Swanson Pool closure, future expansion plans
We are residents of University City and support the future expansion of the Swanson Pool. With a pool in our backyard, our family felt that it was necessary for us to sign our daughter Amanda Weinbrecht for swimming lessons at our local Swanson Pool when she was 6 years old. Little did we know what was about to transform. Amanda quickly emerged from a Swanson Stingray Novice swimmer to one of the top swimmers in San Diego and Imperial County. After trying many other sports like ballet, tennis, basketball, gymnastics, piano lessons, she knew that swimming was something she could excel at and for safely reasons we no longer had a fear of her drowning. “I learned all the basics from what I learned at the Swanson Pool.”
At the age of 8, we were encouraged by her Swanson coach to join USA Swimming. The coach told us that Amanda had a bright future ahead of her and that we should start looking around for swim clubs around the neighborhood. Amanda joined North Coast Aquatic Swim Club with head coach Jeff Pease at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center. Her hard work paid off breaking seven UCHS records: the CIF Division II record in the 100 backstroke; three-time All-American in 100 backstroke; three time all-section, two-time San Diego Union/Tribune All-Academic team member; three-time team MVP; and two-time team captain. In club work, Amanda has set Junior Olympics records in 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke and is currently a national ranked swimmer for USA Swimming.
Amanda is on a full swimming scholarship at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and continues to be an Olympic hopeful. Amanda is currently an outstanding backstroker for the UNLV Rebels and is considered one of the best female swimmers in the Mountain West Conference. In July, Amanda competed in the 2007 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships held in Indianapolis, Indiana, just missing the Olympic Trial cut in the 100 backstroke by fraction of a second. The Olympic Trial time is 1:04.59 and she finished at her best time of 1:05.89. Amanda swam the backstroke for North Coast Aquatic Swim Club in the Women’s 400 Medley Relay, which finished 15th in the nation and set a new club record. Other team members included Jessica Schmitt, Tanya Krisman and Blake Hayler.
Our message to our councilman and UC residents is that there are not many regulation-size pools in the San Diego County where future Olympic hopefuls can train. Pool time has always been an issue for us and swimming coaches, which puts the swimmer in a position to have to look outside their community to practice. Having a regulation-size pool will invite and generate revenue into our community hosting various swim meets, water polo games, practice time and swim lessons.
We hope our letter will encourage the next Olympic hopeful or just give a child a priceless gift for safety reasons of knowing how to swim living in Southern California.
Kimberly Weinbrecht, University City
