The Junior Olympics meet scheduled for this weekend at the Santa Clara Club in California, has been cancelled following a City authority mandate that all gatherings of more than 1,000 people must be called off as part of containment measures in the developing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak). Both Southern California Swimming and Pacific Swimming issued notices of the cancellation today.
Meet was to have gone on – but is now postponed because of Coronavirus containment measures – Photo Courtesy: Pacific Swimming
The announcements, cancellations in so far as the meets are postponed until possible further notice as part of a containment process that may last several weeks, were made on the same day that FINA, the international swimming federation, announced the establishment of a Task Force to consider the possible impact and consequences of the spread of the virus and make recommendations on cancelling several weeks of scheduled competitions in all aquatic disciplines.
Pacific Swimming issued a notice to its members announcing the cancellation of the Junior Olympics meet after City authority health department let it be known that it would pursue legal action against those who did not respect the mandate arrived at in the interests of public safety.
The organisers also heard representations from Monterey coach Dia C. Rianda and others concerned that organisers had issued a note just a few days ago saying that they would press ahead with the event, while leaving it up to parents to decide whether to bring their kids or not.
There were 24 cases in Santa Clara when organisers issued a note five days ago to say that the meet would go on. The infection rate is now approaching double that number. The City restrictions include postponement of several events, not just the swim meet.
All who entered the Santa Clara meet have now been invited to contact the club to ask for refunds.
No new date has been set for the junior competition, the City of Santa Clara authorities having announced that decisions on whether events can go ahead will be taken on a weekly basis while the health emergency lasts.
In a statement, Southern California Swimming (SCS) said that it had “received notice from the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center (RBAC), Executive Director and the Rose Bowl JO’s Organizing Committee that this week’s JOs will be postponed indefinitely/cancelled for this weekend, March 12-15, 2020.”
SCS pointed to the full letter from Kurt Knop, President & Executive Director Rose Bowl Aquatics Center.
The SCS statement added:
Rescheduling of the SCS JO Championship Swim Meet will be determined by the SCS Board of Directors.
The Junior Olympics meet scheduled for this weekend at the Santa Clara Club in California, has been cancelled following a City authority mandate that all gatherings of more than 1,000 people must be called off as part of containment measures in the developing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak).
The cancellation was made on the same day that FINA, the international swimming federation, announced the establishment of a Task Force to consider the possible impact and consequences of the spread of the virus and make recommendations on cancelling several weeks of scheduled competitions in all aquatic disciplines.
Pacific Swimming issued a notice to its members announcing the cancellation of the Junior Olympics meet after City authority health department let it be known that it would pursue legal action against those who did not respect the mandate arrived at in the interests of public safety.
The organisers also heard representations from Monterey coach Dia C. Rianda and others concerned that organisers had issued a note just a few days ago saying that they would press ahead with the event, while leaving it up to parents to decide whether to bring their kids or not.
All who entered the Santa Clara meet have now been invited to contact the club to ask for refunds.
No new date has been set for the junior competition, the City of Santa Clara authorities having announced that decisions on whether events can go ahead will be taken on a weekly basis while the health emergency lasts.
Why not just have it without spectators. The swimmers have worked so hard for this
Kerry no way to cover costs without admission fee. Unless swimmer surcharge.
Kerry Eliot Proffitt the athletes would also be at risk without spectators … there are 1000 plus entries
Admission fee? That’s a first for PacSwim JOs.
Wondering about the NCSA National meet in Orlando this month???
Amy Lynn me too, my daughter has been looking forward to it for months.
The NCSA website states as of 1:56 PM EST that the meet is still a go. fingers crossed that they are still able to swim. I would think some teams may not want to fly with the virus, but we are hoping that the kids can still swim. They have worked hard for this meet! Fingers crossed!
Sarah Robbian Fonnotto cancelled
Ann Nietling NCSAs???
Ann Nietling Their webpage still says there are no plans to cancel NCSAs.
Ann Nietling you should delete this comment unless you have information beyond what is on the host’s web site. Maybe you are confusing this meet with another one?
Confused. Different meet. Talk to your coach.❤
Sarah Robbian Fonnotto confused, wrong meet, sorry. Talk w your coach.
Amy Lynn ty! Cant delete on my phone. Yes, wrong meet. Sorry. Talk w your coach. They get info first.
Ann Nietling oh thank goodness! I thought I was losing my mind!
Amy Lynn it has now been formally announced, cancelled.
Sorry, this was what I was referring to…..
https://swimswam.com/ymca-short-course-nationals-canceled-for-first-time-since-1947/
That story in brief here … with a much better headline 🙂
https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/swimming-world-the-soak-week031020/
Ann Nietling we are talking about NSCA in Orlando. I am aware of the YMCA cancellation. We are all monitoring the website closely.
Amy Lynn My biggest fear is that the venue will cancel since it is a Y facility. The e-mail about the cancellation of Y Nats has my mind buzzing. Hoping for the best. Let them swim!
Sarah Robbian Fonnotto so there are actually back to back NSCA meets in Orlando. The NSCA Junior Nationals followed immediately by the NSCA Age Group meet.
Amy Lynn Yes, and this weekend is Florida Senior Champs!! Fun stuff!
Love to all those that have worked and trained so hard. X
Cortney Martellucci
Bryan Doak
Brenda Doak told you
Any idea if this will impact Far Westerns in Pleasanton? I know they’re in different cities, but they’re not far from each other and in the same LSC.
Nicole Kukral I hope not.
Dennis Brown Me too
Alameda county is also under “state of emergency “. Let’s just hope the hysteria dies down by then.
i sure hope not! Hotel has already been booked!??????
Colleen Graff Well, what I’ve learned about the state of emergency is that it allows funding to be accessed more quickly. It doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s a heightened and immediate danger.
My little10 year old girl has trained since she was 5 to get to this point. She’s entered in 7 events and now I have to tell her it’s all over. Wonderful.
Many big meets at risk of being cancelled sadly
https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/fina-leaders-ponder-a-three-month-coronavirus-moratorium-that-would-wipe-out-all-olympic-test-events/
Of course a meet in CA.
Lynette Besonday-Washburn 46 cases of the virus and 2 deaths in the county where the meet is.
Lynette Besonday-Washburn it’s meets everywhere. YNATs were cancelled as well in Greensboro.
Brittany Bellomo
Jodi Robins omg Guy, Laura and I were talking about “what if JOs gets canceled” last night
Brittany Bellomo can you imagine
Otra Humberto Guzmán Vázquez Lorena Conde Zurita
Susana Gómez ?
Too bad
Sad for participants.
We have a confirmed case right here in Prescott WI.
Paige Zemina Northcutt
Hopefully Far Westerns will not get cancelled as well.
It’s better to take the precaution
If you are feeling sick then just stay home – why are we penalizing the 99% of population that don’t have or never will get the virus. Run the meets without spectators and stream it live so parents and others can watch it at home.
Rob, that doesn’t work… for the reasons Charles raises, for the reasons Coach Dia C. Rianda raises, for the reasons why gatherings of 1000 plus folk are not a good idea right now in communities with coronavirus cases. The Italian experience has clear lessons for all of us. Why would any of us wish to put 1000 kids at risk, spectators or no spectators – it takes one kid, one mistake, to take a problem far and wide into a community and back to grandparents and other high-risk groups. Patience, caution, precaution, empathy, rapid learning and deeper understanding is required at this time: none of that represents panic. One missed meet is as nothing to kids who are being asked to be resilient and work on, resilience one of the key tools in the kit box of champions – of swimming and life.
Here is an idea
If it is really about the kids, ban the parents and the attendance will go way down, run a meet where just the kids participate and let in no parents. Coaches only and officials. Have parents watch online.
As elsewhere in this thread.. David, that doesn’t work… for the reasons Charles raises, for the reasons Coach Dia C. Rianda raises, for the reasons why gatherings of 1000 plus folk are not a good idea right now in communities with coronavirus cases. The Italian experience has clear lessons for all of us. Why would any of us wish to put 1000 kids at risk, spectators or no spectators – it takes one kid, one mistake, to take a problem far and wide into a community and back to grandparents and other high-risk groups. Patience, caution, precaution, empathy, rapid learning and deeper understanding is required at this time: none of that represents panic. One missed meet is as nothing to kids who are being asked to be resilient and work on, resilience one of the key tools in the kit box of champions – of swimming and life. Perspective and appreciation of the need for calm while at the same moment paying due respect to the seriousness of situations are also useful skills for kids to learn. This is a learning opportunity that can serve them well in the pool and later life.
David Fatzinger that’s hilarious when parents are traveling from all over the country to these meets. That will work for college level and above for only.
Amy Lynn
They are traveling so there kids can swim first
They can watch meets online
The important thing is the kids get to swim
This is blown way out of proportion
Brian Britt it isn’t blown out of proportion but it is terrible. If you know anyone living in Italy or China ask them how things are. Definitely no joke.