(UPDATED) 3 of the United States’ Largest Swim Clubs Suspend Training

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 51

March 14th, 2020 News

A trio of multi-site mega-clubs in the Washington, D.C. area have suspended practices until the end of March, at least. The Nation’s Capital Swim Club (NCAP), Rovkville-Montgomery Swim Club (RMSC), and Machine Aquatics, 3 of the largest swim clubs in the United States, all serving the Washington D.C. area, have suspended group practices in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

NCAP has finished on top of the last 6 USA Swimming Club Excellence program rankings. The 3 clubs in total boast a membership of over 4,000 swimmers, which in aggregate accounts for around 1% of USA Swimming’s total membership.

In a letter posted on the team’s Facebook page on Saturday, NCAP says that they will be keeping in contact with athletes “multiple times per week” to see what they are doing to remain active, and they have developed an app for athletes to use to do dryland workouts at home.

“The coaching staff is looking at this as an “early spring break” and a time to take a deep breath and understand that our health and well being is more important than swimming for the next 2 weeks.”

NCAP says that they are working on plans for their 22 Olympic Trials qualifying swimmers to practice “on a limited basis in very small groups.” Saturday marks 100 days until the scheduled start of the 2020 US Olympic Swimming Trials.

“The staff felt this is important and I agree with that assessment,” the club’s CEO Tom Ugast said in his letter.

NCAP’s break will begin on Monday March 16th and, for now, run through Sunday March 29th.

Meanwhile, Machine Aquatics has suspended “all practices and operations” until March 31st, 2020.

We understand this decision may be very upsetting and challenging for your swimmer and family to accept and understand; but we must take all factors into consideration for the overall health & safety of the entire Machine Family.

Currently, our goal is to reopen on Wednesday, April 1st, 2020 but this decision will be carefully reviewed as we get closer to this date and evaluate the COVID-19 recommendations as of that time. Should we resume practices on Wednesday, April 1, 2020; Machine will not be taking our previously scheduled Spring Break from April 5th – April 13th, 2020 and will have normal training schedule during this time.

We certainly will miss our time together each week at Machine and we hope everyone enjoys this family time and stays safe and healthy.

Earlier this week, USA Swimming sent its membership a letter cancelling all USA Swimming hosted events and “strongly recommending” the cancellation of all meets.

USA Swimming’s message to its membership did not mention practices or other team events, and several clubs have been hosting intrasquad time trial racing, though most regular meets have followed the USA Swimming recommendation.

Both NCAP and Machine Aquatics have produced a number of national team members and Olympic medalists for USA Swimming. Current National Team member Phoebe Bacon trains with NCAP, as do Junior National Team swimmers Paige McKenna, Claire Nguyen, and Chase Travis. Junior National Team member Anna Keating trains with Machine Aquatics.

Washington D.C. has 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19, Maryland has 26 confirmed cases, and Virginia has 41 confirmed cases. Virginia also has 1 confirmed COVID-19-caused death. Most infectious disease experts believe that a lack of testing has resulted in underreporting of cases in the United States.

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OregonDuck
4 years ago

I believe Sandpipers have suspended workouts as well too.

college swimmer trying to find a place to swim!!
4 years ago

SwimMac has now suspended practices indefinitely….

Doitfordale

The larger Charlotte club is running normal this week with precautions on how many people can be on deck.

Their spaces are all owned or separate from any other traffic. I wonder if SwimMAC had to close because they use a pool on a school campus and city facility

Dan solomon
4 years ago

Given the current situation (changing nearly hourly in the SF Bay Area), it would be foolhardy to have swim practice here. The rest of the country may soon follow. My kids swim on North Bay Aquatics and they’ve been shut down since last week.

Sorry to be doom and gloom, but this is a Pandemic.
Anticipate 3 months at best until we can have large group events.
Very little chance of Olympics happening realistically.

Stay safe. Be smart. Wash your hands. Social separation is necessary and effective. Gyms are not safe.
Pool workouts probably are ok in some areas with no reported COVID cases. But only in small groups of swimmers with 1-2 on the… Read more »

Brol
Reply to  Dan solomon
4 years ago

Thank you Dr Solomon! ( no sarcasm)
Very good points which should get no down votes.
This is a pandemic that will get worse before we see it get any better. We must slow the spread so we don’t overwhelm our hospitals etc. Unfortunately, we have lost several weeks already and so now we have to be even more cautious.
Hospitals are shutting down most elective surgeries in an effort to prepare. This is more important than sport. I know, it sucks for the athletes. I have a son who is a senior swimmer in HS (also Bay Area) and the conference/state championships will likely be cancelled and probably graduation as well. Again, this sucks but public… Read more »

Dill
4 years ago

Bluefish Swim Club suspended training as well.

Nswim
Reply to  Dill
4 years ago

Considering all of NE is shut down it’s not too surprising

Ervin
4 years ago

Whos the 3rd largest club?

Oldfatslow
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

Where does one find this data?

PVScoach
Reply to  Ervin
4 years ago

Machine isn’t even the 2nd largest club in our LSC. Wrong data.

PVScoach
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

Rmsc has suspended practices as well for two weeks

Nswim
4 years ago

My pool hasn’t closed yet despite all of the schools being closed. I’m a little afraid of going to the facility with all of the panic breaking out, what do others think I should do?

Hmmmmm
Reply to  Nswim
4 years ago

the panic is overblown, if you don’t have a weak immune system or aren’t 60+ you’ll be fine.

Super Duper Fan
Reply to  Hmmmmm
4 years ago

You clearly haven’t been reading the news from Italy if you think “you’ll be fine”. Every health leader is begging people to stop spreading this rhetoric and listen to the social distancing and quarantine

bigNowhere
Reply to  Hmmmmm
4 years ago

And all of your older relatives will die.

run-dmc
Reply to  bigNowhere
4 years ago

We all need to stop listening to the lies and listen to the truth.

Le’ts take a deep breath and focus on what’s important:

https://calvarychapelkaneohe.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ABCS-OF-SALVATION.pdf

There’s no need to fear if you are sure of your eternal destiny.

hambone
Reply to  run-dmc
4 years ago

That is a truly terrible public health strategy

Troyy
Reply to  Hmmmmm
4 years ago

Except all the people you pass the virus on to. Screw them.

Taa
Reply to  Nswim
4 years ago

Put your suit on at home and go swim while you can. Maintain social distancing at all times . I swam at my club last night there was three or four of us in a 50m pool. I’m going today as I suspect the pool will close this week. Be ready for this with your dryland routine, jogging, open water swims if it’s possible

Bo Swims
Reply to  Taa
4 years ago

Open water not an option until May or June here. Not to mention there may be a shortage of new wetsuits

kdswim
Reply to  Nswim
4 years ago

I think it matters what you would do instead. If stay home or walk by yourself then yes you help the cause. If go somewhere else with just as large a group (restaurant, movie, bar, party) then probably does not matter. This is the weird thing with shutting down the NCAA pools. The swimmers are now not just sitting home isolated. They are scattered all over and likely doing things kids do on spring break only extended many weeks.

Alexander
4 years ago

I recommend to use a platform WebSportPlan for coaches and athletes to use to do distance workouts etc.

Entgegen
Reply to  Alexander
4 years ago

That doesn’t change the fact that the pools are closed down.

Alexander
Reply to  Entgegen
4 years ago

The reason I wrote my comment – “NCAP says that they will be keeping in contact with athletes “multiple times per week” to see what they are doing to remain active, and they have developed an app for athletes to use to do dryland workouts at home.”

Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

“Washington D.C. has 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19, Maryland has 26 confirmed cases, and Virginia has 41 confirmed cases. Virginia also has 1 confirmed COVID-19-caused death.”

HA HA HA

Cate
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

What the hell is wrong with you?

Samesame
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

Probably a lot more , just not recorded and not enough test kits. Wait for the exponential growth also.

bigNowhere
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

Basic numeracy is important. An exponentially growing danger looks fine until it suddenly doesn’t.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/10/coronavirus-what-matters-isnt-what-you-can-see-what-you-cant/

Adam
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

Reading is not Texas Tap Water’s forte.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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