Every four years, aquatics is one of the most-watched programs during the Summer Olympic Games. Almost every high school in the DFW Area has a swim and dive team, and it’s estimated that over 10,000 high schools in the country have swim and dive programs. However, Wylie High School does not offer swimming, despite having sports like lacrosse.
I’ve always asked what the root cause of this is, but various explanations have been given. We don’t have a swimming pool in our city, so how can we hold practices? It would cost too much to create a team. Swimming is a dangerous sport and can lead to death.
Many believe the main reason we don’t have a swim team is that Wylie does not have a swimming pool. Although yes, Wylie ISD and the city of Wylie, for that matter, do not have an Olympic-size swimming pool for practical use, many neighboring cities around us have swimming pools. Garland ISD Natatorium, for example, or the Oak Point recreation center in Plano. Those facilities are 14 minutes and 19 minutes away from Wylie High School, respectively.
Would it be impossible to ask the owners of those facilities for permission to use them for practices? There could be complications when we use those facilities. Like, the Garland ISD Natatorium hosts community swim programs after school during the week. However, we can sort out the times for practices, and community swimming can be cancelled to accommodate high school events.
Others argue that the overall cost of the team would be too high to bear, and that our school simply does not have enough money in the athletic budget to create a team. The cost of a swim and dive team varies depending on the equipment costs and pool rentals. According to a Forest Hills Tidal Waves article, equipment costs between $60-75. As previously mentioned, we could use Garland ISD’s natatorium, which would cost $45 for 15 visits per person. Hypothetically, let’s say we have thirteen team members. The maximum cost would be $1,560. It’s not impossible–these fees can be covered by fundraisers, right?
Another argument would be that participating in swimming could lead to death and injuries. Obviously, drowning is a major possibility, as well as other injuries, like muscle cramps and shoulder pain. These are real possibilities, but we can have a lifeguard ready to rescue any team members having trouble.
Swimming and diving are one of the most popular events in the Olympic Games. I believe there are solutions to glaring issues with a possible swim team at Wylie High School.