Despite over 1,000 signatures and countless hours from dedicated families, swimmers, and supporters urging BCYF to reconsider their decision, Louis Barnes’ last day managing the BCYF Flaherty pool was Monday, April 13th.
As Manager of the BCYF Mason pool, he will no longer coach for the city, thus losing the talents of one of BCYF’s strongest coaches. The Flaherty is losing an effective manager at the single most utilized pool in the BCYF system after 20+ years of service. One of the city’s busiest pool has now been left without an immediate replacement manager.
After considerable negotiations, the city has agreed to let the Dolphins continue to use the Flaherty pool for practices this Spring and next season, giving us a one-year use agreement. However, after 30+ years as a BCYF team, they are forcing a transition to a private swim team. This shifts significant costs onto families, including hiring and paying for a coach and providing our own insurance.
The city is supporting our application for a city grant, trying to accommodate our practice schedules, and allowing us to hire Louis Barnes to coach this new private version of the Dolphins. However, the incredible amount of uncertainty and increased financial burden for families has already had a devastating impact on our community and put our team’s future in jeopardy. Those families with the least means and opportunity are being the most adversely affected, as they can’t afford other stable, competitive swim options.
The 2025-2026 Flaherty Dolphin Families are committed to securing a more permanent place for us at our current Flaherty home or elsewhere in the city if we are unsuccessful in creating a fair and transparent partnership with BCYF. Unfortunately, no matter where we swim, it will be considerably more expensive. So we are once again asking for your help to hold our diverse and incredible team together during this imposed transition from public to private swim team.
Current Dolphin families have already set aside money usually used for our end of year banquet to start a scholarship fund, and we ask that you join us by donating through our non-profit fiscal sponsor, Roslindale Community School Council Inc., https://roslindalecenters.weebly.com/make-a-donation.html. All donations made to the “Flaherty Dolphin Swim Team” will go towards reducing costs of participation so that we can remain an accessible and affordable option for competitive swimming in Boston.
What happens next? Please follow us on Instagram or Facebook. Additional information about joining our team next season will be updated on the Roslindale Community School Council’s page for our Team later this summer as details get worked out.
Go Dolphins!