Connecticut Swimming has cancelled all of its meets scheduled for the 2020 long course season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
An emergency Board of Directors meeting took place on Tuesday night to discuss the LC season schedule, and the Board unanimously voted for a mass cancellation.
Wesleyan University, which hosts several meets in Connecticut, has cancelled all campus events through September 1.
In a letter sent from the LSC, the organization goes on to say: “We are hopeful that our swimmers will be able to get back in the water later this spring. Additionally, conversation is already taking place on what alternatives can be set up so that the possibility of virtual meets, times trials and other ‘outside the box’ ideas can be formulated for our swimmers.”
It also acknowledges that when they’re given the green light to reopen facilities, it will be “with baby steps.”
“Practice structure, number of people on deck, number of swimmers in a lane, locker room usage, facility policies, etc. will be altered in order to get teams and businesses back up and going.”
The LSC says it will continue to meet on a regular basis in order to do everything it can to take care of its swimmers.
This is the first LSC to our knowledge that has cancelled its originally published 2020 long course meet schedule.
Good for Connecticut! They can stay chewbuubly
I am not sure why this had to come down and be decided on now. They had an emergency meeting to decide this but this didn’t need to be decided now. Obviously the schedule as constituted will not go on but why say the entire season is over. This gives the kids nothing to look forward to. As coaches I support and agree with USA swimming that we shouldn’t focus on times and let the kids work back into shape. This being said you can run lactate set after lactate set and it is not the same as swimming in a meet. I am by no means suggesting coming back to early or not doing what the guidelines are saying… Read more »
Because everyone wants to be the “first” the most “foreword thinking.” Look at how proactive we are!
With Eastern Zone pulling all the championship meets, Y Nationals being cancelled and Wesleyan shutting its doors to CT (that is where all championship meets in the state were to be held), any team in CT who was not going to some meet out of the LSC had already lost their championships. There were no championship meets for the kids to look forward to.
So many teams rely on universities and high schools for pool access that it will be difficult not only to host meets, but to find alternative pools to practice in.
I don’t think any real meets will happen this summer. It doesn’t seem like people will be back in pools practicing until at least June. At that point, there isn’t enough time to get back into racing shape. Maybe there can be time trials or intrasquads in late August.
What about for those that have opened up earlier and trying to re-coup financial losses? Meets in some cases are a very good way to do that. If there’s a possibility that’s allowed, why should we stop those from being able to do so?
If they can it will be allowed. The scheduled as originally posted was cancelled. No one is saying other things cannot happen if their venue opens.
My comment was more of an over-arching theme with USA Swimming. If they keep pushing back this “we will not sanction meets until X amount of LSC’s open up”, that seems to lend itself to some easy lawsuits if those that are open can show they can run one (and make money for it) properly.
Premature, panic reaction in my view. Listen to the experts, rely on facts and wait for guidelines.
Or make the reasonable and practical decision that If more than half of your meet facilities are already closed for the summer, then the LSC should cancel all of their events for now. Or go your route and ignore the facts as well as reality and get on your soapbox and judge away.
“Listen to the experts, rely on facts and wait for guidelines.” Not sure how that equates to ignoring the facts?
I wonder how much their decision is based on facts, and how much on speculations, predications, models or even fear. What they are doing is NOT proactive, but counterproductive. I know for fact many LSCs and teams are proactively working with medical professionals to develop strategies, protocols and guidelines for re-opening of pools and holding meets. I have seen drafts and must say they are professionally done and very encouraging.
The decision was based on fact. CT Swimming meet venues are telling us we cannot get in until September (at least). The season was cancelled as origianlly posted since venues have closed. If CT Swimming finds as time goes some venues will open and meets can happen then they will. The reality is no matter what happens there will be different guidelines for ALL meets if they happen this LC season. Hence cancelling the originally proposed season. My swimmers at this point just want to practice. Meets are the furtherest thing from their minds. President said camps and youth sports fall under phase three of his plan to reopen the country. Phase one does not begin until there are two… Read more »
Wesleyan University, which hosts numerous meets in CT, had canceled all events on campus till Sept 1
😫😫😫
I don’t think any one should make any decisions about the entire LC season anywhere (even in the New York region) until Memorial Day UNLESS there is major money on the line in terms of contracted venues etc. I understand that. There is just too much radically changing data at every level (access to testing (all kinds), treatments, #of cases – blah blah blah- WE JUST DON’T KNOW ENOUGH and technology (federal tech, university tech, corporate tech, are moving at lightening speed with success and failures but still they’re on it )- too many, far too many, wrongheaded predictions about the immediate and long term future (a few correct) – I am not against baby steps but still its too… Read more »
I think Memorial Day is a bit late. If you have a meet scheduled in June that athletes need to travel to (book hotels, etc.), they need to know more than two weeks ahead of time.
DMSWIM, yes you are right – for June meets Memorial Day is far too late. I meant it is too early right now to cancel the LC season – ALL summer meets through the end of August.