Disappointing

SNAGS has just been cancelled.  Covid-19 now officially sucks.

SNAGS, or the Scottish National Age Group Championships, is the kick off swim meet in Scotland for qualifying for the Summer Meet season.  From here on swimmers would usually be racing at long course meets and earn placings on league tables.  The top 20 in Britain (depending on event) get to compete at the British Summer Meet and the next 20 Scots/English and Welsh compete at their respective Summer Championships.  Normally this is the most exciting time of the year as swimmers move up and down the league tables.  Even if you don't really think you'll qualify for a summer meet, SNAGS is pretty much the highlight of the school-age swimmers' year.

Toots qualified for SNAGS this year in two relays and was super excited to be going.  As a club we were also fielding the biggest team since the glory Miley days...  SNAGS was due to be held at ASV in Aberdeen the first week in April, so not quite as exciting as travelling down to Tollcross (though much cheaper!), but it meant days off school, a cool bullet cap, a coveted SNAGS hoody and that all important 'pool pass' that swimmers hang off their competition bags forever more.  It was even going to be streamed live so friends and family around the country could watch.

But today it was cancelled.  Which is totally understandable.  But no less gutting for all the swimmers that have been working so hard over the last few months to peak specifically the first week in April.  And equally gutting for the parents who have been reassuring, encouraging, motivating and just as dedicated.

Not only that, but as a club we've obviously now had to cancel the team meet we were due to take a dozen kids to in Cardiff the last week in April, which is another hoody (don't underestimate the power of the hoody!), another few days off school, another adventure and 'first' Toots is missing out on.

Though Toots's stoic personality has taken it all in it's stride which I'm grateful for: *shrug* "They've just said they're postponing it, aren't they?  So we'll get another chance..."

We'll see...