I recently got a email from my age group swim team. They sent out a mass email about deck changing. Ohio rules now are if you are caught changing on deck before or after practice you are then suspended for a week and also the next swim meet. If caught at a meet doing this, you will be immediately removed from meet and the team will suspend you one week.
Is this pretty much a standard rule across the club teams or now a USS rule? I suppose I can see how this can become an issue and concern. Have to say I have not seen many masters doing the deck change, although I admit, I have deck changed at a masters meet but not at a USS meet.
For practices, I change in the locker room, but at meets (long ones, like Nationals) I deck change all the time. The locker rooms are often not close to where we are seated, and it saves a trip. I don't see why it's a problem.
I'll typically do a long early warm up in a poly tank suit, and deck change into dry undies and sweats and relax and stretch, then re-deck change into a dry tank suit to warm up shortly before my event. With the ankle-length suits, I do use the locker room to change into my race suit. If I have another race that same day, I'll deck change out of my race suit and put on dry clothes before repeating the process. Deck changing out of an ankle-length suit is not nearly as challenging as putting one on.
Leslie also brings up a good point. I think that a lot of girls/women will put on a sweatshirt or tee and pull their suits down to their waists to give their shoulders a break between events. Would this result in a suspension? If so, that's ridiculous!
For practices, I change in the locker room, but at meets (long ones, like Nationals) I deck change all the time. The locker rooms are often not close to where we are seated, and it saves a trip. I don't see why it's a problem.
I'll typically do a long early warm up in a poly tank suit, and deck change into dry undies and sweats and relax and stretch, then re-deck change into a dry tank suit to warm up shortly before my event. With the ankle-length suits, I do use the locker room to change into my race suit. If I have another race that same day, I'll deck change out of my race suit and put on dry clothes before repeating the process. Deck changing out of an ankle-length suit is not nearly as challenging as putting one on.
Leslie also brings up a good point. I think that a lot of girls/women will put on a sweatshirt or tee and pull their suits down to their waists to give their shoulders a break between events. Would this result in a suspension? If so, that's ridiculous!
