Suburban Swim League season canceled

Citing social distancing needs among a litany of concerns, the Suburban Swim League has announced its 2020 season has been canceled. Sports Editor Mark Podolski spoke with SSL head Matt Ciaverelli.

For the first time in about 50 years, there will not be a Suburban Swim League this summer.

The largest swim league in the area — one that culminates at the end of July with a massive two-day league championship meet that attracts thousands each day at an area pool — announced May 4 it canceled the upcoming season because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

SSL president Matt Ciaverelli of Wickliffe said a May 4 meeting among representatives from all 11 teams resulted in a unanimous vote to cancel the season.

“The decision wasn’t easy,” said Ciaverelli. “It was not a simple decision, but the way we looked at it was factual. We used as much information as we had … Everyone was in an agreement. It was a difficult decision, but the right decision.”

The biggest road block for the SSL this summer was social distancing, said Ciaverelli. Some SSL teams such as the Chardon Sharks have close to 200 swimmers. The smallest teams in the league such as Wickliffe and Eastlake have up to 90 swimmers on their rosters.

Couple that with the host of parents and other family and friends that attend meets, plus the mammoth SSL Championships, and the decision seemed inevitable. That was before the May 4 meeting even began.

“I did not have a good feeling going into the meeting, and only because of the social distancing aspect,” said Ciaverelli.

The SSL consists of 11 teams — the Chardon Sharks, Cleveland Heights Tigersharks, Eastlake Vikings, Euclid Panthers, Highland Heights Hurricanes, Pinegate Gators,

Mentor Marlins, South Euclid/Lyndhurst Sea Monkeys, Wickliffe Water Devils, Willoughby Stingers and Willowick Wildkats.

Euclid and Eastlake were set to host the two-day SSL Championships in late July. Ciaverelli said the plan is for the cities to host in 2021, if they choose to do so.

Another challenge that was discussed during the meeting was the status of area pools being open in time for the start of league, which was set for June 13. Several league reps in attendance indicated their respective pools are targeting a late June/early July opening, and that created more issues.

“We were talking, what if some pools aren’t open until July 1?” said Ciaverelli. “Is it feasible to have a threeweek season?”

Ciaverelli said there was talk about waiting until the third week of May for possibly more directive from Gov. Mike DeWine and the health department, but the feeling among all was not much would likely change in two weeks.

“The writing was on the wall,” he said.

Now the big question is if area pools in cities such as Mentor, Chardon, Wickliffe and Willoughby and others will be open at all during the summer.

For Ciaverelli and the rest of the SSL, it’s a sad day. A half-century of tradition has been interrupted in a way no one could have predicted a few months ago.

“It’s almost like you can’t believe it,” said Ciaverelli, a lifelong Wickliffe resident who swam in the league as a youth. “It doesn’t seem real. It stinks for the kids. It stinks for the parents. As much as the kids love to get together for meets, it’s the same for the parents. I’ve been associated with this league almost 30 years. This is very surreal. I just feel bad for everyone involved.”