Swimming and diving face challenges in pool space
March 25, 2014
In the chaos of the Mustang-Packer divide, final decisions are being implemented for the 2014-15 year that will split more than half of the Packer varsity athletic programs. Both the boys and girls swimming and diving teams will be split into two separate varsity programs next year, which came as a shock to both parents and players due to the lack of facilities.
“People are surprised because of the size of the facilities,” head boys coach Marsha Dahl said. “Nobody sees a pool in sigh yet and there is still talk about it, but people were surprised just because the pool is so.”
The L.E. Berger pool will be the only facility available for the Packers, Mustangs, and the Flyers club team to practice in, causing scheduling conflict. The available practice times include 5:30 a.m. to 7 a.m., 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
“We are going to have a hard time with scheduling because we don’t know all of the programs and times that take up that time of night,” Dahl said. “But then again, I don’t know if it is going to be a feasible thing, but we might be able to just practice together too because of numbers.”
Grand Forks swim teams practice together while remaining as two separate teams instead of having two different pools in order to save money, according to Knight and Roughrider head coach Bryan Walls. Walls said that with both teams practicing together in one pool it adds a competitive edge to the practice, but the biggest challenge is when one team is stronger than the other.
“We are going to be competing against them [Mustangs] like any other team, but they will still know each other and they will still be friends,” Dahl said. “It will be strange for the first few years, but it is something that has to be done.”
Girls swimming and diving was also conflicted in the decision of whether or not to split the teams. The discussion of emulating Grand Forks and having both teams under one coach. After discussion between the athletic directors, school board members, head coach Sally Sautner, parents, and various other parties, the decision was made to split the teams entirely with two separate coaches.
“Although I will not be the head coach for the two teams, I am excited to see what each team is going to bring next season,” Sautner said. “We all have the commonality of swimming and diving as an all-inclusive passion, so I would like to continue to work towards making it a life-long, family-friendly sport.”
“Whether we like it or not, our Packer and Mustang athletes are still family while on the pool deck, no matter what color they are wearing,” Sautner said.
Next year will be a year of first that both Sautner and Dahl said they were still figuring out and working through. Because the split has been finalized for both teams, the scheduling dilemma will take time to work out among the teams demanding the space.
“With time after and before school, pool space, and meet schedules all putting us in a pickle, we are going to have to be creative,” Sautner said. “This will also speak volumes for the need of a new, larger pool in the West Fargo community.”
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