Locker Room Etiquette Revisited

Hello Hurricane Families,

It's time again to revisit the way our team is handling priviledges in the locker rooms.

I know first hand that many of our athletes have taken to heart some of our earlier conversations about being good citizens and guests at Wulf, and being good ambassadors of the Hurricanes wherever we go. I regulary find myself proud of the way individual athletes engage with one another, and with others we come into contact with. I often notice our athletes tidying up after our group unprovoked, and acting generally helpful and engaged in making sure we are a good guest as a group. I often get this feedback from other teams at swim meets, meet hosts in particular.

As a group, however, we still falling short of our specific goal of being a positive presence in the primary facility we use, Wulf. To ensure a hard re-start and a clear message, the boys will be suspended from the locker room until we start our summer schedule on May 30th. The individual changing rooms are still available.

To return to normal use of the locker rooms this summer, this is the minimum standard we all have to meet: 

• Horseplay in the locker room is never allowed. Put yourself in the shoes of the other rec center guests. After practice adrenaline is pumping and energy is high. Behavior that seems like innocent fun with friends to you can seem unnerving and disruptive to others. Be aware of your surroundings. Loud and chaotic behavior is disrepectful and not representative of Hurricane's conduct. Soap, toilet paper, paper towels, and your swimming gear are not toys in the locker room. 
• Leaving bags and other gear laying about in the locker during practice is also not allowed. You may use a locker or bring your bag to the pool deck during practice, but always keep the locker room at least as orderly as you found it.

The mimimum standard isn't where we should stop. We should also aspire to much more:

• Take personal responsibility to look for ways to leave our spaces cleaner than we found them. These include the pool deck, gym space, locker rooms, and team areas at meets. 
• Take personal responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people who make your activities possible. These include the rec center staff, lifeguards, judges and timers at meets, your teammates, your competitors, your parents, your coaches. You should thank at least a few of these people every day.
• Always pay attention to the other patrons ar Wulf. We aren't the only ones using the building, and we should always be respectful of others. Holding doors, being gracious in the waiting room and hallways, noting and addressing any circumstances where Hurricanes may be disrupting the general flow of activity in the building (even if wholly innocently, because of the sheer size of our group).

Thank you for taking seriously the challenge to grow into these standards. I believe we are on a path towards a set of habits that we can all be proud of. Let's make sure this is a big step in that direction.

Thanks and Go Hurricanes!

Coach Brian