3 of Minnesota’s Largest Teams Successfully Petition Gov. Walz to Reopen June 1

Three of the largest swim teams in Minnesota have successfully petitioned Governor Tim Walz to allow them to return to training amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with strict social distancing regulations, on June 1 – when the state enters phase II of its plan to reopen.

Among the teams is Riptide Swim Club, which means world record holder Regan Smith will be able to return to the water regularly.

In a letter titled “Petition to Open Pools for Limited Purpose of Competitive Swim Practice in a Controlled and Supervised Environment on June 1, 2020,” Board of Directors presidents from Riptide, Edina Swim Club, and Aquajets Swim Club laid out the ways their teams can safely return to action under the Minnesota Department of Health’s “Guidance for Social Distancing in Youth Sport.”

Originally, according to Minnesota’s reopening plan, pools – whether for recreational or competitive use – were to remain closed through at least phase II.

“We sat down and said, ‘What do we need accomplished and who do we know that can get us in front of the right people?'” Riptide’s Jim Wise told SwimSwam. “We need to lay out that ‘Yes, we want to get out swimmers back in the water, but that safety is obviously the most important thing.'”

“Competitive swimming does not require direct contact between teammates or coaches and social distancing can be maintained throughout practice,” the letter says. “Therefore, competitive swimming is conducive to maintaining a controlled environment in a pool separated by lanes, unlike recreational swimming, which is an unstructured environment in which participants interact more closely with each other.”

Based on the health department guidelines, as well as the CDC’s and USA Swimming’s, the letter explains how the teams will implement restrictions. Those restrictions are as follows:

  • Create pods of a maximum of 10 participants/Adhere to facility guidelines for COVID-19/Follow proper ratios of swimmers.
    • Swim practices can easily be tailored to meet this requirement. Current plans already require staggered swim practices, reduced number of swimmers in the pool at one time, and time between practices to complete disinfection protocols and to minimize interaction between swimmers. Coaches are physically removed from the swimmers while on deck and can easily enforce social distancing between coaches by posting coaches at opposite ends of the pool. All coaches will wear appropriate PPE when checking in swimmers and when interacting with swimmers.
  • Parents do not attend practices.
    • Swimming does not require parent involvement on the pool deck. As a result, our plans direct that parents can wait in their vehicles for swimmers, but may not enter the facility. We have instructed families that they should not carpool to practices.
  • Practice Outside.
    • If outdoor pools are open this summer, some teams may be able to swim outdoors. However, most teams can best protect swimmers in indoor facilities where optimized HVAC, air exchange, social distancing, surface sanitation and optimal chlorine and disinfection levels can be controlled on a continuous basis.
  • Keep interaction contactless and do not intermix groups.
    • Swimming is an individual, non-contact sport, so practice can be conducted without physical contact. Swimmers can be spaced to ensure no contract during practice. Recently, the National Federation of State High School Associations (“NFSH”) released a Guidance for Opening up High School Athletics and Activities. The guidance classifies individual swimming as “low risk of infection” because it is a sport that can accommodate social distancing or be performed individually with no sharing of equipment (compared with sports that involve close, sustained contact between participants and lack protective barriers).
  • Do not participate in meets.
    • USA Swimming and MNSI have cancelled all sanctioned meets for the summer of 2020. At this point, we are looking for the ability to practice in a controlled and supervised environment, not compete.
  • No sharing of equipment.
    • There is no need for swimmers to share equipment. Clubs can also limit or eliminate the use of individual equipment during swim practices. Swimmers are separated in lanes by lane lines and by distances greater than 6 feet while in the water.
  • Avoid use of locker rooms and showers.
    • Plans provide for swimmers to arrive showered, and in their swim suits ready to swim, and to exit the building in their swimsuits. Locker rooms and showers will not be open for general use. Bathrooms and showers will be available for emergency use as needed and disinfected after each use.

Accompanying the letter was a presentation called “SafeSplashMN” that includes detailed recommendations for teams across the state on how to conduct workouts, facilitate entering and exiting the premises, screen athletes for health, and respond to any potential positive COVID-19 tests. It’s not clear yet if all Minnesota teams can reopen now that the guidelines were approved for the aforementioned three, or if teams will have to petition individually.

The Minnesota effort comes two days after Machine Aquatics parent and lobbyist Jason Osborne presented a petition signed by over 30 Olympians in the White House, similarly urging officials to consider the difference between recreational and competitive pool use. Click here to view SwimSwam’s state-by-state coronavirus reopening index.

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Kate
3 years ago

Connecticut Swimming should be doing the same kind of advocacy here. There’s a big difference between recreational swimming and swim practice.

SwimFan49
3 years ago

So, very, very glad those three teams did that, but I think it’s a bit of an overstatement to suggest that it was there actions alone that forced the governor’s order. The order was issued on May 27 (petition letter dated May 26) and covered – in a fairly comprehensive way – youth sports in general, not just pools. So, the statement in this article about not being clear that just these 3 teams are allowed to open …. quite clear it’s applicable to all youth sports teams/clubs. It also does not appear that would suggest the safety procedures outlined in the 3 clubs’ petition were incorporated into the order.

Here’s the order: https://mn.gov/governor/assets/EO%2020-63%20Final_tcm1055-433759.pdf… Read more »

SwimFan49
Reply to  SwimFan49
3 years ago

In addition, re: the recommendations for how to conduct practices put forth in their presentation, not necessarily practical for any team that doesn’t own their own facility (as Riptide and Aquajets do) and have basically unlimited pool time throughout the day.

NEWTOSWIMSWAM
Reply to  SwimFan49
3 years ago

You are totally missing the point. Please read the petition and presentation carefully. The EO would NOT allow ANY pool to open on 6/1. The petition successfully convinced the governor (in less than 24 hrs) to open the pools for competitive swim practice ONLY. Without the Petition, the 5/27 EO would not include pools open for any use. In fact, pools will remain closed for general public use after 6/1. As for safety procedures, the petition specifically states current Youth Sport Reopen guidance can be strictly met or even exceeded by supervised competitive swim practice. Each team & venue should establish their own procedures to comply with the CDC, Health Department & Youth Sports Guidance. The leadership taken by these… Read more »

MNSwimFan
Reply to  NEWTOSWIMSWAM
3 years ago

Well said….

SwimFan49
Reply to  NEWTOSWIMSWAM
3 years ago

Thanks, I’ve read both carefully since I was first provided them two days ago (and you’ll note, I was one the one that posted the EO). Please don’t mistake my comment as a discredit to the efforts of these clubs – I do appreciate their efforts, very much so. I also have been told by people in the MN swimming community that Minnesota Swimming (LSC) has also been part of a youth sports group that has had discussions with the administration for the last couple of weeks. So, my point was simply that it wasn’t like this letter showed up on the Gov’s desk one day and he says, “they’re right – open the pools for competitive swimmers immediately!” That’s… Read more »

NEWTOSWIMSWAM
Reply to  SwimFan49
3 years ago

From what I heard, Minnesota Swimming as an LSC refused to take the lead or officially support the Petition, and now wants to take credit for the three clubs’ effort. The LSC is weak and lack of leadership. Being part of a Youth Sports Group, which includes totally different sports like basketball and hockey, means little when you don’t lead and advocate for the swim community.

Corn Pop
3 years ago

Factor in a curfew.

Sfb
3 years ago

And the small teams without a huge budget?

Also Anonymous
3 years ago

Sounds like a perfect plan!

Need to keep reminding the kids (and parents) to say home if they don’t feel well.

Covid19 Nurse
Reply to  Also Anonymous
3 years ago

Swimming involves coughing spitting & nose blowing. Exactly how is this a perfect plan to contain spreading covid? It;s perfect plan to create an outbreak, I’m a frontline nurse with kids that belong to a swim club & it;s the last place I would feel safe sending them.

NEWTOSWIMSWAM
Reply to  Covid19 Nurse
3 years ago

Thank you and other frontline workers for taking care of all patients, covid or not. If you don’t feel comfortable sending your kids back to water, that’s perfectly fine. Keep them home the entire summer – it is your choice. Nobody said this is a perfect plan TO CONTAIN SPREADING COVID – it’s your misunderstanding. The discussion here is about how to return to swimming in the safest way possible. There are no perfect, zero risk activities, for kids and adults, at home or outside. At some point, we must seriously consider the long-term (or even permanent) negative impact of isolation on our youth: spike of depression, suicide and other mental issues. When will we reach the tipping point where… Read more »

Sam
3 years ago

every swimming pool could open with these rules

NEWTOSWIMSWAM
Reply to  Sam
3 years ago

They did a great job putting together this petition and convincing presentation. Sounds like the Governor’s team has some smart people who understand the importance of reopening youth sports under strict safety guidance.

NEWTOSWIMSWAM
3 years ago

Well done, Aquajets, Gators, and Riptide!!

About Torrey Hart

Torrey Hart

Torrey is from Oakland, CA, and majored in media studies and American studies at Claremont McKenna College, where she swam distance freestyle for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team. Outside of SwimSwam, she has bylines at Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, SB Nation, and The Student Life newspaper.

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