Our First Zoom Q&A!
09 Oct 2020
FSC 07/10/20 Q & A Session
Thanks to you all for questions via e-mail pre/post meeting and ‘live’ whilst in session.
Any omission or misinterpretation, please let me know. Themes for ease of summary.
Sessions, Timings
Fusion are unable to offer the club any additional hours. We currently have Tuesday, Thursday 20:00-21:30, Sunday 4-6pm with Adult Polo Wednesday evening for 1 hour. Many clubs have not returned as facilities have remained closed. Other clubs have been ‘out priced’. We are lucky.
The challenges of the pandemic, furlough, easing of furlough, business plans all contribute to the reason why we cannot have more pool time from Fusion right now but we will continue working closely with Fusion to agree to any additional hours as and when we can.
Risk Assessments
Swim England Guidance adhered with to ensure the swimmers health and welfare is paramount.
Facility visits, Risk Assessments and financial planning have all been part of the committee’s summer. The committee will continue to support the costs of keeping the swimmers in the pool for the next 6 months. This is to prevent an increase in your fees. This will be reviewed ongoing by the committee on a month by month basis.
Stage 8,9 and 10 Swimmers
Stages will not restart until we secure additional teacher /coach hours which we are actively seeking within the network of clubs (approx. 12) who feed into Team Bath AS. Great point raised about involving our older swimmers- we have and do. Several of our swimmers have become Level 1 teachers BUT during the pandemic we must adhere to safety measures so additional development may be delayed. Our Duke of Edinburgh swimmers have and hopefully will continue to offer support whilst learning new skills.
I implied that a Workforce Development Role is a great addition to the club so please consider if this is something you could help us with.
We have approximately 19 stages swimmers (Lynne will correct this at next session of this is not accurate) who have declared their interest in returning so we respect your drive to get them back in the pool. We know they are the future of the club so please be assured we are doing everything we can to make this happen.
There is potential for a venue approximately a 20-minute drive from Frome. We are actively pursuing this. Please understand that if we do, you will be part of the plans as we start the process of getting swimmers back in the pool.
Venue+ Risk Assessment+ Teacher+ Volunteers= Stages to Return
Returning Swimmers/Polo Players
Swimmers wishing to join sessions need to complete the 'Pre-training Covid-19 health screen', there is a link to this form sent to you via email. Once done you then need to acknowledge/agree to the new codes of conduct, there are two:- 'Return to training Covid-19 and Risk Awareness Declaration' and 'COVID-19 Safety Protocols (Frome) All members' they will both appear as a pop up when you sign into Swim Club Manager. Once swimmers have completed all of the previous steps, they will be sent a Booking Form. Swimmers must book into sessions, this is for us to manage volume in each session and to ensure we have an accurate record for Track and Trace.
Swimmers will swim 6 in single lanes, 8 in double. This will be a changing status depending on ‘sets’ skills etc.
Athlete Development
Kit will be introduced when our Head Coach decides. There has been guidance on this which we have followed. Safe measures for kit use will be followed and all swimmers will require to have their own named kit. No snorkel use, reducing risk of potential transmission with exhaled particles.
Lane allocation is at the discretion and based on Head Coach experience. This may change. Faster swimmers /overtaking raised- the Head Coach will continue to monitor this. Swimmers/parents need to trust that we are doing everything we can to keep swimmers in the pool, keeping them safe first and foremost.
Time trials are not a priority currently. They could be accommodated at the Head Coach discretion. Swimmers may wish to know how well they are doing but this should be handled by the skilled coaches as expectations can be unrealistic after so much time away from training.
Reference made to the organising of virtual club champs/competitions. Whilst not impossible it takes a lot of time, organising and volunteers- the current pandemic will affect this due to volumes permitted to be poolside. Times achieved would be informal too. We are not saying no but not actively planning this early on our return (2 sessions back at Frome).
Millfield Pool Time- the committee was aware of the time offered previously from the facility through the County- the planned Development Weekend run by the county was cancelled and swimmers took the opportunity to access. As we had pool time, we made the decision not to and ensure that clubs, swimmers and some individuals got the time. Our rationale was time taken for additional visits, risk assessment completion (as per Swim England Guidance, every facility used by clubs in planned session need to be assessed). The new Millfield hours being offered by the Enterprise can be booked by swimmers should they wish. Sarah Godwin at Millfield Enterprise can be contacted. Lanes are £28.25 per hour.
We would not support ‘sets’ to be given to swimmers by our Coaches for them to complete unsupervised to reduce any risk of injury. Swimmers may wish to book in for a leisure swim but complete in a 50-metre pool.
Ratio of swimmers to teacher/coaches- dependent of coaches available. The aim is always to have each lane covered with coaching/teacher to ensure observation, supervision. Volunteers are currently poolside as Covid supports to maintain safety measures in the pool BUT they are not teachers or providing any feedback. They are giving instruction under Coach direction.
Questions for Discussion for Committee -response at next Q&A
Could the Sunday session be split to, two 1-hour sessions?
Suggested by parent who thought the 2 hours may be too much for some of the younger swimmers?
Could the younger swimmers exit the week-day sessions at 9pm?
Some swimmers may find the sessions too late then with travelling time this makes a late bedtime for some of the swimmers.
POST MEETING-Will we change our recommendation of asking the parents to refrain from sharing a vehicle with anybody who is not in their household bubble.
Thank you to everyone.
Liz Metcalfe, Dave Jones and Lynne Carpenter on behalf of the committee.
Always happy to welcome new members. Our AGM is scheduled for November 2020 where all committee roles are up for election/re-election- if you wish to get involved please let us know.