Prairie State Wire

Swimmers, including competitive high schoolers, are asking Gov. J.B. Pritzker to allow pools to reopen when the state shifts into Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan. 

NBC5 Chicago spoke with several swimmers, including 16-year-old Grace Hagemaster, who placed 11th in the 100 backstroke at the State Girls Swimming and Diving Meet, but hasn’t been able to get in the water for several months.

“It was really hard to have to just stop so abruptly,” Hagemaster told NBC5.

Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there’s no evidence that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can be spread through pool water, hot tubs or splash pads, Hagemaster says swimming shouldn’t be an issue.

"I don’t feel like it should be an issue to have swimmers in the water," said Grace. "I’m not saying that we need recreation pools open where it can be 80 kids in an eight-lane pool, not social distanced, pulling on each other, but just enough that we can have swimmers back in the water practicing like any other sport."

Illinois Swimming chair Jeff Arce wrote to Gov. Pritzker to reconsider when pools should reopen. Illinois Swimming falls under the umbrella of USA Swimming. Arce says Pritzker has not responded to his letter as of this report.

“We appreciate the position the Governor and his staff is right now, and I don’t envy their task,” Arce said to NBC5. "We believe that the science says that in a properly dealt-with manner – limiting contact points, limiting touch points, and limiting number of athletes in the water –  that this can be done safely.”

Not receiving an answer from Pritzker has been frustrating, but Arce plans to keep working until they can get to a point where swimmers can get back in the water.