How deep would you build your sport IG?

[jabre]

I'm planning an IG pool approximately 34x17. My thought is to have a sport pool design with 5' center and 3.5-4' on the sides. I do not want a diving board. I've had one person tell me that kids, once they're about 9, will dive into a pool no matter what. So, they suggest that the keeping both sides less than 5' deep is dangerous. Any thoughts from those experienced? My kids are less than 5yrs now. I don't want to make any design decisions that I'll regret in only a couple of years.

[CarlD]

Do you trust that person more than your kids?

My older kid is almost 11 and he knows to NEVER dive in--but he WILL "Cannonball!" into the 5.5 section. I trust him first, but that's my kid, and all kids are different.

[Pinman24]

We just finished a IG sport poolin 2005 and went with 5.5 in the middle with 3.5 and 4 ft on th ends. I am glad we went a little deeper in the middle. We do not allow any diving in the pool by anyone. Have fun.

[jabre]

Thanks, that sounds good. A little deaper on one end than the other. I can have the tall people stand in the 4' section. That's what I'll go with.

[dep78737]

I read on another forum that a big majority of folks prefer a std shallow to deep pool instead of a sports pool, even without full diving depth. Ours goes from 3.5' to 7'. Adults and kids often prefer the deep end. Think it through and talk to other pool owners before making a final decision.

[ValAZ]

We put in a diving pool - just finished it. I have 5 kids ranging 4, 10, 15, 16 &18 yrs, and all but the youngest wanted a diving pool. My older ones told me they didn't think they'd use it for just splashing around, and although they liked the idea of having a big area to play volleball, etc., realistically that is not what would be happening most of the time.

I definately was not spending all that money to put in a pool that wasn't going to get used that much.

Play pools haven't been around so long, and I'm wondering if those families that put them in when their kids were young find that their kids are still using them when they're older, or if they get bored too quickly since they don't have a deep end to dive and cannonball in. We had a great neighborhood pool club in our old neighborhood before moving into this new house last year, so my kids have grown up swimming in a huge pool and love it.

I know they'll be in our new one all the time, but it was definately my wondering about them using a sport pool as teens that caused me to make my decision for a diving pool.

Valerie

[hoogie]

I'd consider a deeper pool also. My kids are 10 and 11 and they do cannonballs and jumps and stuff into our 52" pool and frequently bottom out. Even though they know not to dive, slamming your back or your knees on the bottom isn't much fun either. As an adult I can't jump into our pool at all, It's like jumping off a 4 foot wall onto cement and forget cannonballs I'd kill my back.

[mwsmith2]

Mine is 4' on the ends, and 5' in the middle. I cannonball into mine all the time. I bump my butt on the bottom, but only lightly.

And no, i'm not a little guy

Michael

[Phillbo]

Mine is 3.5' at one end and then slopes to 6' at the other. I like it like that .

[Rangeball]

Our IG has a 3' shallow end then slopes to an 8' deep end, average depth of 5.5'.

The kids like it, but when we go to my dad's, he has a 4' AG (not sure of diameter) so we can play volleyball, and everyone has a blast. We've tried to replicate this in our pool, and it just doesn't work. If I were installing our pool again, I'd think long and hard about a deep deep end.

I guess the grass is always greener...