SwimEx® 1000 T therapy pool with dedicated hot and cold plunges
Minutes to water. Usage on game days: 80–85% of the roster.
“It’s nice to know that the support that you’re receiving from SwimEx is also world-class.”
Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
At-a-glance
- Segment: Major League Baseball clubhouse hydrotherapy
- Setup: SwimEx 1000 T therapy pool plus dedicated hot and cold plunges in a single room
- Usage on game days: 80–85% of the roster
- Shower-to-pool time: minutes
- Capacity at once: 8–14 in the room; hot approximately 6; cold approximately 4–5
- Staff supervision: About 1 staff member per 2–3 athletes
- Reliability: “I can’t recall an instance where our SwimEx products have been out of order or in disrepair.” – Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
Keeping hydrotherapy ready in a 162-game season
Major League Baseball seasons are long, and the hydrotherapy room is busy throughout the regular season and postseason. During a $200 million clubhouse renovation, the Guardians doubled the footprint of their hydrotherapy space and required a setup that would keep preparation, recovery, and rehabilitation on schedule every day. With a 162-game season, any bottleneck or downtime in the room risks disrupting player availability and rehab timelines.
The previous room, centered on a SwimEx 600, was used mainly for recovery in a smaller footprint. In the new space, the team upgraded to a SwimEx 1000 T and added dedicated hot and cold plunges, with a layout that flows directly from showers into the hydrotherapy room. Staff and players rely on the space throughout the year.
On game days, players are in the water within minutes. About 80–85% of the roster uses the room. Clear sightlines allow staff to comfortably supervise two to three athletes each and keep rotations movin
Progress you can sustain
With the 1000 T and dedicated hot and cold plunges in one room, the Guardians run daily work that ranges from decompression and restoration to active strengthening.
“We’re going to adapt our protocols… shift from recovery to more active strengthening… with our strength and conditioning staff.”
- Jeff Desjardins, Head Athletic Trainer, Cleveland Guardians
Staff use the room for decompression, restoration, concentric and eccentric work, underwater running, and agility—without leaving the space. During the regular season, the room supports deload work and post-game recovery.
"There are times where we have a large group of players floating together… physiologically, it helps them, and psychologically, it brings them closer as a team as well.”
- Jeff Desjardins, Head Athletic Trainer, Cleveland Guardians
“It impacts our players every day… we’re looking to make them be the best versions of themselves… and SwimEx helps us do that.”
- Jeff Desjardins, Head Athletic Trainer, Cleveland Guardians
A room that fits the clubhouse
The renovated layout is planned around how players and staff actually move through the clubhouse.
“Ease of access… the players’ showers have direct access into the hydrotherapy areas… it just flows a ton better.”
- Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
“The flow is very smooth and seamless and works really, really well… I couldn’t think of a better setup than the one we have.”
- Jeff Desjardins, Head Athletic Trainer, Cleveland Guardians
Direct access from showers into the hydrotherapy room shortens the time to treatment and keeps rotations moving. Windows and glass doors provide clear sightlines, allowing staff to comfortably supervise multiple athletes at the same time.
Reliable to own, year after year
Before the renovation, the Guardians had relied on a SwimEx 600 for years with virtually no downtime. As they planned the new space, they looked at other tubs around the league and saw how often competitor units were out of order. Between the quality of the paddlewheel current, total value compared with other options, and the track record of reliability, upgrading to a SwimEx 1000 T with SwimEx plunge tubs felt like a straightforward choice.
“…a super affordable price in relation to other options on the market. It always felt like a no-brainer to us.”
- Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
“…the quality of the product, the paddlewheel current, the motors, the internal workings… It’s a higher quality and a superior product, and our players deserve and need that.”
- Jeff Desjardins, Head Athletic Trainer, Cleveland Guardians
“SwimEx continues to be exceptionally reliable, more so than other groups we have worked with over the years.”
- Jeff Desjardins, Head Athletic Trainer, Cleveland Guardians
“I can’t recall an instance where our SwimEx products have been out of order or in disrepair.”
- Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
Support that matches the product
Reliability extends to support and service.
“We’re going to be able to adapt programming to help our players be the best versions of themselves… not only from a recovery space, but a strengthening standpoint as well.”
- Jeff Desjardins, Head Athletic Trainer, Cleveland Guardians
“Every phone call is usually answered, and if you leave a message, they get back the same day.”
- Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
“We have explored other options… when we embarked upon this new renovation, it was really a no-brainer… we knew what we wanted… Suzanne and her group are fantastic.”
- Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
For architects, GCs, and planners
The hydrotherapy room was planned around the actual access path and mechanical constraints.
- Rigging and lifts were coordinated with the general contractor.
- The team worked around a low-hanging electrical rack and elevation changes to reach the space.
- The authorized installer rotated pool sections during placement to fit the designated locations.
- The layout preserved clear service access in the equipment room.
Early coordination among the architect, general contractor, installer, and SwimEx, supported by clear submittals, helped keep the timeline on track.
Roles and responsibilities were clearly defined:
- General contractor: pit and surround; electrical and plumbing to the equipment; rigging and lifts.
- Authorized installer: set the pools; made pool-to-equipment connections to spec; commissioned the pools.
- SwimEx: Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) led a clinical in-service on using the water current with athletes, plus ongoing support.
The installer turned the room over once all pools were operating properly and trained staff on operation, water chemistry, and routine maintenance. SwimEx provided an ATC to run a clinical in-service for staff on treatment in the water current.
Ask us to walk your architect through the Cleveland Guardians access plan.
Before and after
Before
- SwimEx 600 therapy pool in a smaller hydro footprint
- Hydrotherapy used mainly for recovery
After
- SwimEx 1000 T plus dedicated hot and cold plunges in a larger, purpose-built room
- Direct shower-to-hydrotherapy access that improves speed and flow
- Protocols expanding from recovery to active strengthening with strength and conditioning engagement
- A single room with contrast options, clear sightlines, and simple rotations that let staff run multiple athletes at once
Final word
“We had not previously used SwimEx plunge tubs… we decided to go that route… and we’ve been incredibly satisfied.”
- Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
“If they ask us about our satisfaction with the product and the company… it’s off the charts.”
- Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
“The hydrotherapy space functions well. It complements our therapeutic philosophies. And it’s always available.”
- Lonnie Soloff, SVP, Medical Services, Cleveland Guardians
“We’re going to be able to adapt programming to help our players be the best versions of themselves… not only from a recovery space, but a strengthening standpoint as well.”
- Jeff Desjardins, Head Athletic Trainer, Cleveland Guardians
SwimEx® is a registered trademark. The Cleveland Guardians name and logo are used with permission and are the property of their owner. Quotes used with permission.