As we inch closer to January amid the Washington State declaration that forced us to close our doors in mid-November (bringing 2020 closures to 4+ months), we want to bring to your attention some amazing data that gives us incredible hope and confidence in re-opening our doors. The data comes from a game-changing report just published by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). The report, “Global Evidence on the Safety & Significance of Fitness Centers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic” summarizes the results of multiple global studies that all conclude that indoor fitness and recreation centers are not significant contributors to the spread of the virus. One example: “According to tracing data reported by New York state, gyms were the source of just 0.06% of COVID-19 cases.” After this data was published, the New York Governor reopened gyms in certain areas of the state.
Simply understood, BASE by Pros and other training facilities are not spreaders of the virus. During our brief openings since last March, we have made safety a top priority through cleaning and air filtration upgrades, as well as a complete revamping of our training programs. Operations at BASE by Pros are now designed to maintain social distancing which has resulted in zero COVID-19 cases being traced back to our facility.
After much deliberation and processing, we feel without a question we can help to flatten the curve and still maintain indoor services.
We will reopen for training, cage rental and programs at BASE by Pros on January 4th. Should the Governor extend, at any time, the mandate for our business to remain closed to indoor use, we will continue to remain open.
Beyond the science, the main reasons are as follows:
- From a physical standpoint, our kids must have regular activity and prepare for their seasons safely. Without preseason training, athletes will experience a major uptick in injuries resulting in a huge drop in participation across all sports.
- From a mental standpoint, our kids must have a purpose in life, goals to strive for, and social interaction (distanced of course). Team sports executed with safety in mind provide all of that and more.
- BASE by Pros needs to be open to survive!
We fight for the families of athletes that see their child’s motivation and passion disappear each day we are closed. We fight for the employees we support that have loved your kids. We have always done the right thing and will continue to do the right thing and we expect our Governor to make the right decision to reopen our businesses!
We completely understand that some families deal with health, older family members, and those with pre-existing health conditions, and may have a stricter tolerance for indoor, public spaces. For those and others, we will continue to promote outdoor programs when possible.
For more information, we welcome you to view our BASE by Pros Social Distancing Guidelines.
Thank you for all the support and we hope to see some of you next Monday!
Dream Big, Serve Bigger!
Brent Lillibridge
(425) 200-4448
BASE by Pros Owner/Mentor/Instructor
