Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that 1 pair of swimming trunks is much like another ....

25 replies

clumsymum · 14/09/2007 12:05

DS has been attending after school swimming lessons at the local leisure centre for several months. He has a pair of swim shorts which he wearts every week, no one has ever commented on the type or style of trunks needed.

Now he has started year 3 at school, they take a bus to the same leisure centre on Wednesday mornings for school swimming lessons.
School sent a note before the first lesson last week, including an explanation that leisure centre rules dictated that swimming trunks should be fitted, longer swim shorts are not allowed.
I sent him to school on Wednesday with his swimming kit, including the swim shorts he wears every week for his after-school lessons.
His teacher came out after school on Wednesday to tell me that these swim-shorts are not acceptable to the swimming teacher at the leisure centre, and if he doesn't have different ones next week, he won't be allowed in the pool.
This would be less of a problem if DS didn't hate wearing fitted 'speedo' style trunks.

I'm mildly cross at having to spend yet more money, and very perplexed at why the same leisure centre allows one style of trucks for after-school, but not for school time lessons
Can anyone explain?

OP posts:
andiem · 14/09/2007 12:08

no yabu this is a load of old nonsense. I think I am going to be in the same position ds wears bermuda ones to his swimming lessons at gym but at the yr3 talk we were told they had to be fitted so may need to but him another pair

pointydog · 14/09/2007 12:16

would those big baggy ones not hamper swimming ability? I'd have thought they would.

Dh swims - has a baggy pair for mucking about and a fitted pair for his proper swimming.

The French don't allow baggy ones at all due to hygiene (which I find a little odd).

southeatsastras · 14/09/2007 12:17

maybe it has something to do with safety. isn't there a sort of suction thing in the pool that maybe shorts could get trapped in.

andiem · 14/09/2007 12:18

I don't see how my ds has happily progressed through his swimming badges whilst wearing baggy ones maybe it makes it harder so he is better than I think{grin}

pointydog · 14/09/2007 12:19

he probably would swim a bit better and faster with fitted trunkc, yes

Original poster
clumsymum · 14/09/2007 12:19

They are hardly HUGE baggy ones, not the long knee length jobs.

Just a style like shorts. Blimey, what is a class of 7-8 year-olds likely to do that is going to be hampered by swimming shorts.
And wshy a different rule for school time and not?

OP posts:
pointydog · 14/09/2007 12:21

Out of school - muck around
Swimming lesson - proper lesson about technique, speed, stamina taught by trained people

I'd imagine that's where they're coming from

andiem · 14/09/2007 12:22

I agree clumsy mum I'm not after an olympic swimmer and it is silly to have 2 different rules

Othersideofthechannel · 14/09/2007 12:22

According to our local (French) pool swimming shorts aer unhygenic because they are likely to be worn outside before the swim and pick up dust etc which affects the water quality. People are less likely to wander the streets in swimming trunks.

But like you say clumsy mum where is the logic in allowing shorts sometimes but not at other sessions?

andiem · 14/09/2007 12:22

why don't the instructors at my gym insist on fitted ones then?

Hulababy · 14/09/2007 12:23

Can't understand why they have a different rule for an "out of school" swim lesson compared to the "school based" swim lesson, when at exactly the same leisure centre. Seems odd.

andiem · 14/09/2007 12:23

they are all qualified instructors and there is a swim squad so it is all quite serious

pointydog · 14/09/2007 12:24

I would imagine an instructor teaching adult men to swim would recommend fitted trunks.

All the men who do lane swimming when dh does end up getting themselves fitted ones (if they don't at the start) as they soon realise it's easier to swim in them

pointydog · 14/09/2007 12:25

there is a swim squad who wear baggy shorts?

Original poster
clumsymum · 14/09/2007 12:30

TBH I'm just annoyed at the buggeration factor of having to go and buy new trunks, and persuading ds that he has to wear them, even if he doesn't find them comfortable.

OP posts:
andiem · 14/09/2007 12:31

during the lessons yes but pointy dog I'm not going to get in an argument with you about it they are 7 year olds not olympic trainees and I think it is unreasonable to expect them to wear one type of shorts for one lesson and one for another which is what the op was asking about and I think i am going to be in the same position too and have to buy another pair of swimming trunks

pointydog · 14/09/2007 12:34

I understand it is a pain to have to buy another pair of trunks. I understand frustration at that, I might feel the same.

It was just the implication that they are talking bollox I felt was unfair. Baggy shorts create drag. They are only trying to give the children the best chance at swimming as best they can.

Original poster
clumsymum · 14/09/2007 12:35

pointy..

In which case they are only trying to give the kids the best chance during school swimming lessons, but don't care at all during the lessons I PAY for ??????

OP posts:
pointydog · 14/09/2007 12:36

I'd ask them about that, tbh.

southeatsastras · 14/09/2007 12:37

ask them, i bet it is a health and safety issue

LIZS · 14/09/2007 12:42

Our school pool discourages them as they affect buoyancy etc. Tesco had trunks from about £1.50

ChippyMinton · 14/09/2007 12:44

Ridiculous situation if it is the same swimming teachers doing both after-school and school classes (as it is where we go). I would speak to the leisure centre direct to find out their policy.

3madboys · 14/09/2007 12:46

just got the same leter for my ds1, i questioned this as my ds also wear longer style swimming trunks and not "brief" style ones, what they said was that they wanted them to be close fitting, they could be a longer length but they could not be the kind that are baggy and worn as normal shorts as well, iyswim?

tesco and h&M sell them for about £2 so ds1 has some that are fitted but are not briefs iyswim?

Original poster
clumsymum · 14/09/2007 12:47

Seeing as ds can swim safely anyway (was leaping into a 7 ft deep pool and swimming about with no probs every day while we were on holiday ....)

OP posts:
christywhisty · 14/09/2007 13:14

We have the same at school lessons. Baggy are not allowed but are allowed in the normal swimming lessons at the weekend with the same teachers. But then those lessons tend to be more relaxed anyway. They allow goggles, school lessons don't and they don't have to wear swim hats, which again is compulsory for school lessons

Anything baggy will drag and fill with water and make them heavier and harder to swim. I have recently done life saving in pyjamas etc and you just don't realise the difference to swimming clothes swirling around you can make.
There may be other reasons as well, but i will ask my swim teacher next week

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread