PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles High School girls swim team’s final practice of the season concluded exactly like any other in Amity Butler’s 10 years as the Roughriders’ head coach.
Amidst the din of giggles and splashes, the girls swam their laps in preparation for a big league meet, spent the last few minutes playing “rock drop” in the pool and voted on next year’s captains.
Yet with the future of William Shore Memorial Pool — the Riders’ home since 1966 ¬Â¬– up in the air, it was quite possibly the last in the girls program’s history. The Riders might not have a pool next year, and those captain might not have a team to lead.
That didn’t stop Butler from handing out ballots.
“There’s no way I’m going to act like we don’t [have a team next year],” Butler said. “We always have to prepare.
“There’s a lot of things that are uncertain right now, but I will continue onward as if we’ll come up with a way to solve the problems we have here.”
The Port Angeles City Council, looking at its preliminary 2009 budget, said last month that the pool will close on Dec. 31 unless a firm plan is in place to fund pool operations.
And if that happens, today’s Olympic League meet at Shore Pool, scheduled for 3:30 p.m., could be the program’s final home competition in its history.
For many of the girls on Butler’s roster, such a prospect is almost unthinkable.
“I can’t believe it,” Port Angeles senior, and team captain, Alex Anderson said. “I think it’s really sad. It’s just such a huge thing for all of our girls.
“I don’t see how the city can actually close the pool. I can’t even imagine Port Angeles without swimming. I can’t imagine what these girls would do without swimming.”
Sophomore Jenna Moore, who’s swam at William Shore since she was 6 years old, said she’d probably end up joining the marching band.
Not that she wants to quit swimming.
“I’d rather be in the pool,” Moore said. “I really don’t want to it end in the middle of my [high school career]. More than half my life has been at the pool.”
Moore, like many of the other girls on the swim team, doesn’t compete in any other sports for the Riders.
As one of the few no-cut sports at the high school, the swim team often attracts a number of athletes of varying skill levels.
“There are 40 athletes here in the pool, many of whom don’t compete in other sports, and this is an incredible opportunity to come together as a team,” Butler said.
“It’s a safe place for them to come, and it’s a wonderful group of girls that won’t have the same opportunities [if the pool closes].”
The Riders’ sheer roster size, which is only two less than the football team, allowed them to dominate the Olympic League this season. Port Angeles was a perfect 7-0 in league this season, qualifying eight swimmers thus far for districts.
If any of the Riders can finish in the top seven at the district meet next weekend at Hazen High School, Port Angeles will have sent a swimmer to state for all 10 of Butler’s seasons as head coach.
There isn’t another team in the school with such a streak.
“We’ve had a really successful season,” Butler said. “We don’t have a particularly strong league, but we have done very well. We have a very strong swimming community. The girls bring their friends and that’s how it continues.”
That is, unless it doesn’t continue.
