Garland ISD’s state-of-the-art natatorium serves a number of purposes and one of the most important is to teach water safety classes for the district’s 2nd-graders. According to Philip Wiggins, GISD’s aquatics manager, each student who participates will go for four consecutive days to learn basic water safety.
The program will include classroom and pool time and cover various subjects such as how to put on lifejackets. They will also learn about “Throw Don’t Go,” which emphasizes the importance of not jumping into the water to rescue a person or pet and teaches other ways to help someone in distress. According to the GISD website, the curriculum is a combination of information from the American Red Cross and Whale’s Tales.
“It’s water safety, not swimming lessons,” Wiggins said. “We only have four days which
isn’t enough time to teach them to swim. We also hope that it is a process that helps them want to learn to swim. And something they learn could save their lives down the road.”
Another important purpose of the natatorium is that it’s a practice and competition facility for the GISD high school swim teams. All seven high schools have swim teams and the number of students that want to participate in the program has increased since the natatorium was built. More than 170 students are currently in the program. Last year, the number was in the 130s.
The aquatics program also offers diving and the natatorium features regulation diving boards for practice and competition. The UIL will add water polo to its list of sports next school year so GISD students will have that added opportunity.
Additionally, outside organizations have already begun to hold competitions at the GISD facility which brings money into the city of Garland. Recently, for example, the USA Water Polo National Junior competition was held at the natatorium. Participants who compete in these events are in Garland, staying at Garland
hotels and eating at Garland restaurants. In addition, there are ongoing lease agreements with outside groups.
Another purpose of the natatorium is the opportunity to serve the community. The Community Swim program offers GISD staff and students, as well as Garland’s senior citizens use of the pool Monday – Thursday from 5:15 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. Punch cards with 15 visits can be purchased for $30, which is only $2 per swim. Other groups may purchase cards for $45, or $3 per swim. Wiggins said that more than 100 passes have been sold.
Some of the facility’s special features include:
- 68-meter competition pool (one of the biggest in the metro area) which has moveable bulkheads so that it can be set up for various competitions and activities
- 25-yard, five-lane heated instructional pool
- Elevated spectator area that accommodates 1,200 people
- Weight room and locker room for students’ use
- LED video boards – one is the second largest in a high school facility in the nation
- System that removes chloramine gas from the air
- Capability of hosting district, regional, national and collegiate meets
The GISD swim district includes the seven Garland ISD high schools, Rockwall HS, Rockwall Heath HS and Tyler HS. The swim season runs from August – February.
Wiggins came to work for GISD in 2015. He is a certified pool operator and has numerous years of aquatics experience.
“I feel very blessed to be here,” he said. “We’re excited and the kids are excited.”