Central Pool Likely To Be Named After Coach

HINSDALE, IL — Hinsdale High School District 86 is poised to name Central High's planned new aquatic center after a legendary coach. But board members say they want to better define the district's naming policy first, particularly in relation to financial contributions.

At the board meeting last Thursday, board Vice President Kevin Camden suggested members of the board's policy committee have a "more robust" discussion on naming rights next month. On March 20, a special naming committee recommended the aquatic center be named after Don Watson, who coached five Olympic swimmers in the 1960s and 1970s at Central. He died in 2017.

Board members, who had been expected to approve the naming proposal at their April 9 meeting, agreed to delay a decision until their meeting two weeks later. They said this would be in time for the groundbreaking, which could happen in early May.

During the board's meeting Thursday, member Kathleen Hirsman said she hadn't been invited to the naming committee's meeting, even though she thought she had been appointed. She said that as the chairwoman of the policy committee, she would like to be involved in drafting the procedure for future naming rights, though she said she had no problem with naming the aquatic center after Watson.

The policy committee plans to discuss the matter April 13.

In Hinsdale, a group with a Facebook page has been fundraising for the new pool at Central. The name of the page is called "Don Watson Aquatics Center at Hinsdale Central HS."

In a New Year's Eve announcement, managers of the Facebook page announced their effort was $125,000 shy of the $1.6 million fundraising goal.

"All donations were raised in just a few months through word of mouth, a few ads and lots of dedication from our swimming and diving community around the globe," the post said.

The original pool was built in 1958.