Volleyball Forums

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Hey everyone! Very Happy

I'm very new at team volleyball, but I'm really starting to just love it (my mom says I've been bitten by "the bug"). The only thing that's gettin' to me is our school's uniform. Now I know that the spandex shorts are totally like the standard (I guess some people might think less of a team without them!), but I really feel sorta unconfortable wearing them in public. Is it normal for your crotch to like really bulge out? I mean, sometimes I really feel like people are just totally staring at me down there. What should I do?

Sorry for the stupid question! Eye Roll

These tight shorts are like the only thing keeping me from having the awesomest time out there. I'm kinda embarrassed about it so I don't know who else to ask!

Any advice or experiences?

32.00 Points

Oops! I actually asked this question on a couple other vb related message boards and got yelled at! Embarassed

Is this a sensitive topic around here? Has it been discussed before? I'm so sorry if it's not appropriate. I'm just not really comfortable talking about this with my coach or my friends.

4497.02 Points

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I have one player on my team of 14 that doesnt like them. I let her wear her soccer shorts in practice but come game time she will have to fit in with the rest of the girls. As a guy Ive never had an issue like this to deal with so I dont know what more I can say to help, other than when you finally start wearing them Im sure youll get used to them.

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Well I hesitate to post this but I believe what you are talking about is commonly refered to (by men between 16-35 Wink

) as camel toe. Maybe there is a way to prevent this (I don't know) but if this is what you are talking about suffice to say you are not alone. Maybe you can google it?

Like I said, male cyclists have a similar issue...just ask these guys from Polish National team.

Seriously guys and gals lets make sure we try to keep this thread on the up and up...clearly we have a member here with an issue they want to resolve and it is a sensitive issue.

Thanks

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I was going to stay out of this because I obviously don't know what it's like. ...but after the picture of the Polish Cycling team... Surprised

Can you wear some other underwear under the "buns" to minimize things?

110934.32 Points

Hmm.. I thought there's extra padding that you could wear to prevent camel toe? Maybe you should ask your teammates? I'm sure at least one of them had the same concern when they started wearing spandex. I'm sure they'll help you out or at least make you feel more comfortable/secure about wearing spandex.

I've coached seasons of girls vb and I do remember one girl who didn't want to wear spandex. She wanted to wear something that looks like spandex but wasn't so tight. I didn't have a problem with it and the rest of the team was very sympathetic to her.

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Thanks for the replies everyone. Grasshopper, that picture is just too funny! I don't even think those guys are
wearing underwear! lol!

I knew you guys would say that I should talk to my coach and my teammates. That's pretty much what I'm sure my
mom would say. I don't know if this is weird, but for some reason it's no big deal talking to a bunch of vb experts
that I don't know (and will never have to see) than people I see every day.

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214.09 Points

At first, I felt uncomfortable wearing spandex...but as time goes on, you get used to it. Eh, when I think of volleyball....there's always gonna be spandex. Give it a little time. I don't worry about it nowadays...I usually do just focus on my game.

And if you're wondering, I'm a female as well.

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4497.02 Points

Ok this is probably a sensitive question...Height? Weight?

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I really don't see an issue here other than the fact that it bothers you based on your picture.
Question

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83.36 Points

I'm sorry your not comfortable. Hope everything works out for you.

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Well I've been lurkin here for a little while and this is as good a question as any to signup to post. I was in the same boat as you about 3 years ago when I first started playing. For me especially, the tight spandex was a new experience and was the cause of a certain amount of turnmoil at one point (more on that later if you want).

Heres my words of wisdom:

Regardless of what Grass says about cycling you've GOT to wear underwear with volleyball shorts. I knew right away from the first time I tried it that if you go straight in, a wedgy or "cameltoe" is gonna be likely. Everyones body is different but at least for me the material works it way up in there and it can be quite uncomfortable in addition to being revealing. However, you should pick some pretty lightweight and thin panties. Try to avoid the heavier cotton ones. Based on your picture, that might be part of your problem. Really you want the opposite of padding -- as little as possible to cut down on the total fabric.
it seems you already know, the color of the shorts is important too. I've found that black gives away far less detail than blue or red. Your stuck with your team colors though I guess.
I know this is gonna sound bad but...don't forget to trim your hair. It can make a big difference in the total puffyness.

When you say that you "catch people staring at your crotch", what exactly do you mean here? I can tell you from my own unpleasant experience that you need to be careful. It's one thing if its high school boys but completely another if its adults.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm going off the deep end, but there was a situation that nearly put me off volleyball forever. There's no need to go into it unless someones really dying to know.

Do what you can but bottom line is to work hard and stay focused. If you love volleyball, don't let anything ruin that.

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Yea looking back that looks wrong from my intentions. I in no way meant that she should go without underwear in the VB uniform...cycling shorts are designed to be worn that way, I was specifically speaking about cycling shorts.

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Hey everyone, thanks so much for the advice/support Exclamation

Can one of you guys explain to me, what is it about tight volleyball shorts and a bulging crotch that guys are so obsessed with???

I just don't get it.

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I've already gotten two PMs asking me to elaborate on what happened to me, so I figure it might just be easier to post it here. I won't go into all the details, but here's the gist --

Basically, our equipment manager turned out to be a total creep. Every single time he was around when I was in my uniform, he would just be totally staring at my crotch. I was embarrassed enough as is, but this just made me really uneasy. I mean like he was totally fixated on it. I know this wasn't just my imagination because a couple of my friends noticed it too. He wasn't staring at them though he seemed to be totally singling me out. Like vbcrazygirl it seemed to me that volleyball shorts made my crotch bulge out a lot more than anyone elses.

I realize in retrospect that I should have told someone about it, but I didn't. :-( Instead I just tried to avoid him. I don't know what he was so hung up on but a few times he would mention things about the shorts in the course of a normal conversation. I guess I noticed it because I was so aware of his constant gawking.

Well there was one time that it wasn't so suttle. Out of the blue he just walked up to me and asked me (with a totally weirdly straight face), "Hey Trisha, what do you wear under the spandex shorts?" At the time, all I could think to say was "Excuse me?!?" to which he said, "I was just wondering if you've got underwear on and what kind?"

WHAT THE F*CK?!?

I didn't even answer him, turned around and went straight to the school office to see my counselor. I told him what just happened, but I didn't mention the staring or the obsession (I know I should have). He was really comforting and totally agreed with me that it was an absolutely inappropriate comment. He didn't say what would happen but I basically figured that there'd be some consequences.

Now here comes the last straw. It was a short while after that and I had really assumed that things had calmed down. He wasn't around anymore so I figured something must have happened. OK, so we usually leave our home uniforms in our lockers in the varsity sports locker room. Well I went to the locker room after school one of our off days, to get it so I could bring it home. When I came around the corner inside, I was startled to find my locker was open and he was sitting on the bench in front of it. He was holding my vb shorts and was sniffing them like a pervert. He never even saw me come in and I turned around and ran straight down to the counselor's office. I was so lucky he was there. I also called my parents and they called the police. I'm pretty sure this guy is still in jail, but I don't really know. I do know that I'll never have to see that creep again.

Like I said, this ordeal very nearly put me off volleyball forever. Now that I look back on it, though, I'm glad it didn't caus it would have been a real shame to miss out on such a great sport (and maybe a college scholarship down the road!) just because of some asshole.

In the end though, my advice to other girls is that you gotta be mindful and treat even the littlest thing seriously. You better believe I think about it every time I step into the spandex. It was a terrible experience, but I like to think that I learned something important.

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Wow, thanks for sharing that story!

It's very brave of your to come forward and post that for the benefit of other people. That piece of s**t who was sexually harassing you should be taken out of circulation permanently in my opinion. Mad

What a menace! Mad

Anyway, I just want you to know that I, personally, have a tremendous respect for you as a person considering how you handled that situation. It was really a nightmare situation and you handled it incredibly well.

Rich