Poolside chat: Calling all parents of competitive swimmers!

[Marypoppins19]

I thought it might be helpful to share our highs/lows/questions/thoughts in one place. Who’s joining me!?

We haven't heard a word sadly. The neighbouring local authority are talking about beginning of July, but nothing at all from our committee since lockdown and we have no open water facility, not that my DS would ever go in "fish water" even on holiday ...!!

Nothing from our club either since lockdown. I do wonder how many kids will return when it eventually happens

Nothing official from the club, but the coach has indicated he thinks it will be reduced numbers, and entering and leaving directly to the pool with no changing.
DS and I went past the pool the other day and could hear the plant machinery running when we are sure it hasn’t been previously, so we are getting our hopes up they might be gearing up for something! He misses it so much

not that my DS would ever go in "fish water" even on holiday ...!!

Esther, nor would my DD!

Our club has a very high proportion of seniors that would be on run off due to going onto HE post summer. They have been zoom land training together over lock down, and whilst not intending to be cliquey, due to their common interests like Uni choices; A levels; impact etc, DD has not been inclined to join in, even though she hasn't been excluded either.

I agree with Widow, it'll be a challenge as to how many return. And it must be like learning to swim again...

Oh gosh, I just cannot wait til the club starts again. DS has been in tears at times over lack of swimming. We've had zoom catch ups with the club and dry land training on zoom, but DS not overly keen. He swims because he loves swimming, not because he wants to land train on a video call! They r very different things!!! :)

I am crossing all fingers and toes for July re-opening. DS is in the bottom squad though, and very youngest, so I'm worrying they will focus only on A squad and the younger ones will be neglected :( I hope not ...

We are only losing one to university from Top Squad but I wonder whether current year 10/12 swimmers will prioritise education over swimming - tough call. I know some swimmers who are stopping from other clubs - year 11 like mine and British qualifiers. I haven’t heard anyone in DS squad who aren’t coming back but I don’t know about younger ones. I imagine a lot won’t return - or parents won’t want to continue, having enjoyed the break! We have had a lot of club/coaching issues over last couple of years and have lost swimmers to City of clubs 40 minutes away so think some will give up. Even if we get back in the pool soon my DS only has two years left so will carry on at home club if the council don't pull the plug on us which is also likely! DS has been surprised by how much he has missed it - he doesn’t remember a time before squad.

Our club is quite big and have done lots during kockdown, 3 land training sessions a week plus skipping workout twice a week. They have a daily task to do, things like cleaning their bedroom, swim hat/suit design etc, weekly pub quiz and weekly cooking sessions.
It will be weird going back but DS loves swimming. I'm hoping they will give everyone a chance to start back that wants to. DS has also grown a few inches in lockdown so interested to see if that makes a difference!!

Fourmagpies - yes my DS has also grown a bit so I'm hoping what he's lost in strength and stamina and technique might be made for a tiny bit in height!! ;)

Very disappointed DD and club here after today's delay on pools re-opening. Our main pool provider was all set up to go from 4th July. Hope Swim England and AP gain some traction with its #OpenOurPools campaign before all our swimmers are too far gone to get back into the pool.

Yes that was disappointing

Swim England has a petition going for reopening www.swimming.org/swimengland/jane-nickerson-pools-remain-closed/

We haven't heard a word from our club since the pools closed! We use Council pools and the club/council relationship is notoriously poor so we are really worried as to what will happen. My DH used to be on the committee and eventually left in frustration as to the way the committee operated so in a way not really surprised it is an information vacuum...

I know our club has been in talks with one of our pools (run by Greenwich Leisure) for several weeks and they had been expecting to reopen on 6 July. Judging by the pool carpark, there have been people in getting things ready for the past week or so.

Greenwich were on R4 this morning expressing surprise that the plan to let pools reopen was suddenly ditched on Sunday. Unlike pubs and restaurants (who don't seem to have much guidance about how to reopen), Swim England has issued extensive guidance for clubs and operators to work with. Sadly there don't appear to be any swimmers in SAGE or the Cabinet!

We are a good 60-90 minute drive from the sea and/or a lido so I suppose I should just be glad that we bought a 3x2m paddling pool for tethered swimming back in May.

I fee let down by Swim England. It’s a bit late in the day to be kicking up a fuss now. Their proposed ramp up was only published last week 😕
My club sent out mails yesterday morning fully expecting the government to ease pool restrictions. I think it’s taken many people by surprise

estherfrewen - thanks for the petition, we've signed it.

I'm so so sad about this. DS has been so good in coping without swimming but not sure how much longer he can go on. Also worrying about a second peak. For kids who love swimming, this pandemic has been so so hard!

My DS experiences motor stereotypies, and when he swims these disappear, but with no swimming these have really ramped up and managing his energy levels has also been so hard! He loves swimming. A run around the park does not compare!!

Please please government, open the pools!!

Our club have circulated the Swim England petition today as well. Let's cross our flns for mid July! My DS is so so sick of running and cycling. He visibly wilts without water

Yes, we're disappointed here too. Our club have sent round the petition. They're also worried about older pools not being fit for bringing back into use if this goes on too long. Our club uses nearly 10 different pools across the teaching programme and squads so working out timetables is always a bit of a nightmare.

Oh that sucks. We are set to reopen from Monday and the big scandal here is the pools which are bankrupt and won't be reopening. One big club has lost their only pool.

turkey I had to pop back up thread to remind myself that you are in ROI?

Are public pools opening to Joe Public, too, or just clubs? 2020 might become the year we holiday in Ireland if Boris doesn't open pools here soon (heads off to Google 50m Irish pools and lidos).

How long do you think it would take to get the swimmers back to their pre-Covid speeds, I wonder?

Yep, ROI here and all pools can open from Monday. Lovely 50m pool in North Dublin with a lagoon pool with slides next door if anyone is planning a trip!
Our local pool is reopening Monday week (as they weren't organised enough for this week) and will let us have 8 in a lane, which is way better than a 4 per lane Swim Ireland suggested. We only have 60ish kids in the club but at 4 per lane we'd never get them all back in the pool. And they all want to come back, we are doing open water training 4 days a week and have 30+ kids out rain or shine.
Race fitness isn't an issue here, all the 2020 season is cancelled. We have til start of LC qualifying season from 1 Jan to get them back up to speed.

Well after the euphoria of yesterday’s pool announcement comes the email from our club (first one since lockdown) saying squads won’t be back until September at the earliest. Very disappointing.

@estherfrewen

Well after the euphoria of yesterday’s pool announcement comes the email from our club (first one since lockdown) saying squads won’t be back until September at the earliest. Very disappointing.

That’s a real shame, we haven’t heard from ours but my boys will be gutted if that is the case for us

Oh esther that is disappointing. Is that due to club constraints or being dictated by your pools?

Well the committee seem to have just shut down totally- no meetings or contact between each other since March so am not sure. We swim out of council pools and general swimming will be going ahead. I just dont understand it really as lane disciplined kids easy to track and trace seems a lot better approach than the general public returning for sorting out any return glitches!

We are a reasonably sized club - about 140 members - but poorly run - and I can say that as I've been on the committee but due to the core committee members and their approach had to back off for my own sanity!!!