Tuesday’s Laramie Plainsmen swim meet is more of a celebration than a competition, as Laramie faces Cheyenne South at the legendary Plainsmen pool.

After 54 years of use, the facility will close at the end of the school year. Laramie head coach Tom Hudson decided to hold one final competition at the venue that opened in 1962.

The meet will include a commemorative program that highlights all the accomplishments in the history of Laramie High School swimming and diving.

There’s been a total of 32 state championships; 20 won by the Plainsmen and 12 by the Lady Plainsmen.

Between the two squads 132 student-athletes have won a state title which adds up to 368 total championships. There have been 20 student-athletes that earned a total of 32 All-America honors.

The win-loss records for head coaches through the 2015 seasons in a dual meet stands are highlighted with how the team finished at the state meet. By the way, the record stands at 1,179 wins, 186 losses and seven ties. The late Layne Kopischka and Hudson are the two longest tenured coach’s.

The program also has the all-time top ten times for the Plainsmen and Lady Plainsmen.

This is a salute to a place that’s been the foundation of one of the most storied high school sports programs in Wyoming.

Hudson sat down for a recent interview about the send-off to Plainsmen pool. He reflected on his time at the facility; some of the outcomes; his relationship with Layne Kopischka and more.

Why host this meet against Cheyenne South, one might ask? It’s simple, former Plainsmen All-Americans Jason Garman and Larry White, from 1996 and 1997, are the current head and assistant coaches for the Bison. That’s where the conversation begins.

This is Laramie’s senior night, as well, where the nine seniors on this year’s boys’ team will be honored.

It’s the final public farewell, and the dual meet begins at 5 p.m.

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