Excavation for San Juan Hills Pool to Begin Monday

When students return from their spring break April 11, they'll find a big pit on the San Juan Hills High School campus large enough .

At a ceremonial groundbreaking Thursday, students, school board members and other San Juan Capistrano dignitaries put on white hard hats and used gold-painted shovels to dig into a pile of dirt just outside of the football field. That's where by the start of the 2011-12 school year, aquatic sports teams

"Like my son, I am so excited," PTSA President Margie Tinsley said, echoing the words of her son Parker, the school's Associated Student Body president.

The school was built in 2007 but has never had a pool, forcing the water polo and swim teams to use Tesoro High School's facilities.

The construction of the pool comes after some delays, but Superintendent Joseph Farley assured those in attendance Thursday that "we are on schedule."

On Saturday, crews will place perimeter fencing around the site, between the volleyball courts and football field, and on Monday, excavation for the $3.1-million pool, training facility and restrooms will begin, he said.