Facing the start of practice this month with the Falls High School swimming pool closed, Superintendent Nordy Nelson said the school district plans to enter into a rental agreement for the Bronco girls swimming and diving team to practice in Canada at the Memorial Sports Centre pool in Fort Frances.
Nelson, who noted he met last week with parents, coaching staff and swimmers on the girls team to update them on the situation with the FHS pool, said the rental agreement would cover August with the Broncos’ practice likely continuing in Fort Frances into September as long as pool time is available there.
The FHS swimming pool initially closed earlier this year following the conclusion of the boys swimming and diving season to undergo a deepening project budgeted at $198,000. The entire pool had been only 3 1/2 feet deep before the renovation work began.
The end of the pool where the starting blocks are located was deepened to 5 feet to comply with a rule implemented by the National Federation of State High School Associations that calls for a minimum depth of 4 feet to be able to use starting blocks.
The pool reopened July 9, but then closed a few days later in response to the problem with tiles coming off the bottom and has remained closed after being drained.
Though the captain’s practices begin Monday for Falls’ sports teams, Nelson said the school district is not allowed by Minnesota State High School League rules to transport students to practice until the formal practice sessions with coaches begin Aug. 13.
To get across the border into Canada to practice, Nelson said Falls’ swimmers would have to bring birth certificates or passports along with them.
Though the Falls has its first home meet scheduled for Sept. 4 with two other home meets planned Sept. 6 and 11, Nelson said he expects the FHS swimming pool won’t be ready to reopen in time to host those meets.
Instead, he has suggested the possibility of the dual meet opponents hosting those three meets with the Falls hosting the subsequent meets when the teams would face each other again in the future.
As for when the FHS pool might be able to reopen, Nelson said it will “boil down to test results” the district has been waiting on to be able to remedy the problem that caused the tiles coming off the bottom.
He said he is hopeful the pool could reopen for Falls’ girls team to be able to host meets later in the season.
Nelson said he plans to update the parents, coaching staff and swimmers about the situation with the FHS pool as more information becomes available.
