One benefit of a 40 meter pool at Oak Park and River Forest High School, which no one seems to mention, is the expansion of kayak opportunities. A 40 meter pool will offer PE students the ability to paddle kayaks a substantially longer distance compared to the current pools.
Some reading this will say, “What do you mean kayaking in the school swimming pools — you’re making that up, right?
No, I’m not. Every sophomore paddles a kayak around the swimming pools as part of sophomore PE.
The OPRFHS athletic director has said a new pool could introduce students to “to something they haven’t seen before.” Here are some kayaking suggestions for that “something.”
Kayak Jousting Club
Two club members, each in a kayak armed with pool noodles, are at opposite ends of the pool. They paddle toward each other as fast as possible. Once they reach pool noodle range they stow their paddles, grab the pool noodles, and thrash each other until one dumps over. The victor takes on another challenger and continues until dumped.
Kayak Whirlpool Club
When this club meets, the 40 meter pool is stuffed with as many of its members in kayaks as the pool can hold. Club members then paddle kayaks in the same direction around the pool to create a circular current. The members keep paddling until the current becomes a whirlpool. The strength of the whirlpool is then assessed by throwing an ARC-Prestan Ultralite Manikin used for CPR training into the middle of the vortex. If the whirlpool is strong enough to suck the manikin to the bottom of the pool and drown it, the whirlpool is considered a success, and all the club members raise their paddles and shout “Ain’t we something!” This is a no-cut club that could be what enables OPRF to reach 100% participation in extracurricular activities.
Bi-Aquathalon Club
Kayak activities could also be combined with other “something never seen before” aquatic programs, for example kayak jousting and belly flopping, for a Bi-Aquathalon Club. After the jousting competition, members would go to the diving board to perform belly flops. Flops would be judged by the reddest belly, the loudest WHAP! sound, and the most extreme cry of utter pain. Members will carry GoPro Hero4 cameras to broadcast their flops and agony on Newscene, the high school’s student-produced news program.
So when you go to the polls in November to decide the pool referendum question, don’t forget the possibilities for kayaking.
ΤΑ Γ’ΑΡΙΣΤΑ.
Byron Lanning is a resident of Oak Park.