BHS swimming pool easily meets state high school rule on depth

Parents of swimmers and divers may be comforted to know the Brainerd High School pool has sufficient depth.

The Minnesota Department of Health has decided to begin enforcing a 1995 rule regarding the depth of swimming pools. The standard requires a depth of at least 10 feet from the end of the diving board, out to 12 feet. Many pools in older schools are not that deep, that far from the board.

BHS girls' swimming and diving coach Dan Anderson said Wednesday the BHS pool, which is 34 years old, conforms to the guidelines. Anderson said the BHS pool is 12 feet deep from the end of the board and remains that deep as it extends away from the board.

"My position is it's kind of overkill," Anderson said, "but you've got little kids diving off the board who launch themselves 12 feet out. Competitive divers go out and come down. Divers ought not to be 10-12 feet out from the board."

Anderson said he recently received an e-mail from the department of health outlining the rules.

"As I understand it, the law has been in effect since 1995," he said. "Basically, they forgot about competitive diving. Now, all of a sudden, it's been brought to their attention. Now they're informing all coaches and (athletic directors) that they better be in compliance with the law or they will shut them down. There probably will be some pools shut down."