UofSC’s natatorium making a splash with swimmers
Posted on: November 20, 2016; Updated on: November 20, 2016
By Jeff Stensland, stenslan@mailbox.sc.edu, 803-777-3686
Hosting nearly 900 young swimmers and their families sounds like a daunting task, but for University of South Carolina aquatics director MIke Chajkowski, it’s all in a day’s work.
Chajkowski and his team of volunteers were busy this weekend running the 2016 PALM Thanksgiving Turkey Invite, an annual event that brings swimmers ages 6 through teens to the Blatt P.E. Center’s natatorium. The event, sponsored by Midlands-based Palmetto Aquatics, is one of the largest meets in the state and draws swimmers from throughout South Carolina as well as Georgia and North Carolina.
Working with Palmetto Aquatics’ meet director Sue Walton, Chajkowski has to help coordinate dozens of volunteers, including timekeepers, safety officials and concession workers who start early in the morning and work into the night. “It’s a lot of work, but it couldn’t happen without all the volunteers,” said Chajkowski, now in this eighth year as aquatics director.
USC’s natatorium hosts about 15 events a year for swimming clubs and high schools, although most are on a smaller in scale than the Turkey Invite. USC’s facilities have gained a strong reputation among serious swimmers and is a destination of choice for competitive meets in the state. The natatorium features a 10-lane, 50-meter competition pool with an additional diving well for warming up and warming down, and seating for 800 spectators.
Chajkowski says hosting events at USC is a great way to showcase the campus to prospective students. “It’s good exposure for USC, but it’s also great for the whole region. A lot of people are staying at local hotels and dining out, so all that revenue is helps the local economy.”
The natatorium is available for use by faculty, staff and students. Visit the aquatics website to learn more.
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