Swim season is just starting, as a winter sport, and the varsity swim team is already getting ready for an amazing season. They are trying to complete this season without shutting it down. Since this is happening, there are new policies due to COVID-19, and we will talk about them here, and interview members of the swim team.
As the swimmers practice, they try their best to distance themselves from others to prevent the spread of the virus. Before getting into the pool, the coach asks them if they have had any symptoms of COVID (fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, diarrhea, loss of taste/smell). This is so when there are people in the same pool lane, they are somewhat safe from the virus. People are not allowed to share drinks or anything that is risky in this pandemic. Only a certain amount of people are allowed in a lane, so the swimmers can distance themselves as much as they can. When practicing their starts, the number of people in a lane does not change, and while in line waiting for your turn, you have to be 3-6 feet apart.
Not only are the rules of the pool changed, but the locker room rules have also changed. Showering rules have been, for the better. You are not recommended to shower, but if you still choose to do so, you are only supposed to do a “quick rinse” and be done. While changing, you are required to keep your distance from people, and when leaving, make sure you have your mask on.
These policies have not stopped the swimmers from trying their best. The first swim meet is on November 17th, and they have all the time before then to practice. Swimmers have a warm-up at the beginning of the practice, where they will swim freestyle, however many meters the coach instructs them to do. Swimmers then work on their strokes that they do in meets, like freestyle, butterfly, backstroke, and breaststroke. When practicing strokes, they also practice their starts, by going off the block to start swimming.
There are different ways to go off the block. Freestyle, breaststroke, and butterfly have the same starts. You stand on the block with your hands holding the front edge, while your right foot is in the front of the block too, and your left foot is on the back edge. When the buzzer goes off, or the coach says go, you dive forward into the water. While in the water, you dolphin swim for a few seconds and start doing your stroke. With backstroke, which has its own start, you hold on to the bar underneath the block. You put your feet on the wall, and when they say, “Take your mark,” you lift yourself up. When they say go, you dive backwards and dolphin swim on your back.
Next, we are going to be interviewing some swimmers. I interviewed Kaylin Clamme, a junior, about the precautions. I asked her how she felt about the new precautions, and she answered, “I feel like the precautions are easy to follow, but possibly not too effective.” I then asked her if she liked the new precautions, and she answered “I don’t like the precautions, but they are easy to follow, and I understand why we need them.” Lastly, I asked her if she is excited about what the season is going to be like, and she answered, “I am excited on what the season is going to be like, and I hope there will be a full season.”
I hope this article helped you understand the new swim season, and the new precautions better. I hope that there is a chance that your child plans on joining the swim team next season in the 2021-2022 school year.