Dread. The feeling shared by most Carlmont freshmen as fourth-quarter swim unit begins.
In order to ensure that all students are capable of swimming in any environment, Carlmont’s physical education (P.E.) classes began a swim unit on March 26 that will continue until the end of the school year.
Students are expected to follow a dress code, but it differs depending on the teacher.
“There is no specific dress code, color, or style for a swim outfit,” said David Low, one of the P.E. teachers.
However, one of David Heck’s P.E. students, Allison Uozumi, said, “The girls’ dress code is no swimsuits with ties unless Ms. Oliveira okays it, but there can’t be any ties behind the neck.”
Opinions regarding the dress code differ. Irene Oliveira, another P.E. teacher, stresses the “no tie back” swimsuit rule.
Oliveira enforces this rule to guarantee that students don’t have any swimsuit malfunctions as well as to ensure it is secure when they jump into the pool and that it doesn’t come untied.
Uozumi thinks Oliveira is looking out for the girls’ best interest.
“I think that it is fair because it’s just to make sure that when we jump in, our swimsuit tops don’t fly off,” Uozumi said.
Throughout past swim units, this rule has been in place but has not been enforced as strictly as one would imagine.
“I cared about the rule, but I didn’t follow it. I wore the bikini top that I felt comfortable in,” sophomore Lauren Mathews said.
But on the other hand, students feel stressed about finding a new suit that allows them to feel comfortable and meet the requirements simultaneously.
Freshman boys do not have a dress code at all. Therefore, Alex Moriarty sympathizes with the girls.
“I agree that [the dress code] is unfair. Everyone has insecurities and this rule might make swim unit even harder for some girls,” Moriarty said.
However, freshmen aren’t the only occupants of the pool during this time, as Carlmont’s swim team season takes place simultaneously. Their training is more intense with practices every day at a fast pace, but no dress code is enforced.
“We can wear tie back or fixed back, it doesn’t really matter. You can also wear two pieces that are fit to be able to swim,” sophomore Hana Lip said. “I feel secure [in the suit] and I usually have my friend Elena tie my suit for me and she double knots it.”
Despite the dress code, the swim unit is an important part of the P.E. curriculum for all students.
“It ultimately gives students the opportunity to learn a skill that is really important and that they wouldn’t have been exposed to otherwise,” Uozumi said.
Strokes students learn:
