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.
I don't know. I'll tell you this, though. I'd sometimes wear my suit under my clothes to the pool when I was a kid. Whenever I did this I'd invariably forget to pack my underwear and be forced to go home commando after practice. Do this a couple times and you learn it's worth the extra couple minutes changing time to just put your suit on when you get to the pool.
I leave the pool commando-style after every practice. I go straight home to take a shower there (I'm a stay at home mom so no work place to go to). I've been doing it this way for 8 or more years.
I leave the pool commando-style after every practice. I go straight home to take a shower there (I'm a stay at home mom so no work place to go to). I've been doing it this way for 8 or more years.
In high school before AM practice i forgot to pack undergarments and had to wear an extra suit underneath all day...not the most comfortable things.
I try to pack my gym bag the night before so I won't forget stuff when I head to the pool in the AM.
Yes, I DO bring my towel onto the pool deck because it is zebra print and fabulous!
I prefer to shower after swimming so deck-changing is not an option for me. IMHO, it is MUCH easier for guys than gals to accomplish one.
Why is that weird? Why bother getting up to get dressed to go to the pool to change again? Just get dressed once - at home and it saves an entire step. I get to the pool with just enough time to stretch and then wait for the coach to give us our warm-up. I'd rather not have to get up 5 min earlier to change in the locker rooms since I'm already getting up at 4:10am.
I am with you on this one. You already have to get out of your PJ's, why not just put on your suit? We are just more efficient!
I have to "deck" change after swimming when the lake is cold. Gotta get that freezing suit off! It's a bit of a challenge while shivering, though!!
I just take a big blanket, throw it over my head and assume that if I can't see who I'm mooning, it's just not happening. :D
i, for one, never deck change at the pool, however... on the beach, at the park, near the lake, in the parking lot, etc. no big towel, no long t-shirt, just put a shirt on and do it quick. no one cares. don't draw attention.
i find it weird that the college team all shower with their suits on.
I leave the pool commando-style after every practice. I go straight home to take a shower there (I'm a stay at home mom so no work place to go to). I've been doing it this way for 8 or more years.
Technically you are only going commando if you have your gun out of it's holster so I don't think that is what you do.
I apply deck changing to all facets of life. Cycling shorts...change in the car or at the office. My desk is big enough and closed on the end so you cannot tell unless you are on my side of the desk.
Deck changing in it's pure form has an exact definition: remove all swimsuits under a towel and put shorts or pants on before removing towel while on deck. I won't do it ever if there are kids around. Not a joke, idont want to show up on the banned coaches list! My towel has never fallen but it will one day and I don't want kids to be around.
I do it for the same reasons as others. Lockers are dirty.
I was at an open water swim recently where a number of the women created a long line at the bathroom because they didn't wear their suits there and were apparently too shy to "deck change" (even in the area of the bathroom outside the stalls!) Grr... a little more deck changing and a little less modesty would have gone a long way for those of us with more serious business to attend to.
My impression is that in the age group world, deck changing has turned into a growing problem all over the place. It is a combination of other swimmers on deck being uncomfortable with deck-changers who are not very good at it (i.e., exposure), as well as creepy adults hanging around to watch for people who aren't very good at deck changing.
-Rick
I wonder if cell-phone cameras have anything to do with this. Having been at a college dual meet long ago where one of the guys who was deck changing got his towel swiped away by a teammate--I can only imagine what that could turn into with cameras and video so easily available. Lawsuit prevention?
