Parents Shorts at practice

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cogymmom2dd

Proud Parent
Just curious… With USAG announcing that shorts can be worn during competition for women’s gymnastics, has your gym allowed shorts during practice and/or meets for this season?
Our gym has always encouraged shorts, however we are still getting gym transfers in from older girls who want to wear them, especially during their time of the month. We had an in-house meet today and I overheard one mom of a transfer girl that her DD was told to either not come to practice during her time of the month or wear a tampon (age 11, level 7) because the gym refused to change their handbook to reflect the new change that USAG has, even after she cited their social media posts for reference. She also brought up the fact that most college gymnasts practice in a tight tank and shorts because leotards are not comfortable probably after age 13 or so.
She said that she was looked at as an outcast by wearing shorts and refusing to let the gym dictate how her daughter manages her cycles. When she sent her daughter to practice in shorts, Her daughter was being ‘punished’ by the coaches giving less of their time to her because of it, which sparked a transfer. They refused to let her train on bars, citing that the shorts were a ‘hazard’ for spotting.
I feel like this should fall under some violation of Safesport, but I don’t think it actually does. Can this be reported to USAG somehow, or was the whole shorts thing something that they recommend gyms to do, but don’t require. Like all talk and no action?
 
My daughter has always worn shorts to practice. That’s the last 10 years
 
I don't know if action can be taken but thats absurd. Our gym encourages no shorts during practice to be ready for meets so your used to not picking wedgies etc especially with the younger girls but its not enforced, and its not even really mentioned to the older girls because the coaches understand their need for shorts during certain times. That being said I dont know what they would say if a girl wanted to wear shorts during a meet...I bet they would discourage it but not prohibit it.
 
Our gym has always allowed shorts during practice and most girls age 12 and up wear. The younger kids generally don't. About meets the gym recently sent out a questionaire to the parents to find out some feedback before meet season and one was if we should get matching shorts to our leos for the meet season! I don't know when they could order this for, assuming not for the beginning of season. The shorts would be optional.. Our gym won't allow black shorts in a meet.
 
I have not noticed girls in our gym wearing shorts. Our gym did host a meet last month and there were quite a few girls from other gyms wearing shorts, which I was glad to see. Hopefully our gym will loosen their attire requirements.
 
Our gym allows shorts during practice, not sure whether they will at meets or not, I would hope so. The older girls are all allowed to practice one day a week in shorts and tank tops too.
 
My daughter has always worn shorts to practice. That’s the last 10 years
Same. We have been at our gym for 8 years and always have worn shorts. The #1 reason for gym transfers in to our gym is that surrounding gyms won’t allow their girls to wear shorts for practice, usually around age 11-13.
We bought black shorts for meets that are optional. A few kiddos wore them for our inner squad meet. Mostly older girls.
 
I don't know if action can be taken but thats absurd. Our gym encourages no shorts during practice to be ready for meets so your used to not picking wedgies etc especially with the younger girls but its not enforced, and its not even really mentioned to the older girls because the coaches understand their need for shorts during certain times. That being said I dont know what they would say if a girl wanted to wear shorts during a meet...I bet they would discourage it but not prohibit it.
But can it be prohibited? USAG put out a position statement back in June saying they support shorts during a meet and judges can no longer deduct points for wearing them. They literally said their goal was to keep gymnastics as inclusive as possible. Seems contradictory to not allow or totally ban at the gym level if the governing body says differently.
 
But can it be prohibited? USAG put out a position statement back in June saying they support shorts during a meet and judges can no longer deduct points for wearing them. They literally said their goal was to keep gymnastics as inclusive as possible. Seems contradictory to not allow or totally ban at the gym level if the governing body says differently.
USAG may allow them but team uniforms are up to the gym. Again my kid has worn them for 10 year. I doubt our coaches will OK them for meets though
 
Our gym has always allowed shorts during practice and most girls age 12 and up wear. The younger kids generally don't. About meets the gym recently sent out a questionaire to the parents to find out some feedback before meet season and one was if we should get matching shorts to our leos for the meet season! I don't know when they could order this for, assuming not for the beginning of season. The shorts would be optional.. Our gym won't allow black shorts in a meet.
Your gym won't allow black shorts in a meet??? Black was the only color "approved" by USAG last I heard. When I first read about allowing shorts, I was thinking "match the shorts to the leo" but they specified black shorts, so that is was LSS wore to her last meet.
 
Our gym has always allowed shorts during practice and most girls age 12 and up wear. The younger kids generally don't. About meets the gym recently sent out a questionaire to the parents to find out some feedback before meet season and one was if we should get matching shorts to our leos for the meet season! I don't know when they could order this for, assuming not for the beginning of season. The shorts would be optional.. Our gym won't allow black shorts in a meet.
What @raenndrops said…Only black shorts are allowed in meets.
 
So our gym heard the match the shorts to your leo and are trying to arrange matching shorts... but don't allow black shorts. None of the teenage gymnasts or their parents are happy about this...
Edited to add: Some gymnasts have said they will wear black shorts in compt. until we get matching ones.
 
I'm pretty sure that only black shorts are allowed. I copied this directly from the 2021/2022 usag rules and policies pdf which I attached as a link below:
5) Shorts: must be solid black (small manufacturer’s branding allowed) with no embellishments. Shorts must be worn over a leotard and the length must be above the knee or shorter.
https://usagym.org/PDFs/Women/Rules/Rules and Policies/2021/2021_2022_w_rulespolicies.pdf
It does indeed look like the official handbook is stating they must be black! I find this interesting because I know I read somewhere else that described the requirement as black or matching the leotard. I have also already seen a team competing with shorts matching their leos. I will try to figure out where this discrepancy is coming from.
 
It does indeed look like the official handbook is stating they must be black! I find this interesting because I know I read somewhere else that described the requirement as black or matching the leotard. I have also already seen a team competing with shorts matching their leos. I will try to figure out where this discrepancy is coming from.
I am guessing that the confusion has to do with tights having to match the leotard or skin color and shorts having to be solid black. There must have been something going around that mixed up the tights and shorts color requirements.
 
I'm not well-versed in the rules but our gym seems to think they have to be black or match the leo colour. Happy if you prove them wrong!
 
I am guessing that the confusion has to do with tights having to match the leotard or skin color and shorts having to be solid black. There must have been something going around that mixed up the tights and shorts color requirements.
That is probably what happened because here is what it says about tights:
2) Unitards with ankle length legs
3) Ankle length tights: must be worn under the leotard (that match the leotard or are skin tone).
 

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