Campus Fitness and Wellness Center pool opens

Grab your swimsuit and your sunscreen, it’s pool season at Troy! The Trojan Fitness and Wellness Center pool is now open for the warm season. 

Georgia Bagdonas, a sophomore business major and fitness instructor at the fitness center from Huntsville, Alabama, shared her excitement. 

“I am super excited because it’s always a great way for more students to get involved at the rec,” Bagdonas said. “When people hear about the pool, it gives them the opportunity to walk in, and with that, introduces them to our classes and other things that we offer, so it’s super exciting.” 

Greyce Godbehere, a sophomore secondary math education major and fitness instructor at the fitness center in Birmingham, Alabama, shared a similar sentiment. 

“I love the pool, I’m super excited and all my friends are excited because we don’t live at apartments that have a pool,” Godbehere said. “It’s super relaxing because of the waterfall, and it’s very closed in and private.” 

To ensure good times all around, the fitness center staff would like to emphasize pool safety rules and measures. A full list of pool rules can be found on the fitness center’s social media @troycampusrec. 

Matthew Pisarksi, assistant director of campus recreation, gave a brief overview of pool safety. 

“We have lifeguards when the pool is open, we can’t allow diving, wear appropriate swim attire and no alcohol of any kind can be out there,” Pisarski said. “If it’s hot out, we want to make sure that they stay hydrated and wear sunscreen, we don’t want them to get sunburned because then they wouldn’t be able to come and enjoy the pool.” 

If requested, the staff will also put out umbrellas to help manage the sun and heat. 

Bagdonas and Godbehere shared their pool packing lists that included towels, cover-ups, hats, sunscreen, tanning oil, sunglasses, snacks, books and even homework. 

The fitness center will also be holding events at the pool throughout the season starting with Rec Night Out on Apr. 17, where the pool will be open from 7 to 11 p.m.  

Pisarski shared some words of encouragement for students interested in attending the pool this season. 

“If they haven’t been by, they can always bring their friends and come lay out by the pool,” Pisarski said. “We try to have a safe place for students to come enjoy and get out of their dorm rooms.” 

Godbehere gave her perspective as a student. 

“You should use every free amenity that’s at your disposal for the next four years, and the pool’s a huge one,” Godbehere said. “Our staff keeps it very clean, and it’s super nice just like the rest of the rec.” 

To get to the pool, students must enter the fitness center with their key fob. Upon passing the front desk, the stairs down to the bottom floor are on the right. 

The pool is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 12 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. The times posted are subject to weather conditions.