Administration is currently finalizing their agreement with Schurr High School to secure a pool for the team to practice, as of publication.
Coach Oscar Dorado and administration have found it difficult to secure a spot because of the other teams and swim programs that currently occupy local pools.
“Swimming is not like running where you can practice anywhere,” Senior Patric Young said. “We need a swimming facility to stay in shape and stay used to the motions of the sport. Moreover, having our own pool gives us our own place where we can be proud of and are willing to swim extra hard to defend.”
During the 2017-18 swim season, the team trained at Rosemead Aquatic Center from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. They had to find their own transportation to the Rosemead pool.
“As a club swimmer, it doesn’t really affect me as much as others because I practice with my club,” Junior Emerald Kwang said. “However, swim is still a team sport and it’s very upsetting for me to see my teammates not have a facility to train in. I hope construction finishes soon so that TCHS swim can improve.”
The absence of a pool is making it difficult for swimmers to prepare for the season.
For the time being, the swim team is doing daily dryland training in the weight rooms from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. until administration can acquire a practice location.
“The construction of the pool has made it harder for me to practice and stay in shape,” Junior Henry Khaung said. “Because there is no pool, there is no practice which makes me lazy to do my own workouts. So in a way, there is no pushing force or incentive for me to practice.”
In addition, like the last swim season, every meet will be away. When the Rams have a home meet, they will swim at the opposing team’s school instead.
When administration secures time at the Schurr High School pool for the swim team to practice, swimmers will be able to take a school bus to and from the location.
Schurr is about 20 minutes away from the high school, which is ten minutes longer than the trip to the Rosemead Aquatic Center.
Administration had previously tried to secure practice time at Rosemead, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, the Rose Bowl and Pasadena City College, but Schurr was the only available location.
Although the original estimate for completion of the pool construction was March or April, the pool is now estimated to finish in the 2019-2020 school year.