New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware LSCs Urging Governors To Allow Club Swimming

The New Jersey, Middle Atlantic, and Allegheny Mountain LSCs are calling on their state governors to allow swim clubs to resume training.

General chairs from the three LSCs (local swimming committees, or the regional organizers of club swimming within USA Swimming) appeared of FOX News this week to argue for the reopening of aquatic facilities to clubs, who they say can follow safety protocols as states start to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our goal is to collaborate with the government and government leaders to return in a safe and structured manner,” said Jamie Platt, the general chair for Middle Atlantic Swimming. “We want to get our swimmers back into the pools.”

Also appearing on FOX were New Jersey Swimming general chair Tristan Formon and Allegheny Mountain Swimming general chair Pete Barry.

Formon pointed to USA Swimming guidelines for how clubs can resume practice in a safe, contactless method. “Athletes, by nature, function well within structured guidelines,” Formon said. “We really feel we can honor those guidelines and protect our athletes and protect ourselves.”

Barry talked about concerns over athletes mental health, hoping a safe return to training could be a healthy boost to young athletes. And Platt pointed to water safety as an important benefit to allowing organized swimming to resume, as public beaches and pools start to reopen across the country.

State-by-state, governors have started loosening restrictions on pools and organized youth sports. You can keep track of each state’s current restrictions in our state-by-state pool reopening index here.