2020: The Year of Virtual Meets
Sailfish Rose to the Challenge, Placed Fourth Overall in Upper League
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS Photo by John F. Martin Photography,Inc.
by Anna Swartz
S
wim meets without throngs of cheering fans? A quiet sunrise swim meet? These are not the typical experiences of a GPYC Sailfish swim team member, but as with everything in 2020, it was a bit (or a lot) different than usual. The team competed in three virtual meets -- either early morning meets or in the evening. During one meet, they competed against three different clubs. The Michigan Inter-Club Association (MICSA) were also virtual. According to Assistant Swim Coach Elizabeth Bourke, GPYC ended the season fourth overall in the upper league of MICSA.
For the 2020 season, GPYC’s Sailfish team consisted of 80 children, compared to about 120 swimmers in 2019. To ensure safety, the team followed strict COVID-19 protocols, such as smaller groups of kids for practices and utilizing different ends of the pool. Temperature checks were also taken before each practice and meet. No illnesses were reported throughout the season. “Even with all the limitations and restrictions, the Sailfish had a phenomenal summer, and we were very happy with how it all worked out,” said
Assistant Coach Elizabeth Bourke. Parents such as Stephen Wheatley were grateful that the coaches were able to navigate a challenging situation and create the best possible environment for these young swimmers to safely learn and improve their skills. “The Club stepped up and did a wonderful job,” Wheatley said. “For the MICSA Finals, the Club went all out with the VIP seating -the food and everything was just incredible.”
The majority of the 2020 Sailfish Swim Team
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