Iowa Flyers Swim Club

Volunteer Policy

Running meets is a necessity for all clubs and we are no exception. The meets we host simply cannot run without IFLY member volunteers. The following points outline our policy regarding volunteering:

o We expect ALL IFLY member families to volunteer during periods when their accounts are active.

o We expect each family to volunteer for 2 full sessions at each annually-hosted IFLY meet per year (A3 Midwest Challenge, Armbruster Invitational, and an Iowa Championship meet). Intrasquads and Dual-Meets can be used to supplement your volunteering requirement, as well as help fulfill your volunteering requirement if you are unable to contribute to our annually-hosted meets. A full session is considered to be ~4 hours of volunteer time. Most meets we host will have 5 to 7 sessions offered from which to pick.

o A meet session can be replaced by specific food donations to IFLY. For this year's IASI Age Group Championships in February 2024, the 2024 Armbruster Open and 2024 Junior Armbruster Open, a food donation of 5 items will match the 2 full sessions of volunteering requirement. Please declare your intention to donate specific food items via the SignUp Genius link on the meet event tab.

o IFLY will track volunteer participation and will reach out to families to request volunteer shifts as needed. Volunteers are responsible for checking in for sessions at meets.

o Volunteer sign-ups will be available on the IFLY website and we will send notifications when those sign-ups open for each meet.

o Volunteers are not limited to just swimmers and parents, but can include siblings or other family members.

o IFLY families with members who serve as USA Swimming officials during the year at our hosted events will be exempt from additional volunteer hours (although their help is always appreciated and encouraged).

Since the number of events varies from year to year we will review and revise the shift requirements on an annual basis. If everyone is accountable for helping out, then our requirements remain low and we won’t have to rely on many hours of volunteering by a small group of families.

Volunteering requires NO experience or swimming knowledge, but it provides a great opportunity to meet other swim families and learn more about the sport, and to have fun doing it. The pool deck is the most exciting place to be during a swim meet and IFLY’s success depends on the participation of all of our member families.

A fee of $50 per missed volunteering session per meet will be instated beginning at the 2022 A3 Midwest Challenge. Those fees will be collected after each meet.

Families unable to pay fees nor volunteer/donate goods will need to connect with IFLY coaches.

 

 

**New IFLY Parent - Volunteering Informational Zoom Meeting - Oct. 12th (Zoom Recording Available)

If you are new to the team, haven't volunteered with us at a home meet before, or have questions about volunteer job descriptions, join us on in  the Fall via Zoom. 

Next "New IFLY Parent - Volunteering Overview" Zoom Meeting-  October 12th, 6:30-7:00pm

Meeting Recording

 

Meet Check-In Times - In Order of Reporting Times (please check the signup frequently as times may change):

​Coaches Check In / Hospitality - 30 to 45 minutes prior to WARMUPS.  If there are split warmup sessions, this means prior to the FIRST warmup. 

Safety Marshal / Heat Sheet Sales / Clerk of Course - 15 to 30 minutes prior to WARMUPS.  If there are split warmup sessions, this means prior to the FIRST warmup. 

All Timer Positions (Timers/Head Timer/Backup Timer) - 15 to 30 minutes prior to the start of the SESSION.

Announcer / Awards / Parade Sign Bearer / Runner - 15 to 30 minutes prior to the start of the SESSION.

 

IFLY Swim Meet Positions

ANNOUNCER
** Training is required for this position **

  • Volunteer(s) Needed: 1 per session
  • Arrival Time:30 minutes prior to the start of the session
  • Age Requirement: minimum 18 years old
  • Make all necessary announcements over the PA system as requested by the Referee/Official, Clerk of Course, or the Meet Director.
  • Announce event information (event, heat, stroke, and distance).
  • Provide "color" commentary for all Finals sessions


AWARDS

  • Personnel Needed: 1-2 per session
  • Arrival Time: 30 minutes prior to the start of the session
  • Age Requirement: minimum 12 years old At least one adult required.
  • Place preprinted labels on ribbons for swimmers.
  • Prepare certificates for swimmers achieving a new time standard.
  • Distribute ribbons/certificates to swimmers during the meet.
  • Distribute remaining ribbons/certificates to Teams at the end of the meet.
  • ** May involve some time after the meet to complete ribbons/certificates, depending on the timing system.

 

CLERK OF COURSE
** Training is required for this position **

  • Personnel Needed: 1-2 per session.
  • ​Arrival Time: 30 minutes before first warmup.
  • Age Requirement: minimum 18 years old.
  • Assist Meet Director and Admin Referee with any required tasks
  • Confirm positive check-in of swimmers prior to the event being seeded by Admin Officials.
  • Works scratch table for finals.
  • Work with the Runner(s) to post heat/lane assignments and post final results.

 

COACHES CHECK IN

  • Personnel Needed: 1-2 per session.
  • ​Arrival Time: 30 minutes before first warmup.
  • Age Requirement: minimum 18 years old.
  • Manage all aspects of Coaches Check In.
  • Distribute Coaches bags when required
  • Verify Deck Pass for all coaches to permit entry to the pool deck
  • Provide information about the facility and meet procedures to all coaches

 

DECK MARSHAL

  • Personnel needed: 2 per session, depending on the size of the meet.
  • Arrival Time: 15 minutes prior to first warmup
  • Age Requirement: minimum 18 years old
  • Role is to maintain the deck is for meet personnel and participants only.
  • Escort non-meet participants to the program pool – away from the meet
  • Must not leave your position until substitute is provided or until excused, (must finish the session)
  • Monitor the entire pool area
  • Ensure that swimmers behave in a safe manner. (No running, abusive behavior, etc.)
  • Notify the coach of any swimmer who is behaving/acting in an unsafe manner.

 

HEAD TIMER
** Experienced Timer is required for this position**

  • Personnel Needed: 1 per session/ per pool.
  • Arrival Time: 15-30 before the start of the session.
  • Age Requirement: minimum 18 years old.
  • Assist in training to all NEW Lane Timers.
  • Designate one timer on each lane to be the recording timer for that lane.
  • Operate multiple back-up stopwatches.



HOSPITALITY LEAD
** Training is required for this position **

  • Personnel Needed: 1 per session
  • Arrival Time: 45 minutes prior to the first warmup
  • Age Requirement: minimum 18 years old
  • Helps to arrange food with Hospitality Coordinators
  • Setup refreshments (food and drink) for coaches, officials, and meet volunteers (NO Swimmer allowed).
  • Morning sessions – Beverage preparation, set out and serve breakfast, snack service, re-stock beverages as needed, prepare lunch service
  • Afternoon sessions – Lunch service, snack service, re-stock beverages as needed, prepare dinner service
  • Final session – dinner service, snack service, re-stock beverages as needed, inventory and pack up supplies to return to storage.
  • Every Session - setup, keep food fresh, cleanup.

 

HOSPITALITY WORKER

  • Personnel Needed: 1-4 per session
  • Arrival Time: Varies, usually 45 minutes prior to first warmup
  • **Food will be arranged by the Hospitality Coordinator/Lead.
  • Setup refreshments (food and drink) for coaches, officials, and meet volunteers (NO Swimmer
  • allowed).
  • Morning sessions – Beverage preparation, set out and serve breakfast, snack service, re-stock beverages as needed, prepare lunch service
  • Afternoon sessions – Lunch service, snack service, re-stock beverages as needed, prepare dinner service
  • Final session – dinner service, snack service, re-stock beverages as needed, inventory and pack up supplies to return to storage.
  • Every Session - setup, keep food fresh, cleanup.

 

VOLUNTEER / SERVICE CREDIT CHECK-IN
** Training is required for this position **

  • Personnel Needed: 1 total per session
  • Arrival Time: 45 minutes prior to first warmup
  • Age Requirement: minimum 18 years old
  • Check in all meet personnel – both service credit and volunteer
  • Coordinate with Clerk of Course any position openings
  • Provide completed check-in sheet to Clerk of Course

 

LANE TIMERS / BACKUP TIMERS

  • Personnel Needed: 2 timers per lane - 16 for 8-lane pool / 20 for 10-lane pool.  Backup timers 1 per pool
  • Arrival Time: 15-30 minutes before the session starts.
  • Age Requirement: minimum 10 years old experienced swimmer with parent timing in same lane.
  • No experience required. Training will be provided by the Officials/Head Timer.
  • Check the name of the swimmer before the start of each race. Notify the Head Timer of any conflicts.
  • Operate stopwatch and touch pad button used for the entire session. If stopwatch fails, notify the Head Timer for a replacement stopwatch for that race.
  • Record times from both stopwatches on the lane/timer sheet for each swimmer.

 

PARADE SIGN BEARER

  • Personnel Needed: 1 per session - Finals only
  • Arrival Time: 30 minutes prior to the start of the session.
  • Age Requirement: minimum 8 years old
  • This position works actively with the Clerk of Course and the Admin Officials.
  • March all finalists from Ready Room to behind the starting blocks
  • Update event information on the Parade Sign

 

RUNNER

  • Personnel Needed: 1-2 per session / per pool
  • Arrival Time: 10 minutes prior to the start of the meet.
  • Age Requirement: minimum 12 years old
  • This position works actively with the Clerk of Course and the Admin Officials.
  • Collect lane/timer sheets from each lane at the end of each event.
  • Post event results