This summer, construction began on Paso Robles High School’s aquatic center, which will include a 40-meter swimming pool.
Scheduled for completion in November 2025, Athletic Director Michael Sauret said the facility will accommodate both PRHS’ aquatic sports teams and community uses.
“What’s incredible about this facility is because it has deep water and shallow water, we’ll be able to provide swim lessons and really swim experience for all of our district students,” Sauret said.
For Paso Robles High School's own students, the pool should prove even more beneficial.
“Currently, the water polo team, the swim team, the dive team, they all practice over at the municipal pool, which is on the other side of town,” Sauret said.
PRHS Senior Emily “E.J.” McNeal represents her school on each of those teams and shared her experience without a pool on campus.
“My freshman and sophomore year, I didn’t have my own vehicle,” McNeal said. “We would have to drive with those buses or we would carpool with other seniors on the team. It would be so much easier just to walk up here instead of having to drive.”
She added that a pool on campus would instill more campus pride in its aquatic sports teams.
“Our peers can’t see us practice and some of them can’t make it over for our games. But if we did have that pool on campus, we would be able to show all of our hard work and our peers would be able to come watch us easier,” McNeal said.