PVST LOCKER ROOM POLICY

Portneuf Valley Swim Team strives to maintain a safe and inclusive environment for all athletes of any age. The purpose of our locker room policy is to provide clear expectations for behavior in and use of locker rooms at PVST practice and event sites.  Our goal is to protect athletes, coaches, and parents while maintaining a good relationship with the facilities we use.  As with all situations, if you see something that concerns you, please say something to a coach, parent, or staff member. 

PVST swim team practices at the City of Pocatello’s Community Recreation Center (CRC), and Ross Park Aquatic Complex (RPAC).  While at the RPAC, PVST does not have access to the locker rooms and does not share the facility with other users.  The CRC has several locker and changing room areas, including adult locker rooms (ages 18+) which are off limits to minor PVST athletes.  At the CRC, the family shower/restroom and dry changing rooms are private rooms, but the locker rooms are open to CRC members and spectators.  This means PVST athletes may share space with people of various ages.

 

Participants must follow CRC and RPAC rules. 

PVST explicitly expects athletes to be respectful of the facilities we use or visit. Athletes will clean up after themselves, and any destruction of property or excessive mess-making will result in disciplinary action.   The use of foul language, having inappropriate discussions, or general rough housing in the locker rooms is unacceptable.  

 

PVST swimmers and guardians must be aware of and report inappropriate conduct.  

  • Always let an adult (coach, staff, parent) know of others’ behavior that makes you uncomfortable.  

  • All PVST athletes, parents, and guardians are required to be respectful of others’ privacy.  This includes fellow athletes and other CRC users.  

  • PVST strongly encourages all athletes and parents to participate in USA Swimming’s SafeSport training to further awareness and facilitate discussion about abuse.

 

PVST Best Practice Locker Room Policy 

  • Swimmers may not leave practice without permission from a coach. 

  • Swimmers should not be in the multiuse locker room alone at any time unless absolutely necessary; swimmers will of course be allowed bathroom breaks when needed, but restroom activities should be kept as brief as possible. 

  • Swimmers should shower and dress quickly.  Consider changing prior to arriving and showering at home after practice.

  • Parents should not enter the locker room unless absolutely necessary; if necessary conditions are met, follow the Policy Considerations below.

  • No cell phone zone!  Swimmers are not to use any function on any mobile or recording device whatsoever while in a locker room.  Phones, etc should remain put away in a bag or clothing pocket.

  • Adult Participants* are not to be alone in the locker room with an athlete.  Please see note at the end of this policy document for more information about “Adult Participants.”

 

Locker Room Monitoring & Policy Considerations

While constant monitoring inside of locker rooms and changing areas might be the most effective way to prevent problems, we understand that this would likely make swimmers uncomfortable and may even place our staff at risk for unwarranted suspicion. 

Coaches and staff may need to enter the multiuse locker rooms during practice and meets while athletes are in the locker rooms. In these situations, coaches and staff will not delay in the locker room and will not interact with the athletes while in the locker room. 

Coaches and staff make every effort to recognize when an athlete goes to the locker room or changing area during practice and competition and, if they do not return in a timely fashion, we will check on the athlete’s whereabouts.   We discourage parents from entering locker rooms and changing areas unless it is truly necessary.  In those instances, it should only be a same‐sex parent.  If this is necessary, parents should let the coach or administrator know about this in advance. 

If an athlete needs assistance with his or her uniform or gear (for example, a child under the age of eight), or an athlete’s disability warrants assistance, then we ask that parents let the coach or a staff member know beforehand that he or she will be helping the athlete.   

 

Use of Cell Phones and 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.  Regardless of the type of locker room or changing area being used, the use of audio or visual recording devices, including a cell phone camera, is not allowed under any circumstances. This prohibition applies to everyone in the CRC or RPAC as well as any facility PVST is using for training or meets.

USA Swimming’s Rule and Athlete Protection Policy 
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. 

 

How Grievances Will Be Handled

The Head Coach has the authority to impose penalties for infractions of the PVST Swimming Athlete, Parent, and Coach Codes of Conduct or any behavior(s) they deem not conducive to the best interests of the Club, or other swimmers. Consequences are at the sole discretion of the Head Coach, as the owner of the team, and may include, but aren’t limited to, verbal warnings, dismissal from practice, contacting parents, temporary suspension from club activities, and permanent expulsion from the team. Involved parties will be informed of the processes and range of potential consequences. The U.S. Center for SafeSport, USA Swimming and local law enforcement (if applicable) will be contacted within 24 hours if a coach, parent, or swimmer violates the SafeSport Code for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements, the USA Swimming Code of Conduct, Athlete Protection Policy, or local laws. The PVST President will also inform the CRC Director of complaints regarding the Head Coach.  

  • Gathering Information:  The appropriate individuals will contact the person who filed the grievance, and the person against whom the grievance is being filed, to ask questions about what happened. In addition, other witnesses may be contacted for more information. 

  • Assessing Behavior:  The behavior of the person(s) against which the grievance was brought, will be assessed using club policies and facility rules, USA Swimming Code of Conduct, USA Swimming Safe Sport policies as well as applicable local and state laws. 

  • Consequences will be given and disciplinary action will be taken, if appropriate. These consequences and disciplinary actions will be decided using the following general guidelines: 

    • Nature of the misconduct 

    • Severity of the misconduct 

    • Prior disciplinary actions 

    • Adverse effect of the misconduct 

    • Application of the Code of Conduct

 

*More About Adult Participants

An Adult Participant (formerly referred to as Applicable Adult) is any adult 18 years of age or older who is any of the following…

  • USA Swimming member, either athlete or non-athlete

  • Participating non-member (e.g., meet marshals, meet computer operators, timers, etc.)

  • Authorized, approved or appointed by USA Swimming, Zones, Local Swimming Committees (“LSCs”) or member clubs to have regular contact with (e.g., ongoing interactions during a 12- month period wherein the individual is in a role of active engagement) or authority over Minor Athletes

  • Within the governance or disciplinary jurisdiction of USA Swimming, Zones, LSCs or member clubs.

 

Visit USA Swimming’s information page about Adult Participants for more information.