Great last week for the swimming team with many school records broken! I don't think that I have paid much attention to the sport since graduating, but we've never had a Diving team? I never realized that a lot of our lack of success in conference championships, is due to the fact that we don't get any points from Diving folks, like it looks like every other school does.
I could be wrong here, but I don't remember the ARC having a standard diving well. The VAC does, but VCS isnt going to let VU use it for free
@rezynezy To your memory: Kinda yes and no. The ARC pool, opened in 1962, is a single 8 lane, 25 yard pool (it predates the switch to metric distances). It does not have a separate diving pool, but has a 10’ deep end. At the time it was opened, it had 1 meter and 3 meter diving boards installed on the north end deck of the pool, and that half of the pool served as the diving tank. Back then, the swim team had divers competing. But over time, diving became less and less competitive and eventually was discontinued - probably not always having a dedicated diving coach contributed to that. I don’t know if the diving boards are even there anymore, but they certainly haven’t filled in the diving area.
I don't even think the ARC pool sees an ounce of competition anymore. Strictly practice use. Why host meets in a crummy, cramped little room when a state of the art aquatic center is just a 10min drive away.
EDIT
Apparently the Alumni meet is still held at the ARC pool. However going back a few years, it has been the only meet at the ARC pool since the VAC was opened at the High School...According to the athletics website that is.
I can personally attest to diving accounting for a lot of potential points. Kept my high school team in many a meet during my 4 year stint in the water
That is my understanding as well: ARC for practice; VAC = meets only. Unless training philosophy has changed in the years since I coached swimming, using the VAC for practice would be $$$ prohibitive as well, because in-season you practiced twice a day — early morning to work on endurance; afternoon is for stroke-specific mechanics and power/speed. That schedule changes a bit as the season is ending and teams taper to get ready for championship meets. That could mean cutting down to one practice a day, or it still might be two, but at reduced intensity.
VUSWIM would have the specifics as he currently is a college swim coach.
Well I can tell you personally you wouldn't get in. The VAC is also a public swimming facility(has to be because public funds paid for it). When we had practices, it was on a weekly rotation. Girls team in the comp side one week. Guys team in the comp side the other. When we were relegated to the rec side, we would have to condense lanes depending on if diving was practicing, or if a member of the public came in to swim. Having a whole nother team vying for lanes would have been a logistical nightmare. However, you have a real shot at getting a diving team back and using the VAC for it. VHS diving doesn't have too long of practices and the well is kept mostly empty while practice is going on.
The VAC is a beautiful facility. Much better than the old pool with no heating in the locker room and lane lines that were serrated from lack of replacement. Still have some scars on my hand from hitting those lines. Heck i remember cancelled practices because the chloramine content was so high you could see the clouds of gas coming off the pool.
One interesting note from Valpo Day. The swim program, at only an hour past noon, has over double the participants and money raised..
One interesting note from Valpo Day. The swim program, at only an hour past noon, has over double the participants and money raised..
A friend pointed out swimming doesnt have as many portal jumpers, more stable alum/families. Having swam before you know its is a grueling training schedule that produces graduates with work ethic that in turn produces alum with jobs and loyalty.
Certainly helps that the head coach has progressively improved the team over the past couple years, with men beating Evansville at conference to cap season.
One interesting note from Valpo Day. The swim program, at only an hour past noon, has over double the participants and money raised..
A friend pointed out swimming doesnt have as many portal jumpers, more stable alum/families. Having swam before you know its is a grueling training schedule that produces graduates with work ethic that in turn produces alum with jobs and loyalty.
Certainly helps that the head coach has progressively improved the team over the past couple years, with men beating Evansville at conference to cap season.
I've seen the lack of transfers a lot with, shall we say, not in demand sports. There is likely an expectation with these sports that not much NIL is involved so there is more incentive to stay? Valpo Swim probably has better facilities than most other sports within the program as well...for meets. Its just baffling to see this much support come out of the swim program when swimming at the colligate level is usually more niche of a program
I have to give Swimming credit, as I've taken some shots at them over the years in regards to lack of competitiveness for as long as I have been part of Valpo. They have really stepped it up over the last 2 years!
