Water sports back on campus

By Danny Weber (Sun Staff)

Training for sports can be difficult, especially with a full-time course load. Having to travel to train makes it all the more difficult said men's water polo head coach Jorge Ortega.

"Players have jobs, homework, and school work," Ortega said. "To add water polo, at an off-campus site takes a toll on you."

This year marks the first time since the spring of 2016 that SWC will have its water sports athletes play and train at home. In 2008, voters approved Proposition R which alloted $389 million to SWC for the construction and renovations of facilities. Included among the projects is the new 75,000 square foot Wellness and Aquatics Center, which boasts multiple pools one of which is an Olympic size pool, where our athletes train and play.

Women's water polo head coach Alissa Mashburn said the aquatics sports teams have been given a gift, but it does come with a price.

"We are blessed to be able to play here, it is really amazing" Mashburn said. However having this new complex comes with a responsibility. I feel like having this complex and this much water that I really strive to live up to its potential. I want the South Bay, and especially Southwestern College, to be a powerhouse when it comes to water polo and aquatics."

Men's water polo player Alex O'Hara said he thinks the new complex was done very well.

"There is nothing flashy about it, but you look at it and still think wow." he said

Aquatics Center lifeguard Elise Borbon said the new facilities help more students take classes that would quickly fill up before.

"It's a beautiful facility that offers so much more than before," Borbon said. "Although its much nicer, it's also larger which requires a lot more out of us." There are so many classes that are offered here that we are constantly busy." 

But with the good comes some bad. Although Borbon was extremely happy with the new aquatic complex, she said she was upset by the decision to designate parking spots for the complex. She and other aquatic center workers are not allowed to use staff parking which sometime forces them to park away from campus. Borbon stated she had issues with this due to sexual violence that has occurred on and near campus.

"There's no available parking, and when you work the evening shift you do not get off until around 10 p.m." Borbon said. "You are forced to walk to your car alone at night."