New Pool in Raleigh Providing More than Just Fresh Water to Wolfpack Elite Team

A new pool is being built in partnership with Wolfpack Elite and the city of Raleigh in North Carolina, as a 25-yard-by-25-meter facility that will replace the city’s 40-year-old seasonal pool at Lake Johnson and will be used year-round by Wolfpack Elite swimmers, the local community, and more. The new water not only marks a more up-to-date pool and training site but also expands Wolfpack Elite’s opportunities for its pro group and post-graduate swimmers, both in and out of the water. The new pool is expected to be finished by the end of this calendar year.

As mentioned, the new pool will provide Wolfpack Elite swimmers with a new outdoor training facility, and a more frequent one at that. The current pool is only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, from 10 am to 8 pm. With this new facility, Wolfpack Elite will train in the pool during dedicated morning hours during the summer, which still provides plenty of opportunities for the surrounding area to keep the public’s access unchanged. The new pool will be a Myrtha pool, which will be shipped from Italy next month.

Wolfpack Elite plans to use the pool for opportunities for its pro group and post-grad swimmers, offering more coaching and teaching avenues. It has previously operated with much more limited access across a variety of facilities.

“We plan to expand lesson programming, grow our clinic offerings, introduce additional groups (such as masters and triathlon training), and host meets—all of which will strengthen Wolfpack Elite’s overall impact and reach,” Wolfpack Elite and NC State head coach Braden Holloway told SwimSwam. “There are many outstanding year-round clubs that serve swimmers of all ages, and our goal is to complement those programs by providing additional pathways and connections within the aquatic community.”

Wolfpack Elite trains out of the Willis R. Casey Aquatic Center, NC State’s pool, which does not offer outdoor training, and has operated clinics year-round, private lessons, and has had a once-per-week sprint group for high school-aged swimmers through rented pool space.

“So far on a smaller scale we’ve been able to help pros earn money by conducting private lessons, running clinics, and even helping Wolfpack Elite from a business/marketing standpoint, which has been a nice way for pros to offset living expenses while training full time,”  Mary Holloway, the wife of head coach Braden Holloway, told SwimSwam. “We hope to expand this even further to provide more opportunities and make it easier for a post-grad to keep training at the highest level.”

“Wolfpack Elite has already done a great job supporting young coaches, post-grads, and pros by providing opportunities in coaching and teaching, encouraging new ideas, and offering mentorship,” Braden told SwimSwam.

According to Mary Holloway, the cost of the renovation is roughly $3.2 million, with a majority of the funding (~$2.2 million) being put up by Wolfpack Elite through private donations, which will cover the cost of replacing the pool, and necessary equipment, raising the pool deck, adding blocks, and putting in a rubberized pool deck. The city of Raleigh will put in about $1 million to enhance heated locker rooms, offices, fencing, and bathrooms, and to maintain and operate the new facility.

“When my wife and I returned to NC State in 2011, our goal was not only to give back to the university that gave so much to us, but also to contribute to the broader Raleigh community,” Braden said. “This new facility represents an exciting step forward in that mission. It will provide greater accessibility for Wolfpack Elite and NC State while expanding aquatic opportunities for all ages—from youth to adults—across the community.”

More information on the renovation and donation opportunities can be found on the Wolfpack Elite website.