by Kaitlin Balasaygun, Swimming World College Intern

Baking underneath the hazy July sun lies the heart of distant summer memories for swimmers of all ages. As the smells of spraying sunscreen and fresh chlorine rising off the pool’s surface intermingle, a happiness like no other saturates the atmosphere. High-pitched squeals of children rushing from lane to lane cheering on their teammates compete with the volume of the starter’s booming air horn.

Simultaneously, coaches frantically rush around the pool deck marshalling their swimmers, while encountering numerous interruptions to help kids put on their caps and give out congratulatory high-fives after races. It is this very hodgepodge of chaos and excitement that makes up summer swim leagues and creates an extraordinary environment that sparks the start of many lifelong swimming careers.

However, the yearlong anticipation for the next summer swim season met an immediate obstruction as the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe.

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