Maine Swimming announced a new suit policy that would ban younger age groupers from suiting up until they get to a certain age. They follow similar policy amendments made by both the Southern California and Arkansas LSCs. Maine Swimming actually writes at the top of their policy amendment that their rules were adapted from Southern California Swimming.
The new Maine LSC policy, effective September 1 of this year, states that:
- Swimmers 10 and under may not wear tech suits at any Maine Swimming sanctioned meets.
- 11- and 12-year-olds can only wear tech suits at these meets: JOs, Bowdoin Open, YMCA States and MSIII.
- There are no restrictions on swimmers 13 and older.
- No suits with bonded seams, kinetic tape, or mesh seams are allowed.
Here is the full list of banned suits, and the full policy amendment, courtesy of Maine Swimming. Banned suits are what one might expect when they think of a tech suit– Arena, Speedo LZR, Dolfin, and other performance brands.
In Southern California, tech suits were banned for all age group competition EXCEPT for Winter and June Age Group Invitationals as well as JO’s. They also banned tech suits for all swimmers aged 5-10 for any Southern California sanctioned meet, which is what Maine also did. Arkansas banned tech suit usage for all children 12 and under EXCEPT for during finals sessions of a prelims/finals meet as well as any meet at the sectional level or higher.
If a suit is FINA APPROVED, why are we banning them??? The decision should between the coach, parent, and swimmer.
If you throw a tech suit in the water, it doesn’t swim by itself. It doesn’t overcome bad technique or poor swimmer preparation.
what is the point of this, it sounds like meaningless regulation
I would like to think that this would have nothing to do with financial issues among swimmers. I have 2 female swimmers who wear tech suits because they cover more of their bodies not for the speed factor. We have young women who develop early and need the support that a knee skin suit of these statures can offer. Some of the suits that are offered in place of these suits are cut high at the thigh and do not have enough material on the buttocks to cover. Not all girls and even guys have stick figure bodies. That is what swimming is all about not passing judgement on our competitors for their body build of lack of it. I… Read more »
I agree AES. A FINA APPROVED suit should not be banned if the swimmer is more comfortable in it. This is a personal decision between the coach, swimmer, and parent. The nanny state shouldn’t be dictating it.
Do they make suits of the proper size for that age? My 17yo pumped boy with huge thighs wears a 24 X racer. 11-12 yo wear a 21, the smallest size.
I think its a stupid waste of resources to have a 12 and under swim use a “tech suit” but I also think the LSC should spend it’s time on more important things. Maybe get a 50 meter pool in the LSC might be a good place to start.
Parents who buy these suits; do you trust your child with this much money? Are you giving them $500 toys on their own? Would you buy the new Lonzo Ball basketball shoes for $500 when there are perfectly suitable shoes for $100, or less? Or an expensive, super fast computer with way more memory than needed?
Are you letting the child put on this suit on their own, or are you putting it on for them? When is a child too old to be dressed by their parent?
They all have $700 iPhones
Any feedback from California on how the 12/U Tech Suit ban is going there? Have people accepted it just fine?
We all supported ban of rubber suites, but now half of people do not support ban of tech suites for kids 12 and younger. Why? Because it concerns their kids now? I do support this ban. I never bought a tech suit for our kids when younger than 13, even now I wait for sales to pay $150-250 at most for 15 yo twins. Our 10 year old will be at State finals in lots of events in the Fall and most likely the only one in an Aquablade suit. But, honestly, if she is seeded #1 with 0.05 faster time, I am going to have really tough time deciding whether to buy a tech suit for her or not,… Read more »