Growth of youth swimming leaves some athletes high and dry

The sport of swimming is making a splash in Castle Rock, but the limited pool space also is making waves.

Castle Rock's year-round, competitive youth swim team, Castle Rock Swimming, has a wait list of more than 35 kids, said Laura Alfano, who has two daughters in the program.

The team rents lane space at the Castle Rock Recreation Center, and would like to rent more space, but there simply isn't any more space to rent, she said. The team is capped at 90 swimmers.

"We would love to grow our team, but this is the only indoor pool in Castle Rock," Alfano said.

The 2008 Olympics, as well Castle Rock's booming summer program, have generated a lot of interested in youth swimming, said Mike Novell, Rock Swimming head coach.

The Castle Rock Cruisers summer club team has more than 200 members. Between Castle Pines North and Castle Pines Village, there are three summer swim teams. The growing interest in the summer programs is helping feed the demand for the year-round team, Novell said.

"It's a struggle because we want to serve our community, and a big part of that is getting kids in the program, but there just is not space," he said.

The lack of indoor pools is not only a problem for Castle Rock. None of the high schools in Douglas County have pools, so the nine high schools have to jostle for space at local rec centers, said Will Amos, age group coach of Rock Swimming and Douglas County High School boys and girls swimming head coach.

In addition to Rock Swimming, the teams from Douglas County and Castle View high schools practice at the Castle Rock Recreation Center.

Amos said last year, there were 41 girls on the DCHS team, which is about all he has room for. This year, 54 girls have expressed interest.

He said if both Castle View and Douglas County have 40 female swimmers, cuts will be necessary. Although there are fewer boy than girl swimmers, Amos said he has seen a recent influx of more males into the sport.

In 2003, Castle Rock proposed building a new recreation center in The Meadows, but the bond measure to finance the project was voted down.

Revenue shortfalls due to the economy has the town considering cuts to the 2010 budget, including reducing recreation center and Leisure Pool hours and eliminating the Masters Swimming adult program.

Faced with these budget realities, a second rec center does not fit into the town's priorities right now, said Jeff Brauer, Castle Rock's assistant parks and recreation director.

He said the growing demand for another pool facility in the county has come up in recent discussions between Castle Rock, Parker and the Douglas County School District.

"We recognize the need, but none of us has the money to do it," he said.

Erin Feese: 303-954-2953 or feesee@yourhub.com