University of Alaska Fairbanks
Women's Swimming is Back
Photo: Steve Schmidt, CTS
Coach Scott Lemley is clearly pleased with the way his women's
swim team at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) started 2007. The
Nanooks hosted a meet with the defending national champions from California
Baptist University at their own newly renovated pool.
Lemley explains the UAF swim team used CTS products in the 80s, but
the team was discontinued in 1987. "Last year was the first time
we had swimmers in the water again," Lemley said.
Since their pool did not meet NCAA requirements, the team ran home meets
at the municipal pool in downtown Fairbanks throughout 2005. What enabled
the Nanooks to upgrade their pool to standards necessary for competition?
The process may sound unconventional, but it sure worked.
Switching sides
Although the University pool's shallow end was not deep enough
for starting blocks, the deep end at 11' was. Lemley says one idea
made all the difference. "We removed the diving boards from the
11' deep end of the pool, put in new receptacles, and switched
ends." So instead of swimmers diving in the shallow end of
the pool and turning around in the deeper end, they dive into the deeper
end and turn around in the shallower part.
Photo: Scott Lemley, Head Coach, Alaska
Women's Swimming
Immediately the University's pool was eligible to run NCAA meets. However,
they depended on a starting pistol and digital watches since they had
no electronic timing technology available. The university's chancellor
Steve Jones attended a meet, took note of what he saw and inquired why
they were using such antiquated systems.
Shortly afterward the necessary funds became available and just a couple
of months later, work was finished to bring the electrical wiring up
to code and add the complete CTS timing system.
Some Alaska swimming history
The only components of the system not purchased new were the RJPLs (relay
judging platforms with speed lights). Lemley details the process. "When
we secured funding a couple of months ago, one of the justifications
for going with CTS was that we already had the RJPLs."
Photo: Scott Lemley, Head Coach, Alaska
Women's Swimming
Where did they come from? Years ago Alaska Swimming Inc. purchased a
set of CTS RJPLs. After quite some time, a decision to go with different
meet management software relegated the RJPLs into storage. About a year
ago someone from Alaska Swimming Inc. heard that the UAF Women's
Swimming Team had been reinstated, and offered the equipment to the program.
So the RJPLs made the trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks.
When they tried to hook up the hand-me-down RJPLs to the newer cable
harness, they did not mate properly. "It almost looked as if the
RJPLs were not CTS products," Lemley said. He contacted their CTS
sales rep, who he said was very responsive in getting the right people
involved.
CTS engineers innovate again
After discussions with senior engineers, it was determined that the
RJPLs now at the University of Alaska- Fairbanks were some of the very
first relay judging platforms that CTS produced with speed lights—a
series of lights along the front of the platform that flash with the
start signal. These early RJPLs had the current relay judging technology,
but a slightly different configuration of lights and — what was quickly
apparent — a different connector. CTS engineers came up with cables
to adapt from these RJPLs to UAF's cable harness, enabling
them to connect to the Champ Start. Lemley says that they work
flawlessly.
Photo: Scott Lemley, Head Coach, Alaska
Women's Swimming
The complete timing system includes six touchpads and a spare, a touchpad
caddy, a System 6 timing console with Swimming, Diving and Pace Clock
training software, a Pro Pace Clock, a Championship series start system
with wireless microphone, and an LED numeric scoreboard including Home/Guest,
Event Heat and 6 lane modules. And the set of adapted RJPLs.
Unbelievable as it may sound, this same well-traveled set of RJPLs was
originally purchased upon Lemley's recommendation five years ago.
It just so happens he was the person who did the footwork to enable the
choices and decisions to initiate electronic relay judging in that venue.
And now they have come full circle.
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