As spring begins, the weather is already getting hotter, and come summertime you will surely find local pools packed with people looking for a place to escape the heat and relax. Austin currently has 40 public pools scattered all over the city, and while most people typically go to their local neighborhood pool, there are many other options to choose from. LASA students live all over the Austin area, but many still share some of the same favorite spots to swim.

With the combination of Austin’s location along the Colorado River, its abundance of pools, hot climate, and a large and still growing population, it’s no surprise that swimming has become such a popular activity and sport. The growth of competitive swimming can also be seen at a state level, according to junior Bryce Yeazell.

“For LASA we swim all over Texas,” Yeazell said. “Part of the culture of our state is that we’re really strong water based. Texas is a really big swimming state, just in general, so you have a lot of speed especially in all the big cities, and pretty much every single high school promotes a really big swim team in all of the big cities, so that’s why we have a lot of speed in the Austin area.”

While competitive swimming is popular as a school and club sport, some LASA students like Gus Albach prefer swimming for fun as a way to enjoy the water.

“I would definitely lean towards recreational swimming,” Albach said. “I’ve never been very big into competitive swimming, and its much more fun to throw a football in the pool or jump off a diving board then to attempt butterfly.”

There is a large variety of pools to choose from when deciding where to swim, ranging from larger municipal pools to smaller neighbourhood ones. Albach explained how he chooses where to go.

“I’d say just about most Austin pools make for a good swim, it really depends on what you want,” Albach said. “A big pool like Deep Eddy, Bartholomew or Barton Springs is going to have quite a few people but they’re usually a bit more fun. A small pool like Reed wouldn’t be half as crowded and would make for a really chill casual day at the pool. I prefer going around noon because there usually aren’t as many people at the pool yet and it’s the hottest point in the day.”

Some of the most popular swimming spots, like Barton Springs, are located in the heart of the city. Their central location makes them accessible to many, explained LASA student Christian Salinas.

“Personally my favorite spot is Barton Springs,” Salinas said. “It is an iconic place in Austin and really sums up the vibe of the city. Its location downtown makes it easy for friends to all come together which is important going to a magnet school. The water is cold but that’s perfect for the hot summer weather. It also has really nice summer grass to lay on and tan and is right next to Zilker Park which makes the pool a perfect place to cool down after you run around and warm up.”

Barton Springs is a spring fed pool, meaning that no chlorine is used in its water. Many students, like Yeazell, enjoy swimming at the Springs for its uniqueness.

“I like to go to Barton Springs a lot, it’s a nice place, like a landmark of Austin for swimming,”
Yeazell said. “It’s something interesting, I spend so much time in regular pools that it gives a slight change from that.”