Black Hills Gold Swimming uses locker rooms that are shared with the general public. As such, there are likely to be people who are not associated with our team in the changing area around the time of practice. Coaches do not routinely monitor the locker rooms unless they are alerted to a problem. Swimmers should tell a coach immediately if there is something happening in the locker rooms that needs to be addressed for any reason or if they feel uncomfortable for any reason. Swim practice, including the locker rooms, needs to be a safe, comfortable place for everyone.
Coaches make every effort to recognize when an athlete goes to the locker room during practice and if they do not return in a timely fashion, will check on the athlete’s whereabouts, usually by sending another swimmer in as coaches cannot leave the pool deck. However, as coaches do not know what swimmers were dropped off for practice each day they often have no way of knowing if a swimmer is in the locker room or other areas of the building when parents assume they are at practice. If a swimmer does not swim for any reason and they are in the building they should let a coach know why they are not attending practice and sit on the pool deck or outside the glass doors while waiting for a parent. For a number of safety reasons, it is not advisable for swimmers to hang out in the locker rooms during practice. If a coach is aware of this happening parents will be notified. Attendance is taken daily and can be accessed on the swimmers team unify account.
Important notes on locker rooms:
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All belongings in the locker room need to be locked up every single day! Items not locked in lockers should be brought out onto the deck for safe keeping. Many people use those locker rooms all throughout the day including our practice times. The Young Center and Black Hills Gold Swimming are not responsible for any lost or stolen item in the locker room during practice or at any time.
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Swimmers should only touch items that belong to them. Taking, hiding or throwing around other people’s belongs is unacceptable.
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Swimmers should clean up any snack wrappers, water bottles, etc. that they have brought into the locker room.
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If a swimmer notices belongings that others have left out they should bring them out to the pool deck and give them to a coach.
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Locker rooms are for changing and showering. Locker rooms are not hang out loccations.
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Swimmers need to be picked up when their schedules practice time is over. Coaches still have swimmers in the water when the youngest groups are released and cannot be supervising in the locker rooms, hallways or outside. We are guests in the Young Center and there are many other activities including night classes that should not be disturbed by running in the building or other distracting behavior while waiting to be picked up. Swimmers who are waiting for parents or siblings need to SIT either on the pool deck or right outside the glass doors. They should have a book or other activity with them to pass the time. Again, it is not advisable for swimmers to hang out in the locker rooms while waiting for parents or swimmers.
USE OF CELL PHONES AND OTHER MOBILE RECORDING DEVICES Cell phones and other mobile devices with recording capabilities, including voice recording, still cameras and video cameras increase the risk for different forms of misconduct in locker rooms and changing areas. The USA Swimming Athlete Protection Policies prohibit the use of such devices in the locker room or other changing area:
305.3 Use of audio or visual recording devices, including a cell phone camera, is not allowed in changing areas, rest rooms or locker rooms.
