The fight to get back in the water has begun in many places around the world, but it has gotten stronger in California. Already with some clubs getting back in the water because local COVID-19 guidelines allow it, several USA Swimming California Local Swimming Community (LSC) directors have written a letter to the California Gov. Gavin Newsom, respectfully asking for pools to be declared safe to use for USA Swimming athletes.
The letter is signed by five LSC general chairs: Mark Brown of Sierra Nevada Swimming, Mike Carpenter of Central California Swimming, David Cottam of Pacific Swimming, Terry Stoddard of Southern California Swimming and Sally Taggart of San Diego Imperial Swimming. It was also sent to local USA coaches in California.
The letter states that more than 40,000 athletes, 440 small businesses and 3,400 employees in California are registered members of USA Swimming.
“We greatly appreciate your thoughtful leadership through this coronavirus pandemic,” the letter reads. “You have saved so many lives and are focused on making good business decisions using science and data. USA Swimming and the impacted athletes, business owners or teams, and employees truly believe that we can safely return to the pool now without jeopardizing the ‘new’ normal live(s) that all Californians want and deserve.”
The letter then discusses reasons that swimming is thought to be safe and includes a link to the USA Swimming reopening plan.
“We firmly believe that pools across the state can be used now for lap swimming and supervised groups of USA Swimming members in a safe manner,” the letter reads. “Operating in the current phase of the reopening of California’s business communities will further support your objective of supporting businesses that can meet the needed physical distancing requirements and safe operations.
“The Signators on this letter, representing the small business community and young athletes associated with competitive swimming, respectfully request that you allow pools to open for lap swimming and competitive swim practice during the current phase.”
Swimming Through a Pandemic
The postponements and cancellations wrought by COVID-19 haven’t just affected the Olympics and the ranks of elite swimmers. They’ve trickled down to neighborhood clubs and summer youth leagues, affecting thousands of recreational and competitive swimmers alike. Here is some of our coverage of COVID-19’s effect on the American summer swimming calendar.
- Chattanooga Swim League Joins Cancellation List as COVID-19 Restrictions Elsewhere Ease
- David Marsh to California Gov. Gavin Newsom: “We’d Love to Get These Pools Open”
- Summer Leagues Cancel in Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee; On Hold in Delaware
- Summer Leagues Cancel in Ohio, Nebraska; California Fights To Open Pools
- Midwestern Swimming Cancels Summer Season Because of COVID-19
- Northern Virginia Swimming League Cancels Season Officially, But Unofficial Meets Might Go On
- Decisions Loom in Several States to Determine Fate of Summer Swimming
- ‘Tremendously Difficult’ Decisions Loom for Summer Swimming Clubs
- Texas Pools Begin to Open, But Some Cities Holding Back
- With ‘Great Pain,’ Coastal Carolina Aquatic Association Cancels Summer Season
- Kentucky LSC Files Proposal to Reopen Pools in State
Resources for returning to the pool in the COVID-19 era
- Chlorine Not a Guaranteed Answer to Covid-19; Detailed Protocols The Way to Go, Says Expert
- USA Swimming Unveils Road to Competition Roadmap For Summer Return
- Pool Water Unlikely to Spread Coronavirus But Facility Environments Need Careful Handling, Says Expert
- 20 Things Coaches CAN Do To Be A Lighthouse For Swimmers In Corona Season
- Swim Practice Social Distancing Protocol
- The Worries and Concerns of Lap Swimming When Pools Open
- Proper Ways for Teams and Athletes to Resume Training (USA Swimming)
- Is the Water Safe From Coronavirus? Considerations for Return to the Pool
- Pools and Swimming: Getting Back in the Water Safely
- Coronavirus And Swimmers: CDC Issues Guidance On Water Transmission & COVID-19
Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!
Thank you for your support of swimming, Dan!! You are amazing as always!!!
California please help with Illinois. Governor JB Pritzker it’s heart breaking to see other states open pools while Illinois isn’t taking action to compete with those states.
Leslie Cichocki There are many states who have outright cancelled swimming this summer. At least if it’s not cancelled, there’s still a chance….
Heather York DiFulvio True. Being out of the water for almost 3 months has been hard for me. I want to make my second games to. I miss the water.
Illinois Swimming Is there any lobbying being done in our state?
Leslie Cichocki Our committee coaches where I live have sent a letter to our powers that be, to try to get them to open up. It’s been hard on everybody, but it’s even harder to swim if you can’t breathe, so I want to be sure protections are in place. There are things to be considered beyond getting kids in the water. The pools answer to local government, not state. They have to consider the exposure of their employees (front desk, janitors, lifeguards). They have to consider who they open to – just clubs? What about lessons? What about public lap swimming? The club has to work out who swims when, since they can’t be jammed in 6-12 in a lane. Now, who absorbs the loss of revenue? Clubs still have to pay for lanes and coaches. Do the groups practicing pay more? Does the entire club pay dues, even if their swimmer isn’t getting pool time? There are a lot of moving parts that I think parents and swimmers eager to get in the water aren’t necessarily thinking about.
Bravo. Well done. ??
Tracie Lynn
Angie Reese Mudd Thank you for sharing.. now let’s pray California’s governor will listen.. the pastor at my church has been trying to get thru to Newsome too, to allow churches to reopen with new guidelines. Pastor Matt Brown even made an outline of the precautions and requirements that will be in place if and when he lets us reopen! I pray this ends SOON! ??♥️
Tracie Lynn we are supposed to know a little bit more tonight, with final decisions on Monday. Prayers for all of us!
Angie Reese Mudd Prayers for the world ?? ? Please keep me posted on what your governor says! I’ll send Ashlynn out there if our governor doesn’t get it together and the pools back open! Lol ???♀️
Tracie Lynn absolutely!
Let’s go NY get in the game
Thank you!
Help us out in Maryland!!
https://www.change.org/p/larry-hogan-lap-swimming-for-competitive-swimmers-and-exercise-maryland?recruiter=1082399276&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_petition&recruited_by_id=2e022a90-8959-11ea-8285-47fae74fdfd0&utm_content=fht-22154472-en-us%3Av2
Governor JB Pritzker restore Illinois! Open the outdoor pools to lap swimming, competition swimming and exercise therapy. This form of exercise should be included in phase 3. Coaches,therapists, and athletes can follow guidelines for the safe return to training.
Indiana needs to let the year around kids back in the pool too.
?????
They need to make the distinction between training facilities that can be controlled by coaches and staff, and recreational facilities that have no control over usage and enforcing distancing rules.
JT Tiernan
Is there a petition we can sign and/or other ways for Gavin to know that there are hundreds of people behind this??