So DD started high school swim last month. She has swam competitively since she was 8, and her USA club swim team has been having socially distanced, safe swim practices since early June. They have also completed in two meets last month that seemed very safe. Her high school swim practices seem decently safe. Not as good as her club team, but safe enough. Last night was her first high school meet, and it was very unsafe. The meet was live-streamed, so I could see what was going on. Kids crowding behind the blocks (without masks), relays, kids cheering (some without masks), and only about 1/2 the kids in the stands wearing masks, most of whom were not social distancing. . DD and her best friend felt very unsafe. Her friend said she tried to hold her breath when she was near other kids without masks. The safety protocols were not anywhere near those of the other two meets we went to. And I even spoke with a parent of a swimmer at a different high school (way smaller), and she said their meets were safer. I emailed the coach last night (as did her friend’s mom), and the coach pretty much said take it or leave it. And she had the gall to say that she would have appreciated we give the girls some grace as this was their first meet. Keep in mind we are in Iowa, which is currently a red zone state and the visiting team was from the city The NY Times just rated as the worst city in the whole country!!!!!!
I’m so raging mad that the coach put her in an unsafe situation and blew off my concerns. DH wants to pull her completely. I feel like the coach might hold this against her for the rest of her high school swim career (she’s just a freshman). I feel so bad for DD and her friend. They are hard workers and love swimming. Up until last night, she had only been nearby 3 girls her age unmasked. And last night bring that total up to who knows how many.
Has anyone dealt with similar issues?
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