The Examiner U-46 News Feed

U-46 application slated for two co-op swim teams

By Seth Hancock
  The Board of Education in School District U-46 voted 5-0, board members Samreen Khan and Melissa Owens were absent, to approve applications to the Illinois High School Association for co-op athletics at its meeting on Monday, Aug. 5.
  The co-op teams will be South Elgin and Elgin high schools in both boys and girls swimming and diving.
  The applications for both state: “Elgin High School has low participation numbers. In addition, the pool at Elgin High School will be shut down for capital improvements.”
  The applications were presented at the July 29 meeting when Paul Pennington, Elgin’s athletic director, stated the hope is this is a “temporary” move. He said low enrollment in swimming played a part, but it is “mostly because of the capital project” that has closed Elgin’s pool.
  Bartlett and Streamwood high schools have long had a co-op in boys and girls swimming while Larkin has its own team, a July 29 memo stated.
  “Elgin High School students showed low interest in swimming after the administration of a student survey in the spring,” the memo stated. “A capital improvement project on the swimming pool at Elgin High School will be taking the pool offline for both the girls and boys swim seasons.
  Asked prior to the meeting why the South Elgin-Elgin co-op was chosen instead of a Larkin-Elgin co-op, the memo stated there were several factors.
  “Proximity to Elgin High School was another key reason South Elgin High School was chosen to co-op,” the memo states. “In the past, when Elgin High School’s pool had maintenance issues and they couldn’t practice, they used Streamwood or South Elgin. Getting the students to either of those locations after school or to competition has been quicker.”