BAM Q&A Meeting Recap

Ray is expected to be closed for at least a year, likely more. It’s construction, there are no guarantees.

The overall pool schedule, including the BAM practice schedule, will change seasonally. The schedule will change in mid-June when the school year ends and summer swim lessons begin. It will change again in the fall when school resumes and high school sports need pool space.

Were other locations were considered for BAM practices? The pool at the BIRC? Lynwood Center? The North Kitsap Community Pool in Poulsbo? The Hazelwood/Silverdale YMCA? 

Enclosing the BIRC pool in a bubble and running it in the winter months is at this point out of our scope financially. 

Understandably, some BAMmers won’t be able to swim with the team during renovations. These swimmers may take an extended leave of absence from the team, and will be welcomed back with open arms (without having to go on the waiting list) when renovations are complete. Fill out a Leave of Absence form to stop the monthly charges.

The Leave of Absence form can also be used to change your swim level (level 1: one practice a week; level 2: two practices a week; level 3: unlimited practices).

The higher temperature in Nakata has been a recurring concern for BAMmers. Unfortunately, it is also non-negotiable – Health Department regulations specify the minimum temperature for pools used for children’s swim lessons.

We will acclimatize! Coach April will start us slow and slowly ramp us up as we get accustomed to the warmer conditions.

For those who want Ray-like swimming conditions, you will need to look for a pool with a lower temperature. We could not find one on this side of the water until the local summer pools open.  All other open public pools in the area are kept at temperatures similar to Nakata.

To access lap swim, BAMmers can add a monthly pool pass to their BAM membership for an additional $25 per month. (This is a good deal – a stand-alone monthly pass is $90.)

The lap swim schedule was released on Friday, January 17. It includes some new rules for lap swim: for example, no more than three swimmers per lane, and swim time is limited to 45 minutes if there are swimmers waiting.

The Aquatic Center hours will be expanded to allow for more lap swim times: 4:00AM to 10:00PM (adjustments possible pending usage).

With only four lanes and 18 to 20 swimmers at each practice, using SignUpGenius to reserve your spot becomes as important as it was during Covid.

What won’t change: the SignUpGenius will open at 7:00PM on Wednesday. Level 1 swimmers can sign up for one practice, level 2 swimmers can sign up for 2 practices, and level 3 swimmers can sign up for three practices.

What will change: At 7:00PM on Saturday the SignUp will open for Level 3 swimmers to claim additional practices. At midnight on Sunday the SignUp will close, and no further sign ups or changes will be allowed.

BAMmers will not be allowed to join a practice if they are not signed up.

There is no doubt that BAM’s intrusion on Nakata is going to impact the swimmers who are regulars there. Change is coming for them too; the (hypothetical) Nakata lap swimmer who has claimed lane 2 as their own every Monday and Wednesday at 9:15 for the last four years is about to lose their space and routine… and they won’t have a group of lane mates, an award-winning coach, and the force of a 170 member team to help them figure out this new normal. Please be gracious, be courteous, and be respectful of all the patrons of the pool. Like you, all they want is their turn in the water.

On a similar note, please show your respect for and gratitude to the lifeguards. In addition to their regular duty of keeping us safe in a potentially life-threatening environment, they will also be the front-line responders to the conflicts that are sure to arise when routines are disturbed. Support them by making their job as easy as possible.

Finally, parting thoughts from Coach April: We have every reason to believe that BAM swimmers will not only survive through renovation, but thrive. I fully anticipate that BAM will come through the other side of this renovation just like we came through Covid, with new and even improved stroke technique, sense of team, and resilience.