Swim Team Equipment - Swim Briefs Recommended/Required
 

I was curious to see if swim teams require swimmers to wear briefs or at least recommend them. Most give the option of briefs or jammers. A few, however, either require them outright or at later ages or recommend them instead of jammers.


https://www.teamunify.com/cansgsc/__...nformation.pdf


http://www.csctigersharks.org/parent...l%20Groups.pdf


http://www.eksc.com/cseksc/UserFiles...02014-2015.pdf


http://www.gomeadow.com/files/2010_m..._final__2_.pdf

It is a catch 22. I am friends with the local coaches. On the one hand they all agree that briefs are the way to go, but they also know that wearing a brief deters many guys from trying out for the team, so they have opted to take a more "come as you are" approach and then work on the guys to transition once they are on the team. Once they get to Jammers, they are half way there, so to speak. I actually agree with this approach. I would hate to eliminate a young boy or girl from the joy of swimming simply because of the suit they chose. On the other hand, at the AAU/Club team level or on the varsity level I think the rules can get more strict and should. When I was a lead high school coach, I allowed jammers at the high school team level. If it keeps guys on the team and interested in swimming, isn't that the point? I'd encourage them to try briefs, and had a guys only practice so they could try them out without the intimidation of having the girls around. I have found once you get them to experience swimming in briefs, they often stay with it.

By the way, the briefs issue really starts at the middle school level, when the guys start going through puberty. By the time they get to high school, they are usually past the hangups. My school was a combined HS/MS and it was the, 7th and 8th grade boys that fought it the most. But, once the really good swimmer off the local Y team or club team stated winning, they all wanted to be "like him."

Also, parents (especially moms) of boys are even harder to get over the hurdle. I can't tell you how many moms argued with me about their sons wearing something smaller than their underwear in public.

Sorry for the rambling thoughts,

STS

Not rambling
 

I appreciate hearing your experience and perspectives. Really good things to know. You were a swim coach? Wow!

if you are serious about swimming, then ...
 

An instructor of mine (a class, not for a team) also had a similar suggestion. We were free to wear whatever we want, but they said that if you're serious, consider getting a brief. For the women in the class, I think the suggestion was to avoid bikinis because if you dive, things may pop-out.

The sporting goods store close to the school also stocked many training appropriate suits, so that made it easy.

http://www.delamigo.com/recvsadapa/_...ook%202014.pdf

We occasionally send a coach to a planned meeting of potential new swim team members and without fail a question always comes up, "Do we really hafta wear a speedo?"
To which the coach replies "you don't HAVE to, but you GET to."

That's an EPIC response :P

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6l4p0F8c0rEJ:www.inconnuswimteam.co m/canfsji/UserFiles/File/INCONNU%2520Uniform%2520Policy%2520%2526%2520Group %2520Equipment%2520Lists.doc+&cd=19&hl=en&ct=clnk& gl=us

http://www.yumaheat.org/SubTabGeneri...stabid_=108979

http://www.delamigo.com/recvsadapa/_...ook%202015.pdf

http://hiddenbrookswimteam.com/news-events/

http://www.scraswimming.com/pcscras/...a-handbook.pdf

http://www.aquatics.miamicountryday...._stabid_=66367

http://www.atacswim.com/SubTabGeneri..._stabid_=49812

Rofl
 

"Your swimmer will ALWAYS wear out a suit before they out grow it. Suits stretch with use."

Well, that might depend on exactly what grows when the swimmer wears the suit. Yes, the suit will stretch when growth occurs!

I have three younger brothers. I'm nineteen (just barely), the twins are seventeen, and our the youngest is just fifteen. We all grew up swimming in the country club/swim club teams from the Guppy Team age. Speedos were the norm, and we thought nothing about it. I know I loved wearing tight swimsuits, even though I only sported a peanut and two little marbles inside. We shared all the locker and shower spaces with all the older boys, and I knew from looking at them, and from looking at my dad, grandfathers, older cousins, and all the other older males that "my time would come!" Eventually I'd have pubic hair, larger hydraulic equipment, and bigger muscles.

Boys do go through a period of being self-conscious at the onset of puberty, but when a guy is surrounded by other boys in the same condition, and older boys and men as examples of where puberty is leading, it really isn't a big deal. Erections in swimsuits aren't "dirty" or "abnormal." They just happen. Big deal.

Now, if a boy goes into swimming at puberty, then I can understand some trepidation at wearing Speedos! It's much easier to "grow into them" starting as a little boy.

I was shaved once, and then refused to ever shave again. Sometimes that was way more an issue than wearing the swimsuits.

Good attitude, well expressed.

I had a similar experience growing up. My gym has a policy that you have to be at least 10 to use the regular locker rooms. Anyone younger has to use the family locker room with a parent. When I turned 10, I started going to the regular locker room with my dad. I remember walking in for the first time. It seemed like everyone was naked. Penises of every shape and size wherever I looked. Definately more educational than those drawings in the sex ed books. :p

I've got a friend that coaches an off season swim team. He recommends that the guys wear briefs, but they are frequently reluctant. His tactics to change their minds are twofold. First, he wears a brief himself 100% of the time.

The second is a bit less conventional. At the beginning of the season, there's a team social and swimsuit fitting. All of the swimmers and their families are invited. Instead of just fitting the team members, however, they do a fundraiser by selling team suits to parents and family members. The swimsuits are paid for prior to the event. At the end of the event, anyone interested can use the pool.

He doesn't mention this last part on the announcement, which means that nobody brings a swimsuit. At the event everyone is getting fitted for swimsuits, parents included. He finds that most of the dads are more than willing to opt for the brief suit. This in turn make it easier for their kids to make the same choice. Then they get a chance to use the pool with their speedo clad parents.

Last year he also switched the 16+ group to briefs only. He'd thought some people might complain, but not a single person did.

I've got a friend that coaches an off season swim team. He recommends that the guys wear briefs, but they are frequently reluctant. His tactics to change their minds are twofold. First, he wears a brief himself 100% of the time.

The second is a bit less conventional. At the beginning of the season, there's a team social and swimsuit fitting. All of the swimmers and their families are invited. Instead of just fitting the team members, however, they do a fundraiser by selling team suits to parents and family members. The swimsuits are paid for prior to the event. At the end of the event, anyone interested can use the pool.

He doesn't mention this last part on the announcement, which means that nobody brings a swimsuit. At the event everyone is getting fitted for swimsuits, parents included. He finds that most of the dads are more than willing to opt for the brief suit. This in turn make it easier for their kids to make the same choice. Then they get a chance to use the pool with their speedo clad parents.

Last year he also switched the 16+ group to briefs only. He'd thought some people might complain, but not a single person did.

http://www.gomechanicsburg.com/wp-co...eting-Info.pdf

When I grew up starting swimming in the 6th grade everyone thought that the Speedo brief was the perfect suit for competitive swimming! There is less drag than a jammer.

I have noticed sometimes a drag suit is worn on top of a swim brief that is getting old. Then you can wear a newer brief for the swim meet.

TV showed some of the British swimmers training for the Olympics, and they were wearing briefs. Maybe they just save the knee-length Fastskin suits for the actual race?

Yes I noticed this too on the BBC news, a report building up to the Olympics. They were very brief, low cut, Speedo style. I wonder whether they were the swimmers own, or supplied by GB swimming team?

A clip can be found on the BBC website under sport and titled:
Rio 2016: A day in the life of Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte
This follows reigning Olympic 100m breaststroke champion Ruta Meilutyte and British 50m freestyle record-holder Ben Proud for a day's training.
This link might work:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/swimming/36651350

https://www.genevariverrats.com/recv...ook%202016.pdf

http://www.gomechanicsburg.com/wp-co...eting-Info.pdf

http://www.gomechanicsburg.com/wp-co...eting-Info.pdf