Swim Poll of the Week: Will Your Club Hold an Olympic Trials Watch Party?

This is the Swim Poll of the Week for Thursday May 20, 2021, sponsored by Strechcordz Swim Training Products. In our last poll, we wanted to know: Will your club hold an Olympic Trials watch party?

The highly anticipated, and COVID-delayed, Olympic Games are just around the corner. With the United States Olympic Trials slated to begin on June 13 (Wave II), there’s no better way to get hyped than by celebrating (safely) with teammates, coaches, friends and family. Why not host an Olympic Trials watch party? Here are some ideas to get you started for your epic celebration, as well as some suggestions and modifications to ensure safety for all party goers during the pandemic.

Set Up an Epic Viewing Station

A watch party could be the perfect excuse to finally invest in a larger television or a new entertainment system to ensure you and your guests enjoy the highly awaited event. Setting up additional chairs and places to sit will also ensure everyone can watch with utmost comfort.

Covid-Safe Option: For a cheaper and more Covid-19 friendly option, hanging a large white sheet from an outside space, such as a garage door or side of a house, and asking them to bring their own chairs and blankets, means more people can watch and enjoy without worrying too much about safety protocols or being as conscious about social distancing. Plus, those in attendance can work on their tans as they watch.

Grab Some Snacks and Get Creative

Nothing brings people together like food. There are multiple fun directions you can go with food options for watch parties, especially if those in attendance are swim fans. On one hand, you could do snacks and offer calorie-dense meal options like pizza to allow a cheat day for all those in attendance. Or, you could go for healthier options like sandwiches, fruits and salads to keep everyone in good and healthy spirits to watch the competition. If you want to get really entertaining, you could purchase and plan a menu based on some Olympics diets. It will require a bit of research and shopping, but in the end it would definitely be a unique and memorable take.

Covid-Safe Option: Ask everyone to bring a pre-made and pre-packaged snack that was either made or purchased to avoid the sharing of utensils and minimize touching common surfaces.

Get Hyped and Represent Your Favorite Athletes

There are a variety of ways to represent those you’re rooting for. Maybe you have a teammate who qualified for Trials and you want to dress in your team apparel to represent your connection to them. Maybe you have a favorite returning Olympian and want to wear apparel that makes you excited to cheer them on. Maybe you want to get excited for the Olympics in general so you wear an Olympic themed outfit. Whatever your jam is, inviting your guests to come dressed is a great way to promote high morale and get everyone ready to cheer on their favorites.

Covid-Safe Option: If you’re not comfortable being around people to see their outfits in-person, organize either a virtual fashion show or a social media group chat specifically for this task, and ask your close friends to send pictures or videos of their cheering outfits so you can still feel close to them while keeping your distance.

Will your team have a watch party for Olympic Trials?

Yes – 14%

No – 86%

ONE IN THOUSAND

Show how special you are and become a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s “One In A Thousand” Club. Help keep the International Swimming Hall of Fame moving forward toward a new vision and museum by joining now!