The changing room used to be sacred. A private space. A place where athletes could prepare, decompress, switch on, switch off and exist without the eyes of the world on them.

It was where coaches could deliver raw, honest messages. Where teammates could laugh, vent, hype each other up or work through nerves together. The tunnel was the same. A transition zone, a mental pause, a moment to get into the mindset for what was about to happen.

Those spaces were never meant to be public. They were never meant to be documented, shared or turned into content.

Then phones arrived.

And with them came the question that clubs, parents, coaches and athletes still cannot fully agree on.
Should phones be banned entirely in changing rooms and tunnels.

It sounds like a simple yes or no. But the deeper you dig, the more complicated it becomes. Privacy, safety, culture, communication, team bonding, safeguarding and the modern expectations around social media all collide in a way that makes this discussion more relevant than ever.

Let us break it down.

The Case For Banning Phones Completely

There are strong arguments from coaches, safeguarding officers, parents and even athletes themselves who want changing rooms to be phone free zones.

Here is why.

1. Privacy Cannot Be Guaranteed When Cameras Are Present

Even the most well meaning use of a phone can turn into a serious issue.

A photo taken as a joke.
A video filmed without thinking.
A reflection in a mirror no one noticed.
A teammate accidentally caught in the background.

Once it is captured, it can be shared in seconds. And once it is shared, it cannot always be pulled back.

For young athletes especially, privacy matters. Changing rooms are vulnerable spaces, and the risk simply outweighs the reward.

2. Safeguarding Is Impossible When Phones Are Everywhere

Every club has a duty to protect its athletes. That duty becomes ten times harder when every person in the room has a device that can film, screenshot, share or stream in real time.

Even if no one intends harm, accidents happen. Misjudgments happen. And in a safeguarding environment, accidents are enough to create real consequences.

Banning phones removes one of the biggest safeguarding threats in youth sport.

3. Changing Rooms Should Be a Mental Reset, Not a Social Media Checkpoint

Phones pull attention away from the team. They increase anxiety, comparison, distraction and pressure. They break up natural bonding moments. They stop athletes from being present with each other.

We see it constantly.

Athletes sitting in silence, scrolling.
Athletes recording instead of connecting.
Athletes worrying about how they look instead of how they feel.

The changing room should not become an extension of Instagram or TikTok. It should be a place where athletes can breathe.

4. Coaches Say Phones Disrupt Focus

Phones interrupt prep time.
They interrupt warm up energy.
They interrupt tactical conversations.
They interrupt the emotional bubble that teams need before competition.

Many coaches argue that phones dissolve the mental sharpness that athletes need before stepping onto the pitch, court or track.

If one athlete is distracted, it spreads fast.

The Case Against a Full Ban

There are also reasonable arguments from athletes, parents and modern sports communities who say an outright ban is unnecessary.

This side does not dismiss the risks but believes that controlled use is better than banning phones entirely.

Here is why.

1. Phones Help Athletes Communicate With Parents

Especially at youth clubs, phones are how athletes:

• Tell parents where to meet

• Call for pickup

• Communicate schedule changes

• Share travel arrangements

• Handle emergencies

A full ban could create logistical headaches.

2. Some Athletes Use Phones As Anxiety Tools

For shy or nervous athletes, checking a phone, listening to music or replying to a parent can help regulate nerves.

Removing that can increase anxiety instead of reducing it.

3. Clubs Use Phones for Organisation and Apps

Many teams rely on apps for:

• Line ups

• Attendance

• Tactical boards

• Timing

• Injury logs

• Warm up playlists

A full no phone rule would clash with modern systems.

4. Social Media Is Part of Today’s Sporting Culture

Like it or not, athletes record moments.
They share behind the scenes experiences.
They post team content.
They bond through digital storytelling.

Some clubs believe that instead of banning phones, they should teach athletes:

• What is appropriate

• What is safe

• What is allowed

• What stays private

Education, not restriction.

Where Most Clubs Now Draw the Line

After photographing more than a thousand teams, we can confidently say this.
Most clubs fall into a middle ground. Not full bans. Not full freedom.

A controlled policy that usually looks something like this:

• No phones in changing rooms

• No filming in tunnels

• No cameras when athletes are not fully dressed

• Phones allowed in public areas

• Phones allowed before and after sessions

• Phones allowed with coach permission

• Music allowed through speakers, not devices

This structure protects privacy without removing practicality.

What Athletes Tell Us They Want

We ask them directly all the time during shoots.

The majority say:

They do not mind phones being banned in changing rooms.
They do not want to be accidentally filmed.
They want to feel safe and unjudged.
They want to focus before games.
They want to use phones outside that space, not inside.

Athletes value privacy more than adults sometimes assume.

What Parents Tell Us They Want

Parents want:

• Safety

• Privacy

• Clear rules

• No grey areas

• Communication that does not rely on phones in private spaces

Most parents support no phones in changing rooms.

They just want kids to still have access before and after.

What Coaches Tell Us They Want

Coaches want athletes to be mentally present.

They want:

• Focus

• Respect

• A team bubble

• A distraction free zone before matches

Many coaches feel phones break the team connection they work so hard to build.

Where Do We Go From Here

Whether phones should be banned comes down to one question.

Which matters more in that space.
Privacy or convenience.

Most agree privacy wins.

Changing rooms and tunnels are two spaces where athletes deserve protection, respect and freedom from scrutiny. Zones where they should not worry about being filmed, judged or accidentally posted online.

Phones are powerful tools.
But some spaces simply should not have cameras in them.

The Final Whistle

The debate around phones in changing rooms and tunnels is a modern one but the core value behind it is timeless. Athletes deserve privacy. They deserve safety. They deserve a space where they can be vulnerable, focused, emotional, silly, serious or anything in between without fear of being recorded or exposed.

Banning phones protects that sacred space. Allowing controlled use outside of it keeps communication and convenience intact. It is not about restricting athletes. It is about respecting them.

And that is a conversation every club, parent and coach must be part of.