The Southestern Conference (SEC) on Friday cancelled all camps and coaches’ clinics held by its member institutions through July 31st as the global coronavirus pandemic continues.
Throughout this pandemic, conferences have taken increasing control over mandating unity in decision-making for its schools, with many conferences as a whole cancelling practices and competition for all member institutions.
This is part of a number of moves announced by the SEC on Friday:
- All regular season conference and non-conference competitions are cancelled for the remainder of the 2019-2020 athletic year, including all remaining SEC championship events, all spring football games, and any pro days that would be conducted by SEC institutions. Pro days invite scouts from professional leagues to campuses to view multiple prospects simultaneously.
- Other athletics activities, including team and individual practices, meetings and other organized gatherings, whether voluntary or required, are suspended through at least May 31.
Of the conference’s 14 schools, all but 2 (Mississippi and Mississippi State) sponsor swimming & diving programs. Vanderbilt and Arkansas sponsor women’s varsity programs only, while the other 10 schools sponsor men’s and women’s teams.
Summer camps have become a big part of university athletics departments’ missions. In addition to being a major source of revenue and a way to monetize athletic and dormitory facilities when campuses are much quieter than normal in the summers, they serve as a big recruitment tool – both for high school athletes who go on to compete in college and those who don’t. While some camps are run by athletics departments, others are run by varsity team head coaches – often considered as part of the total compensation opportunity for a collegiate coach.
Of the 12 schools in the SEC that sponsor swimming, we were able to find competitive-swimming geared summer camps at all but LSU, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt.
The conference is located in one of the primary regions of the country where states have begun to reopen. Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina are all among a group of states that have been the most aggressive in reopening, with many allowing beaches and restaurant dining rooms to start running again. Louisiana remains under a stay-at-home order until at least May 15th, while Arkansas is expected to begin reopening restaurant dining rooms, among other changes, on May 11th. Missouri is planning to begin reopening its economy on May 4th, including allowing restaurant dining rooms and concerts to resume activity.
Iyecarrrrumba!!! How will Head Coaches keep momma in new shoes now!!! Seriously – this is one of uncountable financial and social shortcomings from the virus. Sad for the many young swimmers who, at least for this summer, will not be able to experience an amazing camp experience. Sad for the coaches also, as camps add much with their livelihood. Benefits to this include giving coaches much needed refresh and family time. Truly hope in the long run the net of all this will be positive. It will be for those who gain balance.
Agreed. lost revenue from camps, lost 401k’s, reduced swimming budgets, furloughs, and reduced coaches salaries (or cutting programs altogether) and u have the reality of college swimming for now.