In the midst of preseason, members of the 2017-2018 swim team gathered to celebrate the opening of the new pool facility. The pool is the final piece of the Johnson Health and Wellness Center to be completed.

“We’re certainly very excited to have the last piece of the puzzle [of] the Johnson Center for Health and Wellness up and running,” Athletic Director Jason Edwards said.

Last winter, the Johnson Center had its official opening, but the pool had yet to be completed. For this reason, the swim team was unable to use it during the 2017-18 season. “There were a lot of small issues through the health department that needed to be remedied and rather than make it a quick fix, we wanted to make sure that everything was done right the first time,” Edwards explained. He elaborated that while construction may have taken longer than he’d hoped, it was the overarching goal of all those involved to make sure everything was perfect.

The opening of the pool was meant to celebrate and show appreciation towards the swim team, rewarding them for their patience.

“The new pool is a beautiful facility that I hope all team members will enjoy,” John Gillard, who retired from his position as head swim coach after the 2017-18 season said. “They have waited patiently so long for a facility that can showcase their talents and I wish everyone great success,” Gillard added.

Gillard coached the swim team for over 30 years, bringing in championships and leading swimmers to set new records on a consistent basis. While the swim team is excited about the new facility, it will truly be a new chapter without Gillard. “Losing John is a huge loss and I think tonight is as much about him as it is our students,” Edwards said in appreciation of the coach.

The swimmers also voiced their excitement over the new pool. Sophomore Mary Rotenburg expressed her hopes that the new pool will allow the team to reach its full potential. It’ll inspire people to start swimming again,” she said.3

Hopefully, the new facility can shine a light on the sport’s true competitive aspect. “It seems like every year one of our swimmers is breaking another record,” says Edwards, believing that the new facility can allow swimmers’ talents to be appreciated by the school as a whole.

Aside from seasonal use by the swim team, the school has high hopes for the new facility. The new facility has so much more to offer with new accessibility and function and Edwards hopes that they can now offer anything from lifeguard certification to open swims on the weekends. “These are ideas that mesh well into the thought of what this facility is really about; you know it’s not just about athletics,” he explained.

“Having everything under one roof is probably the most exciting piece,” summarized Edwards. The Wellness Center embodies our community, promoting health and well being, and swimming can now be a big part of that.