With construction scheduled to begin next month on Dartmouth's Karl Michael pool, the men's and women's swim and water polo teams are set to face major disruptions to their seasons.
The renovation of the pool, which is part of a planned restructuring of Alumni Gym, involves the installation of a dehumidifier and a replacement to the roof. The renovations, when completed in 2006, will result in a much larger facility.
The remodeling was initially scheduled to start April 1 but the project has already been delayed and as yet there is no concrete date for its completion.
The construction will not entail any changes to the pool itself but the Dartmouth aquatic teams will bear the brunt of the disruption caused by the project.
Cary Telander '06, a member of both the women's swim and water polo teams, expressed her frustration at having to endure months without adequate facilities even though the pool itself will be the same when it is reopened in the winter of 2006.
"Our swimming teams were cut when I was a freshman and poor facilities were cited as a reason. Now the administration is shutting down the pool for several months, yet they are not doing anything to alter or fix the actual pool itself," she said.
The Karl Michael pool will be closed completely during the project leaving the swimmers with only the four-lane Spaulding Pool in which to train and compete.
The men's swim team captain explained that the loss of facilities coupled with a large incoming freshman class, would likely result in overcrowding
"We're only losing four seniors and [there are going to be] at least 10 more people on the team," Sean Robinson '05 said.
According to Jim Wilson, coach of the men's swim team and the men's and women's water polo teams, adjustments are going to have to be made in order to accommodate the entire team "For swimming we'll have to run the team in two [groups]," Wilson said. "It's not ideal when you can't have your full team training together."
Co-captain of the women's swim team Alex Bochicchio '05 was pessimistic, explaining that the project would hinder the team
"It'd be terrible. The team would really suffer," she said. "It will cause serious problems because we typically divide up into stroke groups to train, and distance swimmers will not have access to long course lanes."
The men's water polo team will also suffer from the construction, but the women's team, whose season begins this spring, may be unaffected.
"The large pool doesn't satisfy requirements, but we make the best of it. The small pool will make it a lot harder because we wont have the chance to have valid scrimmages [and] it will greatly limit our in game experience," Shane Foster '07 said.
Foster also explained that the project might also lead to reduced team numbers, as practices will have to be scheduled late at night.
"I think it could seriously hinder the number of athletes for polo because there are rumors that practices will have to be moved from 10 to 12 each night," he said. "I can't see as many people being able to do those times."
The most affected sport will be diving. There is no diving board in the smaller pool and as a result divers will have to train at a separate facility.
Wilson also explained that the lack of a diving board would result in the team having to spend a larger amount of time traveling
"The toughest part will be not having any home meets and [the athletes] having to miss a lot of school." he said.
In spite of the impending disruption, Coach Wilson said he is looking forward to a solid season.
