Riptide Locker Room Monitoring Procedures
Dowling Catholic Riptide follows MAAPP requirements regarding Locker Room and changing areas. Only athletes are permitted to use the locker rooms during our practice times and meets. Coaches, Parents, other adults are directed to use a separate restroom/changing area when needed. Deck Changing is prohibited.
Dowling Catholic Riptide uses two facilities: Dowling Catholic High School and Birdland Pool.
Dowling Catholic has a separate restroom (in the office) for coaches and bathrooms in the entryway for parents/spectators. Only athletes are allowed in the locker rooms. Coaches sweep the lockers 15 minutes after each practice to ensure athletes are out and the locker rooms are left clean (a female coach for the girls’ locker room and a male coach for the bos’ locker room). Locker rooms are to remain locked on the entryway side and doors may not be propped open under any circumstance. The pool side of the of locker room is unlocked when coaches arrive and locked when coaches leave. A minimum of two coaches remain at Dowling until the last athlete is safely gone from the school.
Birdland pool only has one boys and one girls restroom/locker room. Parents/spectators may use this restroom once swimmers have entered the pool for practice. The coaching staff will check the locker rooms before and after practice to make sure the public entrance is locked. We use this pool when it is closed, but there may be lessons going on while we are practicing. Restroom use should be limited to only necessary restroom breaks. Swimmers should only use the restrooms during scheduled breaks in the practice. No more than three athletes are permitted in each restroom/locker room at one time. Athletes need to come to practice and leave practice in their swimsuits. No deck changing is permitted. Coaches will check the bathrooms after practice to check for cleanliness and to turn off the lights.
Use of recording devices, cell phones, cameras is prohibited in the locker room. Athletes are frequently reminded of this, encouraged to tuck their phone in their bag, leave it in their parent’s car or at home. There are signs posted indicating no cameras, no cell phones in the locker rooms. The athletes are also urged to peer monitor and report any infractions they observe.
After practice, athletes are expected to be picked up within 15 minutes. Two coaches remain at both facilities, and make sure all athletes have left the locker rooms in the required time frame, and have been picked up or driven away.
When an incident occurs, the athlete(s) are questioned to resolve the situation, and if necessary, a warning is given to one or more parties. If the problem persists, we look at restricting use of the locker room for a certain period of time, or permanently (depending on the person, depending on the situation). Dowling Catholic and the City of Des Moines can restrict use of the locker rooms at any time if incidents occur that do not meet their standards.
If an athlete who has left practice to use the locker room does not return when expected, another athlete will be sent to check. If help is required, two adults will attend to it. In all cases, one-on-one interaction is avoided, except in cases of emergency.
Locker Room Monitoring is conducted via random and regular sweeps of the locker room before and after practice.
