Here we are at the beginning of May, and believe or not, a few weeks into long-course season -- the hurry-up-before-it’s-over swim season. At roughly 15 weeks from the first long-course meet to when the state championship meet and Sectionals are held, it is a quick, quick season.
What makes it feel even more compact is with so few 50-meter pools available in the state, many of the swimmers haven’t even worked out in a long-course pool by the time they have at least a quarter or more of their long-course meets under their belt. Some teams don’t even have the opportunity to work out long course at all.
But I have to say in terms of pool space, especially as it relates to meets, things are shaping up far better this year than last summer. The Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, which was virtually unavailable last summer because of the Olympics, will be hosting two meets this season. The Carmody Pool, home to the Foothills Swim Team, is back after being closed last summer for repairs, and the U.S. Air Force Academy is hosting at least two meets this season.
Given all that, I, and many swim parents that I know, still wholeheartedly see the need for and would support the building of a new 50-meter pool in the Denver Metro area. Oh, to win the lottery!
Speaking of pools and pool envy, the National Swim Center Corporation, which is the nonprofit building arm of USA Swimming, is considering building a $35 million swimming complex and wellness center in Cape Coral, Fla. The complex, which reportedly interested parties say they hope to have built by 2013, would include two 50-meter pools, a diving well and seating for more than 5,000. The plan would be to use the complex for state, regional and national events such as hosting the NCAA Championships and possibly future Olympic Trials.
Too bad for us that what makes Colorado such a great place for athletes to train – the altitude – is also what knocks us out of consideration for such a complex.
