Covid - 19 Policies: 9/2020

We are happy we are back to swimming, & it will be great to see everyone again at the Y . The in water part of our work will be familiar, but the being on deck out of water will be very different. Be view the video link at the end of this to show your swimmers what to expect.

Drop off procedure

• Swimmers will enter the building through the normal front door and will be asked several questions that all of us will be asked at any number of different places going forward. Additionally, their temperatures will be checked. Temps over 100.4 will not be allowed past the front desk. 
• Swimmers who are demonstrating symptoms of ANY kind of illness should not come to practice. Please keep them home until symptoms have abated. 
• Swimmers will enter the Y wearing their bathing suits (and any other clothes on top). There will be no changing into suits at the Y for swimmers of any age. Swimmers who wear caps and require assistance in putting them on should come to the Y wearing their caps. Neither coaches nor other swimmers will be permitted to provide assistance. 
• Parents may stay in their cars and drop the swimmers off at the front door. At no point and under no circumstances should swimmers walk across the parking lot unattended. Either they are dropped at the front door or a parent walks them across the parking lot to the front door. 
• Parents will not be permitted to watch practice from the stands because the balcony area will remain closed. Additionally, there is not enough room at the windows in the lobby to both maintain the distance required by the Y and allow for multiple people. So, it is strongly recommended that parents simply not wait for swimmers in the Y unless working out in the fitness room. 

Entering the pool area

• Swimmers will enter the pool deck through the hallway door just past the sign-in desk.
• Swimmers will drop their swim bags on tape marks on the pool deck floor based on their lane assignments. It is important that swimmers stay with their gear, away from each other, until directed to move to their lanes by a coach. 
• For the time being, we will keep it very simple - no gear. We will not need kickboards, pool buoys, fins, or paddles. We will not be using any kickboards or pool buoys from the Y either. Swim bags containing a towel, goggles, caps, clothes are fine. Swimmers ABSOLUTELY should have a back-up pair of goggles and a backup cap (and maybe a third of each). There will be no sharing goggles or caps and while some have come to rely on the extra caps and goggles coaches have always had at practice, we will not be able to loan them nor will swimmers be allowed to borrow from other swimmers. 
• Water bottles - swimmers will bring their own bottles, completely filled. The water fountain may be used only to refill bottles. 

In the water

• Mini swimmers will be organized with four swimmers per lane - two at each end of the pool. Swimmers will stay in the corners between the wall and the lane lines and will circle swim as they normally do at practice. 
• All other age group swimmers will be organized with up to five swimmers per lane - two at each end of the pool and a swimmer in the middle of the lane. Swimmers will rotate positions during the sets so no swimmers spend the entire practice at the middle of the pool. 

Exiting the pool area

• Swimmers will be dismissed by lane to return to their swim bags. They will have approximately 2-3 minutes to dry off and put on a pair of clothes and their masks. Swimmers will then exit the building through the exterior door by the shallow end. Parents should be ready to pick up their swimmers promptly as there will not be any good place for swimmers to wait. We recommend parking in the spots on the outdoor pool side of the parking lot so swimmers do not need to cross the parking lot to get to their cars. The back parking lot is also great as your swimmer can stay on the sidewalk to the back lot, where there are plenty of spots to park. We need to keep the crosswalk and back door and ramp free for swimmers to get to their cars safely.
• There will be no opportunity to speak with coaches during or between practices because they will be exiting one group of swimmers, welcoming the next group of swimmers, and cleaning high touch surfaces as required by the Y. Obviously, we are trying to maximize the amount of time swimmers can have in the water while maintaining a safe environment & social distancing. 
• Parents getting out of cars to talk are to be wearing masks and maintaining current best practices for social distancing.  We can be social but we need to be responsible and set positive examples for our swimmers.  You have no idea if someone is compromised in the group you are chatting with.
• Coach Matt will be available to speak with anyone who is interested. Coach Matt will be available to talk with folks in person or on the phone on Tuesdays from 5:00-5:50 and Fridays from 5:00-6:50pm. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by text at 610-484-4226. Coach Matt will generally not respond to texts or emails after 8:30pm but will reply within 24 hours.   

Some of these changes may suit you and some may cause concern. That is perfectly natural, normal, and expected. We are experiencing some major changes and disruptions in our lives right now. We need only remember that we are fortunate to be swimming while many swimmers in Chester County, around the country,and world are not and that to continue swimming we will abide by each and every one of these requirements. 

Click here to watch a video:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NbWCDxC5caPYyAe7BkMuztVzbCozMRNB/view?usp=drivesdk

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation to keep LCY Riptide in the pool!