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Stansbury swim team, students ask Tooele board to fund bubble at Desert Peak pool to secure practice time
Summary
Stansbury High School swim coach Jessy Jepsen and a group of student swimmers told the board that sharing a single pool among multiple high schools leaves athletes with insufficient practice time and urged the district to help fund a seasonal inflatable dome at Desert Peak Pool so teams can train in colder months.
Stansbury High School swim coach Jessy Jepsen and a group of Stansbury swimmers urged the Tooele School District board to support installation of a seasonal dome (a “bubble”) over the Desert Peak pool to provide year‑round pool time and ease overcrowding.
Jepsen described the current situation as untenable: three high schools already share the pool and the district is about to add a fourth team next school year, reducing available practice lanes and time. “Swimming pools, we have 8 lanes, and you're gonna limit this down to 4 lanes,” Jepsen said, asking the board to consider contributing to a bubble that would expand usable hours and create a year‑round facility for lap swimming, lessons and aquatics programming.
Student swimmers described consequences in practice and competition. One student said Stansbury now fields about 52 swimmers and that lane assignments sometimes mean “8 people per lane.” Students said the desert peak bubble would improve access for club programs, reduce long drives for families and create more consistent practice schedules.
Board response and next steps: Board chair acknowledged the concerns and said Dr. Ernst would follow up with Parks & Recreation and provide an update to students and coaches. No formal motion or funding decision was made at the meeting; coach and students were thanked for their presentation and encouraged to stay engaged with staff.
Ending: Trustees asked staff to report back to the board after discussing options with county parks and recreation and the district facilities team; students asked the board to consider the competitive, developmental and safety benefits of more pool time for youth swimmers.
