RACE Service Hour Policy

RACE is a member of USA Swimming and is a non-for-profit organization. RACE relies on coaches and dozens of volunteers to help our team run efficiently and effectively at swim meets, and other operations.  Volunteer support from our families not only helps keep our monthly fees low, but it helps us execute the highest quality swim meets and provides support to all of our families.

Our goal is to have our families contribute to the ongoing success that has been the RACE team for more than 10 years. This success is only possible through parent particapation throughout the season.

What are the requirements?

Total Volunteer Hours:  Each family has a commitment of 20 hours of required service work for the team per fiscal year (August-July).  If a family is unable to complete this requirement, there will be a fee assessed at $20 per hour deficient.  For example, if you are 5 hours short of the required 20, you will be assessed a fee of $100.  These hours are due whether or not your swimmer is in swim meets.  RACE is a competitive swim team and we expect our swimmers to compete.

Viewing service hour balance

  1. On our website in back office, select Events & Competition, Job Signup Report for My Account and then click Service Hours Forecast My Account. 
  2. From there you can add the dates 08/01/20?? - 07/31/20?? and a sum of your service hours will appear. If you see a negative number in the total, that means you exceeded the requirement!  Thank you!
  3. If any are missed, email [email protected] with the dates and jobs that are missing.  The easiest way to ensure there are no mistakes in your service hours is to sign up online as the system will automatically give you hours once we have verified you were present.  

How to Earn Service Hours

  • Volunteer at RACE Meets or other RACE events

    • How to Volunteer/Sign Up for Jobs

    1. In the side menu click Events & Competition > Team Events.
    2. Find an upcoming meet in the list and click Job Signup.
    3. Check the boxes by jobs you will work. Be careful not to pick conflicting times!
    4. Click Signup.
    5. In the popup box, optionally enter any contact information, such as your phone number, or if someone else will be doing the job, their name and number, and click Sign Up.
    6. If you accidentally signup for the wrong job, or later discover you can't work a job, select the job and click Remove Signup. You can do this up until 11:59pm of the Job Signup Deadline at the top of the page.
    7. You may click Print My Job Signup Summary near the top for a handy reference of all the jobs you signed up for.
  • Be a RACE Official - CLICK HERE for more information

Service hour policy FAQ's

Prorated service hours

Service hours are prorated for new families based on the month they join the team.

  • Families joining in August through November have a 20 hour per year commitment.
  • Families joining in December through February have a 10-hour commitment.
  • Families joining in March and April have an 8-hour commitment.
  • Families joining in May have a 4-hour commitment.
  • Families joining in June and July have no service hour commitment. 

Leave of Absence

If you are only active for a portion of the calendar year due to medical leave or other reason, your hour commitment will be based on when you joined the team. If you leave the team and come back during the same calendar year, any remaining hours due when you left the team will still be owed when you return; your hours will not be prorated based on your rejoin date. Additionally, if you leave in one year but still owe hours, but come back less than six months later in a new year, your account will be assessed the $350 fee.

Important service hour guidelines

  • Hours are based on a full fiscal year (August through July).  Hours will be reset on July 31 each year.
  • Hours are per family, not per swimmer. If you have more than one swimmer, the hours are still the same.
  • Hours can be earned by all family members who meet the age requirement (13) for the service. For example, parents, siblings, grandparents can time at any meet and earn hours.  Members younger than 13 must first be approved for the particular position to ensure they are up to the task.
  • You cannot donate your hours to another family or work for another family.
  • Hours earned can only go toward your service hour commitment for the current calendar year. They do not carry over to the next year.
  • If you are late to work your position at the meet, the Meet Director reserves the right to replace you in order to start the meet on time. An attempt will be made to allow you to serve in some capacity, but late arrivals do not guarantee a position to work at the meet.
  • If you work at a USA Swimming, non-RACE meet, you must follow the guidelines listed at the end of this document to earn the hours.
  • If you leave during the year, you will be invoiced your balance of hours upon your return to the team.  For example, if you join in August, quit in January without working any hours, you will be invoiced 6 months worth of your obligation (10 hours X$20 per hour) upon your designated return to activation day.  You will be charged these hours upon your return.
  • These hours are due whether or not your swimmer is in swim meets.  RACE is a competitive swim team and we expect our swimmers to compete.  

No Show Penalty

RACE wants all families to have the opportunity to fulfill their service hours.  This can be hindered by those who sign up for multiple volunteer spots, then do not show up to work the event.  If you are registered to work a volunteer position for service hours, you are expected to fulfill that spot.  RACE employs a 2-strike system.  If two positions are left vacant by a volunteer, even if these positions are at the same time, same meet, or two separate meets in the calendar year, that family will no longer be allowed to sign up for more than one position per MEET.

We understand emergencies occur.  Valid emergencies will not be penalized with a strike.  If you are unable to work a position, and to possibly avoid a strike, you must email [email protected], at least one hour BEFORE the starting time of your volunteer position, so that an alternate volunteer may be found. RACE reserves the right to penalize anyone who vacates their position for frequent emergencies.  Emailing the Volunteer Coordinator does not guarantee a penalty will not be imposed.

Credit for Non-RACE Hosted Events

  • If you work a non-RACE-hosted event (such as stepping in as an extra timer when requested), email [email protected] with a picture of the host teams sign in sheet with your name, the hours worked and the date along with RACE.
  • Credit will only be awarded for non-high school, USA Swimming events.
  • Email with:
    • the name on your account
    • the person who worked the position
    • the position worked
    • the actual hours worked
    • a photo of the sign-in sheet with your name listed, a picture of your badge, timers’ sheet, or any other photo proof of position is required
  • RACE reserves the right to verify your hours with the hosting meet organizer.  
  • Any dishonesty in reporting of hours will result in the reversal of the hours reported, and a limitation on the account to only work RACE sponsored events.