The SEU Blue and Bold Hilltoppers have relaunched the swim club this semester after the university pool closure five years ago, focusing on a student-led initiative to show St. Edward’s administration that students want the facility to reopen. On Oct. 1, the club hosted an interest event outside the Ragsdale Center, where students received general information about the club, signed up for updates and learned how to get involved. The event garnered at least 60 email sign-ups, according to the club officers.
Upon hearing about the club, many students shared their excitement for the opportunity to swim casually or to learn how to swim. Most students were shocked to learn that St. Edward’s once had a functioning pool, while some questioned why the pool is currently abandoned.
“If you’re not using the pool, it’s just going to waste,” student Marcello Scalante said “I know I’ve heard that they’ve wanted to use it for alternate stuff, but that never came to be, so might as well just patch it up and continue using the space as it was intended to.”
The pool has been closed since 2020 when COVID-19 put a pause on in-person meetings. The pool’s inactivity then led to unresolved damages within the facility. As a result, the university drained the pool and has since made no plans to repair it.
Leah Rush, the former president of the swim club, expressed how much of a struggle it was to keep the club running after COVID-19 hit and classes went virtual. Rush returned to campus her senior year during the Fall 2020 semester, but details on the pool still remained unclear.
“They originally told me that they were going to fill the pool and then knock down that whole little area,” Rush said. “It wasn’t until I came back when I found out that the pool just wasn’t making a comeback at all.”
However, the swim club has a history of going in and out of St. Edward’s list of student organizations. In 2007, Hilltop Views published an opinion piece on the interest in having a swim team after the last club “mysteriously vanished.”The pool also has a similar history, as it often saw issues with closure and negligence. Even when the pool was up to code, staffing was a big issue, and the pool would often not be open during scheduled hours. The facility also faced a brief closure in 2018 due to failure to adhere to city code. According to the swim club, basic pool repairs are expected to cost $25,000 to $40,000, while facility renovations are estimated between $80,000 to $150,000.
(Courtesy of Ivan Young)
Despite the disjointed histories of the pool, swim club and the challenges presented, current club president Ivan Young expressed his commitment to the initiative and reaffirmed the need for student involvement.
“I do want to bring the pool back, and the first step to doing that is to bring back the swim club,” Young said. “The more interest people have in the pool, the better. I am actually working on a petition to the school administration to bring back the pool.”
The SEU Blue and Bold Hilltoppers held their first general meeting on Oct.10 in the Recreation and Athletic Center. More information on the club initiative and future meetings can be found on their Instagram page @SEUSwimClub or on flyers posted around campus.
“Our university shouldn’t be left behind. Investing in aquatics shows we’re serious about staying competitive, supporting student wellness and keeping pace with where collegiate athletics are headed, all while living out our identity as a Blue & Bold Hilltopper community,” Young said.
