2021 Socially-Distanced Swimming: Planning for Meets
Pinned FeaturedIn a socially-distanced world, it's hard to imagine a safe way to hold swim meets, which are usually jam-packed with hundreds of swimmers and volunteers. But it can be done safely!
While this checklist may seem daunting, don't let it overwhelm you. Use the parts that you need, ignore what you don't, and add other sections that are relevant to your situation. With a Covid Planning committee and the proper planning and attention, you'll be on your way to a safe swim season in 2021!
Besides this list of Planning for Meets, take a look at:
We hope these lists can be a good launching pad for other considerations for your team and league.
Feel free to add your thoughts and questions about meet planning in the comments section below.
The objective at meets is to allow kids to compete and have fun, but maintain social distancing and reduce the gathering size at the pool.
Virtual meets
- Each team swims at their own home pool
- Can compete simultaneously, or whenever each team has availability
- With Meet Maestro, simultaneous competitions will be scored as soon as each swim event is completed
Physical layout
- More space in the tents (may need more tents)
- Or no tents - kids in parking lot with parents (how to manage getting kids to ready bench)
- Traffic flow -- one-way (with arrows?)
- Ready bench
- Have kids spaced out more than usual
- Fewer heats at the ready bench
- Use cones and have kids stand rather than sit
- More space at the blocks
- Between swimmers and timers
- Between timers and the next heat
- Reduce the number of timers
- Fewer watches
- Family members time together
- Only 1 timer per lane with 2 watches
- Use Dolphin wireless watches to reduce paper / runners / data entry
- Can have an empty spacer lane between swimmers
- All events
- Just relays
- Allow more time between heats to clear the pool, especially after 50s and 100s
- Warmups
- Fewer kids per lane, so warmups may take longer (or less time per age group)
- Non-volunteering parents:
- Remain in parking lot or nearby field
- Mark off a designated parent-viewing area where swimmers/coaches won’t be walking
Communicating meet progress
- Set up more speakers
- Broadcast announcer over radio station or Facebook Live
- Video livestream of meet so parents/friends can watch at home
- SwimTopia mobile app
- Live Event/Heat Bar
- Estimated start time
- Upcoming swim reminders
Scheduling the meet
- If meet is a virtual meet and no spacer lanes, will take half the time as usual
- But meet is slowed down to allow time for swimmers to exit pool and stay spaced out
- Can spread meets out over more time, by age group or age range
- Over several hours on the same day
- Over two days if needed
- During practice times
Covid safety
- Masks
- All adults wear masks at all time
- Swimmers wear masks at all times, except while swimming
- Where to put masks while swimming… how to retrieve for 25s
- Restrooms
- No more than 2 people at a time in the restrooms
- Have space outside for lines, 6 ft apart
- No changing clothes in the restrooms
- Separate restrooms for parents?
- Reduce volunteers as much as possible, keep to the bare minimum
- Concessions
- Sell only prepackaged food
- Keep lines spaced out, markers on the ground
- Merchandise and team gear
- Sell online before the meet
Covid screening
- Screening quiz
- Google forms?
- Online app?
- Temp check?
Besides this list of Planning for Meets, take a look at:
Feel free to add your thoughts and questions about meet planning in the comments section below.
Other resources from USA Swimming
USA Swimming offers a Coronavirus Resource Guide, which includes guidelines from CDC and WHO, resources for year-round teams, and more. Especially helpful items for summer teams:
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
0 comments