M programs have concerns over new state lifeguard regulations.

They say it'll be both difficult and costly to comply and could even cause some pools and programs to close.

Our lower Roger spoke with the coach and the swim club president who say they now need four lifeguards every time they're in the water.

They say this comes at a time when people need more access to pools, not less.

Heard Bowling Green High School Swimming Dive is an award winning program, but their coach says new state lifeguard regulations are making waves.

Just really trying to figure out how to make this work.

You know, with the program based swimming pool versus recreational swimming, I think it's a big difference between that.

The new rules say swimming pools need a lifeguard for every 2000 square feet of water.

And the problem with that is you can have a big pool with just a few swimmers and you're required to have a lot of lifeguards more than you probably need.

It's going to hurt more than it's going to help.

You know, you're basically shutting down the lesson programs or are you going to price them out of the range of people can afford?

It's also affecting swim clubs like the western Kentucky Green Gators, affiliated with U.S. Masters.

Swimming competitive teams and swim lessons need to be exempt from these rules.

Hansbrough says he's concerned about the ripple effect, eventually reducing the number of Kentuckians that learn to swim.

Further worsening the lifeguard shortage and water safety.

If you limit access to pools, you're going to have lifts people.

They're going to be able to bully lifeguards and to do the training.

There's not a lot of lifeguards going around.

There's been a shortage of lifeguards for the last couple of years.

Both Wilkins and Hansbrough say they understand the requirements for recreational pools, but for competitive swim teams and swim lessons, they say it's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

These kids are mainly doing the same general activity, swimming up and down, doing drills, things like that.

So it's much easier to identify when somebody is in trouble.

Coach Wilkins says it will be difficult to find lifeguards to work for short periods of time during often inconvenient hours.

We have morning practice at 5 a.m.. Where are you going?

To find out why you want to come in.

Get up at 430.

Stay here from 5 a.m. to six.

You know it's going to be.

It was impossible.

And then there's the cost.

$160 a day just to have a practice.

Plus, paying the coaches are on the day.

So if you practice five times a week, that's going to be almost seven or $800 a week.

And it's going to put all the swim programs out of business.

Suggestions to ease the burden of their requirements include allowing coaches to be considered as lifeguards.

Coaches are certified lifeguards and are watching their kids all the time.

And exemptions from the rules for competitive swim teams and lesson programs.

Now, I understand having have four lifeguards.

If it was an open pool like for a recreational swim, if you have a whole bunch of kids, are some going off the diving board, some just doing their own thing.

But when it's a structured program, what you're telling the kids what to do.

You're observing with their kids are your professional sport.

I think the coach should be counted.

Wilkins, also head coach of the Sky Swim team, says they have until January to come up with a plan.

They said that they would set the pull down so we could get in compliance.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you, Laura.

According to the state cabinet for Health and Family Services, this method, called Zone lifeguarding, uses time and distance to determine the most appropriate number of lifeguards based on a program's needs, such as swim meets and practices.

Pools can submit alternative lifeguard plans using a third party compliance specialist.