June 2 Health Mandates Lifted

With the June 2 change in mask mandates, we will have some changes in our safety precautions as follows (starts June 2):

• Masks will no longer be required to enter our swim practice facilities.
• Whenever social distancing cannot be maintained, masks will be worn.
• We will follow and comply with the rules set forth by any other facility that hosts us for practices and meets.
• All swimmers must maintain 3 feet social distancing whenever possible.  This includes during dryland, between swims, before and after practices.
  
• Swimmers will be expected to stage 3' apart before and after practices, once stage there will be no 'visiting' of each other.
• Conversations should be held quietly, if you can be heard outside of your 3-foot circle, you are too loud. 
• We do not provide seating at our facilities.  Parents are welcome to bring a chair and watch practice at Minerva Park.  We will continue to livestream practices at Columbus North.  Parents are not permitted to stay and watch practice at this facility but are encouraged to come in with 15 minutes remaining. We are hopeful to open Columbus North for viewing this fall. 
• We will permit 3 swimmers in the locker rooms at a time at Columbus North and one at a time at Minerva Park.  Swimmers are expected to come and go in their suits, the only exception is if a swimmer needs to change for an event afterward (such as work or school).
• We must abide by our governing body's rules (USA Swimming and Ohio Swimming). We recognize that we could be asked to backpedal on some of these changes.
  

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:

Coaches will not be required to wear masks on the pool deck.  ALL of our coaches are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.  Coaches must don a mask when:

• They are coaching a group and cannot maintain a greater than 6-foot distance from the group to do so (this pertains to most of our indoor dryland activities).
• They need to raise the volume of their voice to be heard when speaking to a swimmer 3 feet away or closer.
• They cannot maintain social distancing when having a conversation with a swimmer or parent.

We understand that the CDC and Governor Dewine have stated that vaccinated individuals no longer need masks.  However, we are not going to be vaccine police.  We will treat our program as if it is the same as the general population (1/3) vaccinated.  This means that vaccinated parents and swimmers are not exempt today, and still must follow the above guidelines on June 2.