Office of Student Life

Recreational Sports

Aquatic Center Rules and Guidelines

General Guidelines

  1. No one may enter the Aquatic Center without an aquatic staff member present.
  2. Patrons must be prepared to present proper OSU identification. Guests must be daily pass holders or a member of a rental group with scheduled pool time.
  3.  Each activity must have a responsible supervisor immediately available on deck.
  4.  Children age 5 or under must have a parent or guardian (at least 18 years of age) with them in the water at all times.
  5.  Lifeguards have the discretionary authority to require a parent or guardian to be in the water with a child over 5 years of age whom they judge to be a weak swimmer.
  6. Children under age 14 must have a parent or guardian poolside.
  7. Children ages 14 to 17 must have a parent or guardian in the building.
  8. Lap swimmers may be required to circle swim when lane use exceeds two patrons.
  9. The use of radios and digital audio is restricted to private listening (headphones).
  10. Food, beverages, gum or tobacco products are prohibited.
  11. An area may be closed or have restricted use due to competitive events, special events or rentals.
  12. Personal items are to be stored safely in the locker room. Do not ask lifeguards to keep your personal items or valuables.
  13. Lifeguards have the discretionary authority to prohibit behavior that they deem to be unsafe or inappropriate.
  14. Lifeguards have the responsibility to enforce regulations and have the authority to remove anyone for unsafe or inappropriate behavior.

Health Rules

  1. Admission to a pool or spa will be refused to anyone appearing to have a contagious or infectious condition, such as a cold, athlete’s foot, ring worm, boils and other skin infections.
  2. No band-aids or casts may be worn into the pools.
  3. Spitting, blowing the nose or urinating in the pools is forbidden.
  4. Only clean appropriate attire designed for swimming is permitted. Appropriate swimwear covers the buttocks, genitals, pubic region, and breasts of those who have them. Specifically, street clothes, sports bras, underwear/compression shorts, thongs, and see-through swimwear are prohibited.
  5. A well-fit t-shirt and/or clean aqua socks may be worn into the pool.
  6. Do not swim when you have diarrhea. This is especially important for kids in diapers. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.
  7. Do not swallow pool water. In fact, avoid getting water in your mouth.
  8. Practice good hygiene. Take a shower before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body end up in the water.
  9. Take your kids on bathroom breaks and check diapers often. Waiting to hear “I have to go” may mean it is too late.
  10. Change diaper in a bathroom and not at poolside. Germs can spread to surfaces and objects in and around the pool and spread illness.
  11. Wash your child thoroughly (especially the rear end) with soap and water before swimming. Everyone has an amount of fecal matter on his or her bottom that ends up in the pool.
  12. Young children, infants and others not in control of bodily functions must wear plastic pants or swim diapers designed specifically for pool use.
  13. Caution should be taken by those wearing contact lenses. It is advised that contact lenses be remove before swimming. 

Safety Rules

  1.  A long whistle blast may signal an emergency. Exit the pool immediately and look to the lifeguard for further instruction.
  2. Do not converse with or distract lifeguards while they are actively engaged in duties.
  3. Patrons under the influence of alcohol or other drugs that alter awareness are restricted from the building.
  4. You may be asked by a lifeguard to show an ability to swim before using a pool or pool equipment.
  5. Glass is prohibited in the Aquatic Center. Eyeglasses worn in the water should be worn with a safety strap.
  6. Headfirst entries are restricted to areas with a minimum water depth of 7 feet.
  7. Do not swim under the bulkhead or walk on its surfaces.
  8. Do not hang on the safety ropes or lane lines.
  9. Horseplay is not tolerated. Running, pushing, dunking, water fighting, chicken fights, etc.…are dangerous and are prohibited.
  10. Hyperventilation or the holding of one’s breath underwater for an extended period of time can be extremely dangerous and therefore is prohibited.
  11. Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices are permitted under the direct supervision of an adult 18 years of age or older.
  12. Use of water toys is restricted to those provided by the university.
  13. All training and fitness equipment is to be used in the manner for which it was designed.
  14. Use of the starting platforms is restricted to organized competitive practice or competition and in direct supervision of a coach.
  15. Use of the leisure pool water slide is restricted to patrons age 13 and younger. 

Diving Area Rules (for Recreational Use)

  1. Swimming in the diving well is prohibited when the diving boards or platforms are in use.
  2. Use of the diving platforms is restricted to competent divers in the supervision of certified competitive diving coaches.
  3. Use of the sparger system is restricted to organized diving practice periods supervised by approved coaches.
  4. Do not wear goggles, earplugs or glasses while diving. 
  5. When diving springboards are used for recreational use:
  • Use is restricted to competent unassisted swimmers at least 6 years of age.
  • All jumps and dives are to be in a forward direction from a standing position.
  • No back dives, handstands, cartwheels or seat drops are permitted.
  • One person on the diving board or its ladder at a time.
  • Do not jump or dive until the diver before you reaches the ladder.
  • One spring per dive or jump.
  • Dive or jump straight ahead.
  • Swim directly to the nearest ladder and exit the pool immediately. 
  1. Moving a springboard fulcrum increase spring but decrease your control. The fulcrum is not to be moved from the #1 position (fully forward) during recreational diving.
  2. Diving or jumping deemed unsafe, in the judgement of the lifeguard, will be prohibited.

 Spa Area Rules

  1. Observe posted spa capacities.
  2. Use of the spa is restricted to those ages 14 and older.
  3. Maximum safe water temperature for use of a spa is 104 degrees Fahrenheit, (40 C).
  4. Pregnant women, elderly persons and those suffering from heart disease, diabetes or high or low blood pressure should not use the spas without prior medical consultation and the permission of their doctor.
  5. Swimming underwater in the spa is unsafe and is not permitted.
  6. Do not use a spa while under the influence of alcohol, tranquilizers or drugs that can cause drowsiness or that lowers your blood pressure.
  7. Observe reasonable time limits (10-15 minutes), then leave the water and cool down.
  8. Long exposure may result in nausea, dizziness or fainting.
  9. Public displays of physical intimacy are not permitted in the spa or other areas of the Aquatic Center. 

Revised: 5/13/21