Everybody in the pool! Swim practice returns for Rancho San Dieguito team

After three long chlorine-free months, the Rancho San Dieguito Swim Team was able to get back into the pool on June 12 as the county’s COVID-19 restrictions lifted for youth sports and fitness facilities.

“It has been wonderful getting our kids back in the water!” said Coach Joe Benjamin. “I could tell that they have missed the routine, their swim friends, their favorite workout activity, the connection with their caring coaches, and the emotional balance of being back in the swim of things.”

Rancho San Dieguito was able to bring the entire team back to the pool at the Pardee Aquatics Center at the Boys & Girls Club San Dieguito in Solana Beach, not just seniors and highest level national groups.

Benjamin said the re-opening did not come easy and there was a lot of behind-the-scenes work to be done by coaches, lifeguards and the administrative staff just to get back to this limited version of “normal.” Following the reopen guidelines, temperature checks, handwashing, social distancing, staff face coverings are all a part of the operations. The team will allow two swimmers per lane starting at opposite ends and in this first phase, locker rooms and showers remain closed.

The reopening will be a chance to get back into the pool for several senior swimmers who missed out on their spring season; many plan to continue swimming collegiately. The RSD class of 2020 includes: Joseph Chang (UC Santa Cruz), Ceylin Cilingir (UC Santa Cruz), Yuma Dugas (UCSD), Andrew Frandsen (Brigham Young University), Rylee Gordillo (Fresno State University), Matthew Kilroy (Chapman University), Stephan Lukashev (Notre Dame), Connor Mes (William & Mary), Aaron Nguyen (Indiana University), Phillip Pozdnyakov (Cornell University), Drew Shafer (University of Oregon), Cailin Thang (Montana State University), Megan Woelkers (University of Chicago), Eric Workman (Claremont McKenna College) and Daniel Zhu (UCLA),

The Boys and Girls Club has opened the pool for lap swimmers by reservation only. Make a reservation by visiting 3836.ezfacility.com