Usage Report for the NMHU Pool

By

Dr. Kathy Jenkins

Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences

August 14, 2008

Background

The NMHU is an instructional swimming facility which is under the operation of the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences. The Swimming Pool is staffed by a Manager who reports to the Head of the department. Mr. Tim Sanchez is the current swimming pool manager. He began his position in February, 2007.

The ESS Department offers a variety of instructional courses each semester at the swimming pool, these courses include:

 Beginning Swimming – 1 credit  Intermediate Swimming – 1 credit  Advanced Swimming – 1 credit  – 1 credit  Water Aerobics for Seniors – 1 credit  Lifeguard Training – 2 credits  Water Safety Instructor Training (WSI) – 2 credits  Adapted Aquatics – 2 credits  Scuba – 1 credit

All courses are offered for university credit. In a typical semester, the following instructional time is scheduled at the swimming pool:

7 am – 8 am: Advanced Swimming

8 am – 9 am: Beginning Swimming

9 am – 10 am: Intermediate Swimming

2 pm – 3 pm: Water Aerobics for Seniors

5:15-6:06 pm: Water Aerobics

Additionally, Lifeguard Training, WSI, and courses are scheduled, usually in the evenings.

Occasionally, courses in the swimming pool do not meet minimum enrollments. Our recent change in swimming pool managers has made it more difficult to hire qualified swimming instructors. However, this difficulty was recently addressed and should not impact the swimming pool after the Fall 2007 semester. Table 1 is a summary of the scheduled courses in the swimming pool since Fall 2005, and the course enrollments.

Table 1. Summary of Courses and Enrollments by Semester

Course S 05 Su 05 F 05 S 06 Su06 F 06 S 07 Su 07 F 07 S08 Su 08

Beginning Swimming 13 15 14 14 6 23(2) 12 4 17 18 2

Intermediate Swimming 0 7 13 11 12 11 0 9 0 0 3

Advanced Swimming 11 0 0 10 0 9 14 0 0 12 0

Water Aerobics 38(2) 35(2) 35(2) 27(2) 18 34(2) 32(2) 9 37(2) 16 16

Adapted Aquatics 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0

Lifeguard Training 11 0 5 0 0 13 0 0 0 8 0

WSI 15 0 0 18 0 0 0 0 0 9 0

Scuba Diving 0 8 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

In Table 1, courses that have more than one section are noted with the number of sections in parentheses after the enrollment number. For example, Water Aerobics was taught in two sections, during the Spring 2005 semester.

The NMHU Swimming Pool has a deep end, which makes it unique in Northern New Mexico. We are the only swimming pool in the area that can offer courses like, Lifeguard Training, WSI, and Scuba Diving. Deep ends are required for these activities.

Table 2 shows the average number of hours per day, scheduled for instruction, during each semester.

Table 2. Average Number of Hours per Day for Instructional Activity

Average Hours S 05 Su 05 F 05 S 06 Su06 F 06 S 07 Su 07 F 07 S 08 Su 08 Per Day Monday 3 5 6 4 3 4 1 3 3 4 2

Tuesday 6 3 3 4.5 3 5 3 3 2 4 3

Wednesday 3 5 6 4 3 4 1 3 3 4 2

Thursday 6 3 3 5.5 3 5 3 3 2 4 3

Friday 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other Usage

The swimming pool is open, an average of 6 hours per day for recreational activity, in addition to instructional activity. In most semesters, the swimming pool is open from 11-1 for noon time lap swim, from 3-5 for recreational swim, and from 6-8 for open swim. This is the normal schedule for the Fall and Spring semester. The new swimming pool manager has kept a log of all pool usage by swimmer type, during our recreational hours. Swimmer type includes: NMHU Swimmer (faculty, staff, or student) or Community Swimmer.

Table 3. Summary of Recreational Users since March 2007

Type March April May June July August

NMHU 207 321 55 532 387 233

Community 176 138 21 285 379 63

May 2007: the swimming pool was open the 1st through the 4th only. The pool was closed in the intersession due to a lack of lifeguards (we had a lifeguard scheduled who was in a motorcycle accident).

August 2007: the swimming pool opened on the first day of the fall semester, August 20th.

Beginning in the Fall of 2007, 1287 NMHU faculty, staff, and students used the Natatorium during our open swimming hours. Additionally, 469 community members used the facility during this time period. In the Spring of 2008, 2002 NMHU faculty, staff, and students used the Natatorium, showing a significant increase in pool. Additionally, 172 community members used the facility. Beginning in the Summer of 2008, programs at the natatorium were expanded to include more groups, like the United World College, Upward Bound, and the 21st Century program from the West Las Vegas School District. During the Summer of 2008, 596 faculty, staff, and students used the swimming pool, while 1439 community members from the above listed programs, used our facility.

Plan for the Future

The new swimming pool manager was directed to do the following for the academic year 2008-2009:

1. Increase the number of academic courses taught in Lifeguard Training and WSI, so that they are taught every Fall and Spring semester. Our swimming pool is the only pool with a deep end in the area; therefore, we are the only facility able to offer these two courses. 2. Offer Scuba Diving each end of Spring and Summer semester. The proximity of Las Vegas to Santa Rosa provides us with a wonderful connection to scuba certification. Blue Hole in Santa Rosa is the lake where all scuba divers in New Mexico are certified for their dives at depth. The rest of the courses are taken in swimming pool deep ends. 3. Work to increase the swimming course enrollments for our beginning, intermediate, and advanced swimming classes. Our swimming pool manager is currently working on PSAs to announce our swimming program in the community of Las Vegas. There are many faculty and staff that are interested in swimming fitness types of classes, in addition to water aerobics. 4. Work with the Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences to include Inter-tube , as a sport for Intramurals. 5. By the summer 2009, develop a swimming team for children in Las Vegas. In the past, NMHU had two swimming teams. Several years ago, those teams were disbanded. We have already contacted the Las Vegas Recreational Center and have set up a tentative competition with them for the summers. The swimming pool manager has been working on this issue for the last year. 6. Investigate brining back canoeing classes in the swimming pool. The swimming pool has , but we do not have a way, yet to transport the canoes for outings away from the swimming pool.