I just became the coach of my first swim team, and I, being a male, am having a hard time with the whole period thing. My girls are middle school level, and a little shy about the subject, as am I. Now, I know that you can swim on your period by using a tampon, but they cringed at the idea. However, on a 20 girl team, I've got as many as 6-7 girls sitting out daily because of it. I know that's far FAR too high. I'm about this close to going out and buying a box of tampons to shove in their face if they don't dress.
So my questions are:
How necessary is it that you wear a tampon? Is it an every day thing? are there times when it's worse than others?
And, how can I easily make the lives of the swimmers who don't swim (and keep in mind it has to be for a group of 6-7 people) a living hell. I need a dry land work out that can be done on the pool deck that takes little effort to watch (so I can coach the other girls) and something they can't really slack off - I keep giving them push ups and they barely go down.
I really can't think of anything outside of making the actual swim session fun, so if you guys have ideas on how to do that too it might work, too. It need to work on something important though.
Parents
Former Member
Alright so this is extremely tricky. First off if you only have 20 girls on the team and 6-7 are sitting out every day then someone is lying to you because periods should only last around a week. Second off I started using tampons in middle school and while I was scared it was fine
HOWEVER
I can attest that tampons are frighteningly unreliable in the pool. Tampond will absorb pool water and the blood that comes after will be pushed past. I can't even tell you the amount of times I've gotten out of the pool only to see blood running down my leg (and I've got a regular to light flow) the only reliable thing I can think of would be menstrual cups (which are way harder to put in and even scarier for a middle school girl)
I would recommend sending an email to the parents gently suggesting to bring the subject up with them (send this to all the girls parents not just the ones who are a problem) and hopefully the mothers will take care of it.
Please keep in mind that this probably has not happened to them many times before and they are probably embarrassed and scared about what is happening to their body not to mention some girls get extremely menstrual symptoms (I would ask for a doctors note confirming that the symptoms are quality of life reducing and not just some cramps).
Another good thing to do would be get a female swimmer friend to come in and talk with all of the girls as a group privately. That might help the most.
Good luck
Alright so this is extremely tricky. First off if you only have 20 girls on the team and 6-7 are sitting out every day then someone is lying to you because periods should only last around a week. Second off I started using tampons in middle school and while I was scared it was fine
HOWEVER
I can attest that tampons are frighteningly unreliable in the pool. Tampond will absorb pool water and the blood that comes after will be pushed past. I can't even tell you the amount of times I've gotten out of the pool only to see blood running down my leg (and I've got a regular to light flow) the only reliable thing I can think of would be menstrual cups (which are way harder to put in and even scarier for a middle school girl)
I would recommend sending an email to the parents gently suggesting to bring the subject up with them (send this to all the girls parents not just the ones who are a problem) and hopefully the mothers will take care of it.
Please keep in mind that this probably has not happened to them many times before and they are probably embarrassed and scared about what is happening to their body not to mention some girls get extremely menstrual symptoms (I would ask for a doctors note confirming that the symptoms are quality of life reducing and not just some cramps).
Another good thing to do would be get a female swimmer friend to come in and talk with all of the girls as a group privately. That might help the most.
Good luck
