Sports Pools vs Deep/Shallow End Pools

[Dirk]

I wanted to take a little survey. Now that swim season is winding down (for us on this side of the planet), we can look back at a summer of use (or years of summers), and contemplate our choice of pool. I chime in about deep ends on build threads when there is a question of pool depth (and sometimes even when nobody asks!!), because I love my deep end, and wouldn't want a pool without one. I think sports pools are less fun for kids and would be for me. We love to jump and dive!! I've gone as far as to say I think they are a fad, and that those that get one will eventually come to realize that, and wish they had gone with a deep end. I have it in my head, too, that sports pools are used as such only a few times (a few games of volleyball or basketball, and then that's it). I also believe that a deep end for kids greatly improves their swimming skills and confidence. It has for mine.

My depth profile is 3.5-7.5. I wish it was 3.5-9 and sometimes I wish it was 4-9.

OK, so that's my vote, one for deep end. What's yours? Which do you have? Which would you prefer? And why? I'd especially like to hear from any that have one and wish they had the other, and why. Also, give us your depth profile, and what you would do differently about that (A foot deeper here, 6" shallower there, etc).

I think a lot of folks, in the throws of designing their dream pool, struggle with this decision. Let's help 'em out. Indicate your vote, and I'll keep a tally.

Deep/Shallow End Pool: 13

Sports Pool: 9 (deepest area 5' or less)

Other: 8 (deepest area 7' or less)

No Preference: 0



Tallied up to post #81

 

[madtv126]

Not sure if mine qualifies as a deep end pool since it is 3.5 - 6.5 - 4 and our original intent was to make a pool that allowed for jumping as well as a little bit of volleyball but I think we may have outsmarted ourselves. I do worry that I do not have enough play space but hope it will pan out.

So can I vote for other I guess.

Josh

 

[Dirk]

Yes, I suppose the definition of a sports pool is in order, though I don't have one. Until we come up with one, perhaps it's a pool with a relatively even depth profile across the whole pool, one that you can stand in anywhere with your head above water, and one that you couldn't do a cannon ball or jackknife in without coming into contact with the bottom. Something like that?

I suppose the info most valuable for people in the design phase, more so than my survey tally, is your actual depth profile, and what you would do differently had you the chance to do it over.

 

[Tx-C]

My Vote is for a Deep End.

We just Finished out pool in August and we couldn't be any happier with the depth we choose. We went with 4ft throughout the lazy river and main pool and a 10x10 almost circular 9.5ft deep end. the slide, lazy river and Jumping rock all come to the deep end. The kids love the deep end and the 4ft overall depth throughout. We were a bit worried having kids that are still under 4ft, but it has not been a problem at all. Family with smaller kids come over and just love the depth as well.
My depth profile is 10 inches tanning ledge/baja shelf then 4ft straight to 9.5ft drop.

 

[madtv126]

Oh wow how about a pic of pool

 

[Tx-C]

Oh wow how about a pic of pool

Here's a pic





I'm not sure how to add the build to my signature but if you want to take a look, here is the link with the entire process and many more pics.

https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/150419-New-Build-want-to-include-a-small-Lazy-River

 

[madtv126]

Awesome thanks looks amazing

 

[Oumagic]

I appreciate opinions of others, but I prefer a "sports pool". I had a sports pool before that we liked that was 3-4-3 and recently built another sports pool but just a little deeper (3-5-4). We have two friends with deep pools and most of us congregate around the shallow end or benches. Our July party at a friend's with a diving board, we were all (8-10 people) trying to squeeze into the shallow end while 3 people used floats in the deep end. I am a heavy guy and I can cannonball into 5 feet of water and barely hit the bottom.

We like to play volleyball basketball and other games without treading water. The only thing we did not like about our 3-4-3 pool was that it got too hot. If my wife was taller, I think 4-6-4 would be great for what we like to do. We mostly use our pool to float in and lounge around.

If I had room to add a deep end and still have room to play, I would.

 

[Dirk]

I appreciate opinions of others, but I prefer a "sports pool". I had a sports pool before that we liked that was 3-4-3 and recently built another sports pool but just a little deeper (3-5-4). We have two friends with deep pools and most of us congregate around the shallow end or benches. Our July party at a friend's with a diving board, we were all (8-10 people) trying to squeeze into the shallow end while 3 people used floats in the deep end. I am a heavy guy and I can cannonball into 5 feet of water and barely hit the bottom.

We like to play volleyball basketball and other games without treading water. The only thing we did not like about our 3-4-3 pool was that it got too hot. If my wife was taller, I think 4-6-4 would be great for what we like to do. We mostly use our pool to float in and lounge around.

If I had room to add a deep end and still have room to play, I would.

Well, I tallied your vote for sports pool, but you're being a little contradictory. It sounds like you really want both types of pools!

Thanks for your comments, they're exactly what I was looking for, and what others in "design phase" will appreciate.

 

[djust]

We went with a 5' deep end after contemplating a sports pool version or a 7' plus deep end. My wife is 5'3" and she wanted to be able to stand in most of it without a steep slope so we have a 5' long 16' wide sort of deep end in a 32' long pool.
Don't know how well we like it yet, it just got filled a couple weeks ago and it is 58 degree water.

 

[Dirk]

Hmmm, I'm gunna need more categories!! I think I'll tally that for "other."

 

[offthewalls]

Funny. That was the same conversation we had in designing our 3.5'-6.0'-4.5' sport pool. My 5'2" better half wanted to be able to stand in most of the pool. We have a swim lane that gets tons of use and a basketball hoop in the center 6' section that gets use every time the kids are in the pool. The volleyball sleeves only got used twice this year. At parties folks spend most of their time in the shallow end or sitting on the swim-outs.

We're really happy with our sport pool decision.

 

[Oumagic]

Well, I tallied your vote for sports pool, but you're being a little contradictory. It sounds like you really want both types of pools!

Thanks for your comments, they're exactly what I was looking for, and what others in "design phase" will appreciate.

If I had unlimited space and unlimited budget, heck yeah I would want a slide, diving board and also plenty of shallow end to play volleyball. But I had to prioritize how we want to use our limited space and budget. I think in many cases, space and budget can make people decide between volleyball and a diving board. I think I needed another 100 square feet (10'x10') to be able to accommodate a truly deep section to my pool and the funds to go with it.

 

[an1vrsy]

Interesting thread! We have a 18' x 32' free form pool. The 18' wide circular portion is 3-1/2 feet deep. As the pool lengthens it gradually drops down to 6 feet deep as the maximum.

The adults that come over and can't swim like the pool because all they have to do is stand up if for some reason they get anxious in the water.

 

[riley00dog]

Not sure if you should class my vote as option 1 or 3. We have a deep end and shallow end 4’ - 6’. Deeper would have been unachievable given our dig and with such a small pool no head first diving could be done regardless.

 

[Dirk]

I put you in "Other." But more important than your vote are your thoughts. Do you like the two depths? Would you change either if you could?

 

[sham]

My Vote is for a Deep End.

We just Finished out pool in August and we couldn't be any happier with the depth we choose. We went with 4ft throughout the lazy river and main pool and a 10x10 almost circular 9.5ft deep end. the slide, lazy river and Jumping rock all come to the deep end. The kids love the deep end and the 4ft overall depth throughout. We were a bit worried having kids that are still under 4ft, but it has not been a problem at all. Family with smaller kids come over and just love the depth as well.
My depth profile is 10 inches tanning ledge/baja shelf then 4ft straight to 9.5ft drop.

Wow! love the pool with lazy river! When you say "4 ft straight to 9.5 ft drop", is this a gradual slope? does the slope take up much of your swim space?

 

[BMK]

Definatly deep end here. Between the slide, grotto and jumping rocks (top of the waterfall), the deep end is usually where much of the action is. The shallow area gets it's fair share of basketball games, etc, but even the adults have fun jumping off the waterfall. Most of the 'just hanging out' in the water usually occurs on the steps from the ledge down to the shallow end. Our depths are 12" to 3.5' to 10'.

 

[Dirk]

Oh man, I wish I had a 10' deep end!! Thanks for weighing in!

 

[riley00dog]

I put you in "Other." But more important than your vote are your thoughts. Do you like the two depths? Would you change either if you could?

Yes, I like the two depths. You can only do so much with a 20’ pool though. I wouldn’t change the depth on our current pool but if I could build bigger I would have more probably have the same depth just over a much bigger area.