The SRJC swim team will dive into a new Olympic-sized outdoor pool this summer, after waiting almost five decades from when the inaugural swim season began.
Celebrating its 50-year anniversary in the spring of 2023, the swim team began in April 1973 when the Bear Cubs opened their existing swim complex near Tauzer Gym and competed in their final meet against College of Marin. That first team finished 7-2-1, and two Bear Cubs qualified for state. Half a century and many successful seasons later, it’s time for an upgrade.
“I’m super excited to have the 50-meter pool built for future teams,” said SRJC standout swimmer Ruby Gonzalez, who will compete for state in the 50-meter freestyle, 200 freestyle, and 200 backstroke at East LA college.
Coach Jill McCormick has led the men’s and women’s swim teams for 22 seasons, winning six California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) state titles and eight Conference titles. She has coached more than 300 All-American athletes. The new 50-meter pool will seal her legacy as SRJC’s swim coach.
Coaching the men’s and women’s swim and dive team comes with more than just winning meets; it’s what goes on behind the scenes. McCormick hopes to help SRJC raise millions for the aquatic endowment which includes the naming rights to the new pool. Funding for the new pool also came from the 2014 Measure H bond.
“This new facility and the endowment will help develop, support, and protect the future of aquatics at SRJC and in our community,” McCormick said.
Al Hume • Jan 12, 2023 at 9:11 pm
The Olympic -sized pool will not get highest utilization by the general SRJC student. There are relatively few (if any) time slots offered for the ‘general SRJC’ student to swim in the new pool. Much of the pool time is used by outside groups e.g. The Santa Rosa Neptunes, Cardinal Newman High School, and Santa Rosa Masters Swim Club, and some new water polo group…
And there it is – the truth; SRJC students do not get priority when it comes to pool usage.
Period.
How did it come to this?
What’s the story behind these groups snatching up all the pool time?
Is it permissible for this type of thing to happen with SRJC’s facilities?
Doesn’t the California Code of Education govern use of the facilites by outside groups?
Why isn’t the Oak Leaf digging into these kinds of questions?
At what point do students start demanding answers to questions like these?
Dana Couey • Oct 17, 2022 at 6:07 pm
How about a “Community Pool?”
Mark • May 24, 2022 at 10:50 am
How about “Miyashiro Pool?” 🌊🐟🤙🏾👏🏾