Dates: March 23 - 27, 2021

Nearly a month ago, the University of Iowa announced that the school would be discontinuing four varsity sports programs in the continue destructive wake of COVID-19 — including both men's and women's swimming and diving. 

On the front page of USA Swimming's website is a ticking clock: a live countdown to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials to be held June 13-20, 2021. That competition will get Team USA ready for the subsequent 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, the Games that were, of course, delayed a year by the coronavirus pandemic that swept the world, and which is still greatly changing life in the United States. 

Eddie Reese, head coach of swimming and diving at the University of Texas, is a walking legend. 

This year's Ironman world championships, held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, were grueling by any standard of measure: a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile ride. For any person of any athletic ability at any point in history, a feat of that magnitude would be impressive — but what about a double above-the-knee amputee?

The events of the last week have been tremendously painful to us all.

Just about everybody is hoping pools don't close (or stay closed) for the summer due to the continued fallout from COVID-19. We know summer without the water can be a difficult task for many, especially parents with kids, but you know who needs the water most of all? Swimmers, that's who. 

PLAY Sports Coalition Press Release