Dear Marta Rivera, BCYF Commissioner:

We ask that you keep Coach and Pool Manager, Louis Barnes, at the Flaherty Pool.

We were all devastated by the news of Coach Louis’ reassignment to the Mason Pool. For 20 years, Louis Barnes has created a pool community that is well-organized, safe, and fun. 

The Flaherty Dolphins Swim Team is the heart of this pool. Many of our kids swam for the Dolphins or are current team members. These youth swimmers were heartbroken upon hearing that they were losing their beloved Coach.

Long before the City Council formally recognized Coach Louis in March 2023 with a “Special Recognition for his ongoing efforts with the pool community and his meritorious work with the Flaherty Dolphins,” many of us already understood what an extraordinary person he is and how deeply committed to the swim team and all who use the pool.

This change will significantly affect more than 100 youth swimmers and their families, the Lap Swimmers, and the entire Flaherty Community. His incredible dedication and commitment to the Dolphins and the Flaherty Pool are irreplaceable. Removing him from Flaherty will cause families to leave, disrupt the swimmers’ and team’s momentum, and eliminate one of the few accessible competitive swim options available to Boston families.

We strongly urge you to continue Coach Louis’ assignment at the Flaherty Pool. 

This change is not only deeply unfair to a dedicated and successful employee, but it’s also an unfathomable cruelty to the kids who have been working hard this season in the pool and who are excited and committed to attending the Metro Championships at Boston University in March. We cannot do this without Coach Louis at the Flaherty.

We ask that BCYF allow Coach Louis to remain as the Flaherty Pool Manager and with the Flaherty Dolphins, preserving stability, opportunity, and growth for all the swimmers who depend on him and in the community he has helped create over the past 20 years.