The Park Hill School District closed its aquatic center last week after swimmers from both Park Hill and Park Hill South came down with flu-like symptoms. According to an alert put out by the district, the pool at the Park Hill District Aquatic Center — located on the campus of Park Hill High School — closed Wednesday, Aug. 26 and reopened on Saturday, Aug. 29 after being treated with extra chemicals as a precaution. The Kansas City Health Department inspected the pool and declared it safe for swimming on Friday, Aug. 28.
“Several members of both our high schools’ swim teams reported flu-like symptoms, and while we do not know what is causing their illnesses, we took several precautions,” the alert said.
Park Hill and Park Hill South were both severely short-handed in dual losses to Kearney and Raymore-Peculiar on Tuesday, Aug. 25 due to illness. Swimmers who experienced the symptoms have been instructed to stay out of the pool for two weeks after their symptoms subside.
“We do not know if the students got ill from our pool, and we do not know what their illness is, but we took these steps to prevent spreading illnesses like cryptosporidium, which is common in swimming pools,” the district said in a release.
The aquatic center had hosted the Northland Invitational, which featured swimmers from across the area, on Saturday, Aug. 22. Warning emails were sent to the schools who competed in that event to be on the lookout for symptoms, but it is not known if any other swimmers were affected.
Kearney 84, Park Hill 73
The Trojans won only four events and were not complete enough to beat the visitors Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Park Hill Aquatic Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Marcin Glebocki, Park Hill’s senior all-state standout, won the 200 individual medley in a state-qualifying time of 2:05.21 and 100 backstroke field, edging Kearney’s Grant Sloan by .10 of a second. The backstroke time was also a state cut.
Jered Weger took first in the 200 freestyle with a state qualifying time of 1:50.62. Glebocki, Weger, Sean Cogley and Jack Brook teamed up to win the 200 freestyle relay in 1:35.68.