New pool lights to create schedule flexibility for athletes

The school is in the process of getting bids for the installation of lights on the pool deck, an addition that may take place next school year. But the purpose of new pool lights goes far deeper than simply illuminating the deck.

Water polo players and swimmers have faced difficulties with scheduling since school practice begins during seventh period. Athletes must either sacrifice their high school sport or their seventh-period class.

The school’s aquatic sports must begin practice early because De Anza Cupertino Aquatics (DACA) rents the pool in the evenings. The club team’s swim practices run between 3:30-8 p.m.
“We really value our relationship with DACA because their rent essentially pays for all the maintenance and heating costs needed to keep the pool running,” assistant principal Kevin Mount said.

Lighting the deck for the evenings will allow DACA practice to begin and end a little later into the evening, providing the high school team with a larger gap of time for practices. This way, athletes have the flexibility to take seventh-period classes and to participate in high school water sports.
Senior Kenneth Leung is one of many students who had to decide between swimming or a seventh-period class.

“Last year, my teacher recommended me to take Jazz 2, a seventh-period class, since they needed more trombones. It would also be an opportunity for me to grow as a player,” Leung said. “But then I realized I had swimming during that time.”

Leung decided to do both Jazz 2 and swimming. But he had to practice on his own with DACA in the evenings instead of with the school team.

“Even though I still got to compete with the school team, it took away from my high school swimming experience since I didn’t get to practice with the rest of the team,” Leung said. “I could not bond as much with the other school swimmers since I only swam with them at meets.”
The project also opens up possible opportunities for night water polo games, depending on the company and project the school decides to use.

“We would like to be able to hold water polo games at night, but that is really not our priority,” Mount said. “Our priority is to get more time for our students to use the pool.”

Mount is also glad that Sports Boosters will help contribute to the costs of the lights. However, until the estimated cost comes in, he is uncertain of how the project will proceed.