On Feb. 29, 2020, alumni ranging from Class of 1932 to 2018 took a dip in the new Anaheim High Jon Urbanchek Aquatics Center swimming pool as part of a Leap Day Swim-A-Thon. They joined 100-plus student swimmers, coaches, teachers, administrators and community members who attended the event to support the new swim program.
Anaheim High last had a competitive team in 1991, and the pool was drained in 2009, the same year the Alumni Association was formed. Once it was known the pool in out of operation, a “Bring Back the Splash” campaign was started with Jan Domene (’69) heading the effort as president of the AHSAA, and later, an AUHSD trustee, who unfortunately passed away before seeing her dream become a reality.
In December of 2019 the pool was christened with a naming ceremony for legendary AHS Coach Jon Urbanchek. A month later, new swim coach Denise Osorio was handed the keys, and six weeks later a team of swimmers began competing. A water polo team will be formed in coming months.
Since 2009, alumni have donated approximately $25,000 toward the Bring Back the Splash campaign. The Feb. 29, 2020 Leap Day Swim-A-Thon was the culmination of a decade of effort to have an operational swimming pool at Anaheim High. Congratulations to all who joined this grass roots effort to bring the amazing Anaheim High Aquatics Center to life.
Finally, thanks for all the hard work by everyone involved at the AUHSD, the construction team, the AHS staff and student body who endured two years of construction and all the neighbors surrounding Anaheim High!
