenient to make the drive to wherever we are swimming before practice, but a lot of other sports do that as well, so it’s really not anything out of the ordinary,” said junior Rian Martinez, the boys swim team manager.
However, the future of the swim program looks bright.
“My goal is to continue building on the strong history and tradition of our swim programs,” said Mr. Dowling. The future of the swim program does not rely on Viator’s pool. While a historic part of the school is closing its doors, new opportunities for the program are opening.