WAG Shorts at meets

[Deleted member 17723]

Since unitards are allowed in comp. shouldn't shorts be as well? I've seen some teams compete with shorts on and I've always wondered if it was a deduction. I get it looks nice without, but theres just issues sometimes. What if a girls on her period? Or has serious self esteem issues? Or her leo doesn't fit right? Would a coach allow the girl to wear shorts? What's your gyms policy?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My girl hates regular leo's. The first time she had to wear one I literally had to chase her around the house, fight her into it. Carry her out of the house crying, she fell asleep on the way to practice. Her coach had to take her crying out of my arms onto the floor (she was 6 and wearing boys briefs). An hour later she was fine, professed she didn't want people staring at her. I told her no one cares what she wears and she needed to get over it.

She never wears anything but a unitard or shorts to practice and she knows meets mean traditional leos. I have never seen anything else at a meet.

 

[sce]

I really don;t n=know for sure what is allowed via the rules in regards to shorts, but most gyms will want you in only the gym's leo at a meet. As for monthly issues, typically a girl can wear a proper fitting undergarment under the leo and a tampon plus pantyliner. As for the self-esteem question, I think it's something to get used to. Same as for the poster below as well. Our coach starts requiring the team in regular cut leos with no shorts closer to meets. That way they get used to wearing them. It's hard or some girls, but they can get over it. Some of our girls had never worn a traditional leo, until the coach required it. At first there was discomfort, lots of tugging etc. (The tugging, by the way, is the only reason anyone does look at them.) Now they go between shorts and no shorts without issue.

She never wears anything but a unitard or shorts to practice and she knows meets mean traditional leos. I have never seen anything else at a meet.

 

[All Chalked Up]

I once ran into one of the feminine issues above for the first time at a competition and was permitted to wear shorts without a deduction.

However I was deathly embarrassed because my coach had to give the reason to the judges. Also because people were asking why I was wearing shorts, one coach from another gym even pulling my coach away from the beam during my routine exclaiming "she didn't take off her shorts, stop her routine!"

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Same as for the poster below as well.

Yes sce, I remember that day like it was yesterday. My girl L2, out of her mind. And another parent saying maybe she is not ready for competition. I was like umm she is 6 she hasn't a clue she doesn't want to wear the dang leo.

Needless to say she is completely over it now (actually she was over it by the end of practice that day). Again, at practice you will never see her in a typical leo but meets she wears what she has too. Same with hair, hates the bun and knows that it is what it is. She is just fine and awesome competitor.

I just have never seen shorts or unitards at a meet.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I once ran into one of the feminine issues above for the first time at a competition and was permitted to wear shorts without a deduction.

However I was deathly embarrassed because my coach had to give the reason to the judges. Also because people were asking why I was wearing shorts, one coach from another gym even pulling my coach away from the beam during my routine exclaiming "she didn't take off her shorts, stop her routine!"

Oddly this was my girls concern even as a little that she would stand out. And as you found out. The shorts or uni stand out more. Sorry for that

 

[txgymfan]

We have a coach on here whose team was required to get unitards ( owners rule for new team). There was a long CB discussion. Ultimately, they looked great and some CBers were very surprised.

 

[raenndrops]

There is a rule SOMEWHERE that says there are circumstances in which a girl can wear shorts (but they have to match the bottom of the leotard... so they blend in).
Our team leos are cut in such a way that a girl CAN (usually) wear the leo straight across if she wants. A few of our older girls tend to do that.

 

[MabelSt]

my daughter is new to gymnastics, but seeing the team girls at practice has made me wonder about this. I think short shorts look better than just a leotard. I don't understand at all why it's normal for girls to have to wear super revealing leotards while the boys can wear pants and the judges can still magically figure out if they're doing skills correctly.

 

[Alverna]

I actually like the look of Leo's with shorts as well rather than just a leotard. The girls also seem to feel more comfortable with shorts on, especially as they get older. I'd be all for a change to competing with shorts on.

 

[Redford]

You are allowed to wear shorts or leggins by the time you are 30 and older here. Or in team competitions if someone in your team is 30 and older.
I think seperate shorts can look a little akward on a leaotard but I guess it's a matter of getting used to it. Bike- and unitards are worn on a regular basis in acrobatics, rhytmics and aerobics and tend to look great!

 

[Faith]

Here you can wear shorts.

I'm not sure about the rules for elite level competition, but you can wear them for floor and vault, and I think for some regional wag comps.

It's generally the older girls who wear them. It's completely understandable as they're often only training a couple of hours a week, and are body conscious. I'd rather they were allowed shorts than quit because of feeling awkward in a Leo

 

[Jenny]

Agreed!

 

[lovemygymnast]

I'm not sure if it's not allowed here or if it's just our gym, but I've never seen any other teams wearing shorts at a meet. My dd does wear them to practice but they have a rule of no shorts meet week, something to do with getting used to bars without shorts.

I also think it should be allowed since it would make the girls (especially older) more comfortable.

I would say the only thing I do notice is that the shorts sometimes get turned slightly to one side or another and might possibly be distracting to the judges when that happens? I know at practice, if I ever stay to watch, if her shorts get turned, I can barely watch the practice for wanting to go fix her shorts!! Lol

 

[cbifoja]

I also like the look of shorts with a leo and think it would be nice to be able to have that as part of their uniform with the option to compete in them if they want. Same for leggings. Mine doesn't have "issues" yet but chooses to wear shorts because all of her teenage teammates do. She feels awkward without shorts only because everyone else is wearing them and on the one day of the week where shorts are forbidden, she converts with no problems.

She also likes to wear leggings but the HC won't allow that at any time except during meet warm ups as part of their uniform. Honestly though, I think the girls look SHARP in their leos and leggings. Much more uniform, cleaner, and more athletic. Once they come off, it just emphasizes different leg shapes, heights, leg lengths, skin colors, leo cuts, etc.

So yeah, mark me down as another that wishes the short/legging trend would catch on.

 

[coachmolly]

Dress code at my gym has been an issue for me lately as there is not one, and we are not allowed to comment on a child's attire, which has led to team kids practicing in baggy shirts, ill fitting tank tops that don't stay put and show entirely too much , and a kid who practices in long pants and a fleece sweatshirt. For that particular child it is an issue of being self conscious so I let it go, though I don't know what to do with her when she prepares to compete next season. So I have seen how quickly "gymnastics appropriate attire" can lead to all kinds of crazy things. It's just so much easier to keep it simple, so I can understand why leos at meets are the norm. Shorts/pants would just be one more thing to have to regulate (what is fitted? what is matching? what if a team shows up in pink spandex to match a pink leo that judges find terribly distracting?) Though I think a definition of a leotard with fitted spandex shorts or leggings would be simple enough, but there always seems to be someone (child or coach) who likes to push his/her limits.

 

[cbifoja]

Our leggings are team issued so all girls have the same pair and coaches approve of sizes.

It seems simple enough to lay out parameters of what is acceptable: no sweat pants, no yoga pants, no t shirts, no sweat shirts, no tank tops. Leotards, leggings and shorts must be snug with no loose fabric that could be a safety factor or interfere with spotting. Final caveat...coach's directive is final. No different from a school dress code. If it is out of dress code, they must change into something appropriate or leave the floor. Not in a punitive way but because of safety. If you couch it in terms of safety, it is hard for parents to argue that they are okay with their kids getting hurt. LOL

 

[coachmolly]

Our leggings are team issued so all girls have the same pair and coaches approve of sizes.

It seems simple enough to lay out parameters of what is acceptable: no sweat pants, no yoga pants, no t shirts, no sweat shirts, no tank tops. Leotards, leggings and shorts must be snug with no loose fabric that could be a safety factor or interfere with spotting. Final caveat...coach's directive is final. No different from a school dress code. If it is out of dress code, they must change into something appropriate or leave the floor. Not in a punitive way but because of safety. If you couch it in terms of safety, it is hard for parents to argue that they are okay with their kids getting hurt. LOL

One would think! I'm not sure why HC won't seem to jump on board with this.

 

[cbifoja]

Our owner has in the rec policy that the kids can't wear bathing suits, skirted ballet leotards, or two piece cheer outfits to rec classes. She will allow unitards and biketards.

She also will allow shorts with a tucked in t shirt in both tumbling and gymnastics. Little more leeway on the rec side but team kids can only wear leos and shorts except for once a week, just the leotard.

 

[coachmolly]

Our owner has in the rec policy that the kids can't wear bathing suits, skirted ballet leotards, or two piece cheer outfits to rec classes. She will allow unitards and biketards.

She also will allow shorts with a tucked in t shirt in both tumbling and gymnastics. Little more leeway on the rec side but team kids can only wear leos and shorts except for once a week, just the leotard.

I had a rec kid get her leo-skirt get wrapped around the bar on a back hip circle the other day. Like- all the way around the bar wrapped and she was attached to the bar. I had to maneuver her all over the place to get it off