One more investment

High school pool adds timing system

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake High School just got a little better.

About $27,000 better.

Moses Lake athletics director Loran Sandhop said he and Moses Lake head coach discussed the idea of bringing in an electronic timing system with all the bells and whistles after it was left off the original pool construction plan.

"This is another additional investment," St. Onge said. "Our community has continually invested in the swimming program and they want us to go to the highest level possible."

The funds generated for the scoreboard, timing system and touchpads came from the Moses Lake Booster Club, Manta Rays, Associated Student Body of Moses Lake High School and Moses Lake Athletics department.

Sandhop said the addition of the whole system opens the doors to something no other high school program in Eastern Washington has.

Currently, the Big Nine, GSL and 3A schools in the program meet at Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University or Washington State University for district competition. Sandhop said some changes to the current system would have to be made, but the Moses Lake High School could become the pitstop before state competition.

"It becomes a real possibility now," Sandhop added. "It is comparable to nothing in Eastern Washington and the only thing we are lacking is spectators."

The pool can currently hold about 150 spectators and Sandhop said the number would have to increase to about 500 for such an event. Unless the bubble is removed and a building is put in its place, Sandhop said the entire district competition would have to be revamped.

Sandhop said the current system has 4A and 3A competition combined. To hold that amount of swimmers, Sandhop said the event could be televised to a live feed in the gymnasium to eliminate city and fire code violations.

The other alternative is to add a hard structure instead of the current bubble. To add the building, the Moses Lake School District would have to approve the project and put it on a levy for the residents of Moses Lake to vote on.

Sandhop said the pool deck was built with a hard structure in mind for the future.

St. Onge said the investment puts added pressure on the Moses Lake swim team to perform at the level of equipment provided for the program.

"Now what needs to happen is the swimmers need to make the investment in the ladder and see how far they want to go up," St. Onge added. "It isn't pressure, but between the community and the school district, we have the resources."

The system, as it stands now, will keep times of swimmers in eight lanes from start to finish, keep split times of races over 50 yards and determine the winner of each race, which eliminate relying on eye judgment.

The scoreboard will read off the top eight spots for each heat, tabulate team scores and eliminate the majority of paperwork required for meets and practice.

"It helps (me) focus more attention on coaching versus constant management," St. Onge said. "That is the biggest thing for me."