Mrs. Blank wanted to help her swimmers gain more underwater dive time. She noticed a possible solution at a pool in Hobart and took a picture to share with Mr. Lembcke to see if his class could recreate the design. He agreed, and his 1st-hour class got to work.

Mr. Lembcke said everyone is working hard on the project, but the two main students are Gavin Fredrick and Kaitlyn Williamson. They are building this device because it helps swimmers with underwater distance. It will lay across the swim lane.

Fredrick said, “The bungee rope hooks onto the lane and covers half of the lane, which allows swimmers to practice. It is like a marking point.”

The device is made using PVC pipes formed into a T-shaped structure. A bungee rope runs through the top, with hooks attached at each end. A pool noodle was added to protect swimmers and allow the structure to float. Additional end protection and weights will be added to keep it stable in the water.

The swimmers say it is useful because it helps them with underwater swimming, and underwater swimming is more efficient than overwater swimming.

Fredrick added, “It is an improvement from what they used to use. They used to use a rope.”

The project is also saving money for the school, and it was customized specifically for their needs. Mr. Lembcke and his class said it was somewhat easy to make. They have also built other equipment for the swimmers in the past.

Overall, the project is going to help the swimmers improve their underwater swimming skills while saving money for the school. Mr. Lembcke’s class hopes their design will benefit the swim team for several years.