MM Coaching Staff Philosophy

Our staff believes tech suits have a limited place in Age Group swimming. We believe hard work, great technique, and excellent attendance at practice and meets are far more important to a swimmer's success. Tech suits were originally designed for world class athletes and we, as the swimming community, have been duped into believing swimmers need high dollar suits to have fast swims at any age.   We know this is not true.

MM Tech Suit Tenets (updated January 2026)

1. Our policy will update as trends/best practices evolve and could change at any time.  Any changes that are deemed more restrictive will be made at the beginning of a new season.  Any changes that allow for more flexibility will become policy once announced. This will also always be one of our documents requiring a digital signature during our registration process.

2. USA Swimming prohibits any swimmers 12 years old and younger to wear a technical racing suit.

3. There is no current scenario where MM athletes in this age group would be allowed to wear a tech suit of any kind at a regular season meet. MM 12 and under athletes may wear FINA-approved (green checkmark) or USA Swimming-approved tech suits at Divisionals if they meet the following criteria:

   1. Must have achieved at least 2 individual Divisional time standards.

   2. Have 70% or better attendance at scheduled practices.

   3. Must have head coach permission.

4. MM 12 and under athletes may wear FINA-approved (green checkmark) or USA Swimming-approved tech suits at Age Group State and above and for any swims including relays. If a 12 and under swimmer qualifies for Junior Nationals or higher meet USA Swimming does not have tech suits restrictions.

5. MM athletes in the 13-14 age group (and not yet reached high school) will be allowed to compete in tech suits at Divisionals if they meet the following criteria:     

   1. Must have met at least two individual Divisional time standards in their age group.

   2. Have better than 70% attendance at scheduled practices.

   3. Must have head coach permission.    

6. MM athletes in the 13-14 age group (and not yet reached high school) with an Age Group State cut, or will be on an AGS relay will be able to wear tech suits.

7. MM athletes in the 13-14 age group (and not yet reached high school) may be allowed to wear tech suits during in-season (non-taper meets) if they meet the following criteria and/or there is a compelling reason.

   1. Must have met at least 3 Divisional time standards in their age group.

   2. Have better than 80% attendance at scheduled practices.

   3. Must have head coach permission.

   4. Examples of compelling reasons could include but are not limited to the following:

      1. It is the last meet of the season.  Unable to attend championship meets.

      2. Has more than 6 Divisional/AGS cuts and wouldn’t swim some events suited at those meets.

      3. Team travel meet.

8. Any time achieved while wearing a tech suit will not be used to determine relays for championship meets.

9. At any in season prelims/finals meets our athletes in the Elite group will be encouraged (but not required) to wear tech suits at finals and possibly at prelims.

10. Athletes wearing a tech suit of any kind for the first time may wear one to a practice. This must be arranged with the coaching staff and ideally well in advance of the meet.

11. All decisions made by the coaching staff will be made on an individual basis.  No two swimmers are alike, and no two situations will be the same regardless of the number of similarities they may have.

12. Violation of this policy may result in scratching of any remaining events of the meet.  Violations will require a meeting of the parent(s) and swimmer before entry into any subsequent meets.