The move followed negotiations last week between school officials and parents and citizens who support the sport, in which the number of meets were reduced and other cost savings enacted to bring the projected expense to within $1,200 of the amount budgeted.

Superintendent Dr. Craig Noah also found a head coach for the program within the district, Jim Heinzler agreeing to take the helm. Salt Fork YMCA Aquatics Director Jillian Pointer, a 1998 MHS grad, will serve as assistant coach.

"We were able to take down the cost of the program where we could make it work," Noah told the Board. "Even if the group wasn't successful, you'd want to do the program."

"On behalf of a lot of happy swimmers and happy parents, it's appreciated," noted Jay Barton, former Board President whose daughter, Allee, is an incoming freshman.

One of the big issues was finding a coach. Amber Tottingham, who had been the coach during the program's first three years, was let go in the spring and an attempt to hire Manta Rays coach Mike Ballard fell through when MSHSAA wouldn't approve him under a "hardship" provision for lack of required certification.

The plan is for Pointer to be an assistant for two years while she gains the necessary credentials, after which time Noah said "she should be certified to coach."

She will have to take an active role because Heinzler, whose daughter Stephanie was a swimmer two years ago, has other coaching commitments as an assistant football coach at Carrollton during the fall boys' season and is head of the MHS wrestling program when the girls compete in the winter.

Noah, in only his second week on the job, appeared glad to have resolved the issue in a positive manner.

"The true benefit of this was getting outside opinions on how we'd do this," Noah said. "The collaboration worked great."