Vol. 38, No. 18

2-16-2006
By: Joni Bentz Seal

Buckeyes get their feet wet at new McCorkle Aquatics Pavilion

The water from all the pools in the old Larkins Hall complex wouldn't even fill the competition pool in the new McCorkle Aquatics Pavilion.

Holding nearly a million gallons, the pavilion's Mike Peppe Natatorium is the new home to Ohio State men's, women's and synchronized swimming teams. The Ron O'Brien Diving Well, boasting more than half a million gallons itself, serves the varsity diving team. And the recreation natatorium features three pools and a community spa.

The $20 million pavilion, which is housed in the university's Recreation and Physical Activity Center, was funded by the Department of Athletics, Recreational Sports (through the Student Activity Fee) and the School of Physical Activity and Education Services, and through a $6.5 million gift from Mae and William R. "Bill" McCorkle Jr. of Columbus.

The Peppe Natatorium is a 50-meter world-class competition pool with a rare 10 racing lanes indoors. Its deep water dissipates waves, making it a "fast" pool, and it has movable bulkhead walls that can be configured in several different racing courses.

The diving well features a three-platform tower and 3- and 1-meter springboards that can be used on any of the well's four walls, allowing for simultaneous divers and more efficient use of time for coaching and clinic instruction. Divers also enjoy a spa to keep warm in between dives and can be tethered to spotting rings over the water - rather than on trampolines - to learn difficult moves.

"Our diving well is more than state-of-the-art - it is defining the future of diving by exceeding the standards of competitive diving in the world," said Kurt Carmen, director of aquatics. An OSU alumnus, Carmen worked for the company that assisted in the design of the new facility and oversaw its construction, and he was quite honored when his alma mater recruited him to manage the completed aquatics pavilion.

The facility already has attracted several major competitions: The women's 2006 Big Ten Championships, going on now through Feb. 18, is the first time the Ohio State women's team has hosted the event. The 2006 NCAA Diving Regional Qualifying Championships March 10-12 will host both male
and female divers from all over the region. These championships are the final step for divers to qualify for the NCAA Championships to be held this year at the University of Georgia. Ohio State will host the NCAAs in 2008 and the men's Big Ten Championship in 2007.

Women's swimming head coach Jeanne Fleck said the opportunity to swim in such a cutting-edge facility has improved the team's performance and spirit. "The team has trained at a higher level and our swimmers have tremendous pride in the new pavilion," she said. "As host of the women's Big Ten championship this year, we know our complex will provide a highly competitive experience for every swimmer."

Swimmer Stephanie Fennell, a junior communication technology major from Campbellville, Ontario, Canada, said she often looks at the faces of visitors seeing the pool for the first time. "They're usually in awe when they see it and realize we have such a great facility in which to train every day. I literally see people go 'Wow!'" she said.

In the recreational natatorium, a class instructional pool is kept at a comfortable 83 degrees and has a movable floor that adjusts depth from 0 to 9 feet. This facilitates not only ease of entry for the physically challenged but a shallow venue for learn-to-swim, a deeper venue for water polo and everything in between, Carmen said. A six-lane lap pool is always open, and a leisure pool - complete with a current channel, bubble bench and slide - provides wet fun for employees and students with families during designated hours each week.

The pavilion's other highlights include spectator seating, offices for staff and coaches, two visiting-team locker rooms, conference rooms, a "wet" classroom for instruction and ports throughout for TV cameras covering events.

Although the facility is open 100 hours a week, Carmen said it has taken a while to determine the needs of its primary constituents and to pinpoint its availability - if any - to external groups, many of whom had enjoyed liberal and inexpensive access to Larkins Hall. "The complex was built for our three funding groups and costs significantly more to operate than Larkins did," Carmen said. "However, Ohio State's aquatics program has a great interest in what the swimming world is doing and a great compassion for the efforts of the local clubs in developing swimmers."

That compassion was evident recently, Carmen said, when the pavilion made room in its busy schedule for three local swim clubs displaced when their facility was vandalized. "We were sensitive to their tragedy," Carmen said. "We realize there are unique opportunities when Ohio State can step up and be a supportive community citizen."

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