Season Job Descriptions 

Announcers 

The Announcer works only at Home meets in tandem with the Desk to announce each event and heat, indicating to the Starter that the next race should begin. Event/heat announcements also help swimmers monitor the progress of the meet and report on time to their next event. The occasional announcement regarding meet highlights or upcoming team events may also be  called. A good Announcer is critical to the timely progression of the meet. 

Starters 

The Starter coordinates with the Announcer and Desk to ensure the timely progression of the meet. The starter, in addition to starting each race and signaling false starts, is responsible for conducting an equipment check prior to the start of the meet. 

Desk Team 

The Desk Team is ultimately in control of meet operations and operates the timing system, records results into meet management software, posts results and scores during the meet, and prepares ribbons and other awards at the home meets. The Desk is primarily concerned with organizing the meet ahead of time, keeping track of the results of each swimmer during the meet, and relaying that information to coaches, swimmers, and their families. The Desk provides a unique and exciting perspective of the inner workings of a swim meet, and those  who are comfortable working with computers are particularly well suited for the Desk team.  

8 & Under Shepherd Team 

Our team provides Shepherds for our younger 4-8 year old swimmers, in order to help get the  kids lined up in the correct order behind the correct lane so the meet runs smoothly. For each event, a bell will be rung by the Head Shepherd indicating that it is time for the little kids to go to the end of the pool with their cap and goggles ready and line up prior to their swim, if they are assigned to swim in that event. The kids look for their names on circles placed by us on the ground and line up in the correct lane lines. Shepherds will walk the swimmers to their lanes  and stay at the lanes with the swimmers until all the 6 & Under and 7–8 races are over. The  Shepherds must make sure that the swimmers know what stroke they are to swim and are lined  up in the correct heat and lane. This job may not be subbed out due to the need for Shepherds  to have experience in this role.  

Otter Bistro (Snack Shack) Team 

The WHO Snack Shack is known to be the best in town! Snack Shack volunteers need to arrive before the meet to help prep food items, set up the snack shack, sell food through the meet, and clean up the snack shack at the end of the meet. You may be asked to grill, prepare food, make sno-cones, serve as a cashier, etc. Working on the Snack Shack Team is only for home  meets. You cannot sub out most roles on the snack shack team. 

Timing/Runner Team 

Timers are each assigned to a specific lane and will be responsible to time each race in that lane. For home meets there are three timers at each lane. One of the three operates the timing button only, one operates a timing button and a stopwatch, and one operates a timing button and records the swimmer’s name and manual time on an event and heat assignment paper that the Runner collects. Verification of the swimmer’s name for each heat is critical to ensure the accuracy of results. At away meets the process may differ based on the available equipment, and timers will receive a stopwatch from the Head Timers, if required. For home meets, when the meet is concluded, Timers are responsible for cleaning up the timer area, returning clipboards and pencils to the Desk, and general tidiness. Runners pick up lane slips from the Recorders in each lane and DQ slips from Stroke & Turn officials and give them to the Desk. The Runner needs to pick up the slips throughout the entire swim meet from both the Recorders and Stroke & Turn officials. This job is perfect for someone who likes to have a front row seat for every race and sit under the sunshades for the entire meet. This job is easy for someone to hire a sub.

Meet Ribbon Coordinators

For Home meets the Ribbon Coordinators are responsible for receiving the labels from the Desk and putting labels on appropriate ribbons (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc) after the meet and file them all in the WHO family folders. The Ribbons team is also responsible to put labels on the opponent team’s appropriate ribbons and coordinate with the opposing team for pick-up of the ribbons. All ribbons should be finished within 1-2 days after the meet. For Away meets, the Ribbon Coordinators will bring the WHO family folder boxes to the meet and talk with their Desk Coordinator to find out their team’s ribbons procedure. This job may require you to stay after the away meets to complete your job, as there is a lag between the end of a meet and the information being processed. The Ribbon Coordinators are responsible for returning the WHO family file boxes back to the WHO pool the day after each meet. 

Home Meets Set-Up Team 

This team reports at 6:30AM before Saturday Home meets and at 3PM at Wednesday Home meets at the Walnut Heights pool. This team is responsible for setting up all the home meets in  the season, including Time Trials and the Intrasquad Meet. The team needs to set up all the equipment necessary to run the home meet and put away the lawn furniture. This job is perfect for someone who is reliable, can show up at the stated times on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings and is able to make all of the home meets in the season. 

Home Meets Take-Down Team 

This team is responsible for the final clean-up of the pool facility, which includes helping with the take down of sunshades and chairs in the timing area, picking up the pool deck, emptying all  trash cans into the dumpster and replacing the liners, straightening pool furniture, making sure the bathrooms are in order, and that the snack shack is clean and closed properly. Clean up may begin shortly before the end of the meet while the last few events are running. Be sure to check in with the Head of Take Down at the start of the meet and check out with the Head of Take Down at the end of the meet. This job is perfect for someone who is reliable, can stay  after the swim meet is completed on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and is able to make all of the home meets in the season. 

Coaches Support Liaison 

The Coaches Support Liaison would be an excellent role for someone who knows the coaches  and has swim team experience. The responsibilities include setting up the daily lunch sign-ups for the coaches, creating a “Best Times Board” at the pool for all of the swimmers, and running  the time reports to see best times after each meet that will then be updated on the Best Times  Board. Toward the end of the season, the Coaches Support Liaison also organizes and collects money from the swim team families to go toward the end of season coaches’ gifts that are presented to them at the Awards Night. After the County Meet data is uploaded, the Coaches  Support Liaison will coordinate with the printing company to get new labels printed for the records board, if applicable.  

Stroke & Turn Official 

Conference sponsored training is required for Stroke & Turn officials on how to identify variations on swimming technique that merit disqualification. There is always a shortage of qualified Stroke & Turn officials, so anyone with competitive swimming experience or who is interested in watching the meet up close is encouraged to sign up for Stroke & Turn training. As a Stroke & Turn official, no Spirit Job is required for the season due to the training that is required for this role.  

Awards Night Coordinators (2 individuals) 

The Awards Ceremony Coordinators send communications about awards night, coordinate with Coaches’ Support Liaison to collect coaches gift funds, and allocate the gift funds to the coaches. The coordinators need to order awards (towels, best time ribbons, MVP trophy, record breaker plaques, county qualifier item) and coordinate with the Desk Director to get all reports needed to generate awards. The Monday after the Conference Meet, the Coordinators need to merge data from the time reports to create best time labels and make record breaker certificates, if applicable. They will make labeled envelopes for each swimmer and coordinate with a volunteer to sort awards into swimmer envelopes and make sure the envelopes are filed by age group. Prior to the awards ceremony, the coordinators need to order cakes, tablecloths, and decorations for the awards ceremony. The Awards Night Coordinators will work with the Board President to order the Board gifts. At the Awards Night, the coordinators will oversee the four volunteers, coordinate dinner (either by potluck or the WHO snack shack) and provide drinks for dinner. The coordinators for this role must be available the day before and the day of awards night. This role is perfect for two people to share the responsibilities and no spirit jobs  are required. 

Fundraising Team 

The Fundraising Team is responsible for the swim team’s fundraising efforts for the season. The main fundraising events in each season include Back to Pool Night, Who-A-Thon, Duck Derby,  Red & Black Meet, VIP Tents at City Meet and Conference Meet, Fund-A-Need programs, Restaurant give-back nights, Store give-back days, and any corporate sponsor partnerships with  the team. The Fundraising Team works closely with the Spirit Team in planning and organizing  the fundraising events and does not have spirit jobs required. 

Registration Liaison 

The Registration Liaison works collectively with the New Family Coordinator, Walnut Heights Swim Club Membership Director, and the WHO Jobs Directors. The Registration Liaison  monitors and inputs all the Swim Team registrants into our database. The Registration Liaison tracks any new registrations, making sure the new registrations are reached out to by the New  Family Coordinator and Jobs Directors, to welcome them and let them know what the expectations are for the swim team. The Registration Liaison also needs to make sure that the new registrants are members of the Walnut Heights Swim Club and if not, connects them with the WHSC Membership Director. This role does not require a spirit job. 

Spirit Team 

The Spirit Team members work closely with the Social and Spirit Director to plan, prepare, and facilitate each of the spirit events for the individual age groups and swim team. Spirit Team members will help lead the events alongside volunteers assigned from the team for each event, including pep rallies before City Meet and Conference Meet, Red & Black Meet, making Conference goodie bags, and Spirit Tents at City Meet and Conference Meet.  

Spirit Wear Coordinator 

The Spirit Wear Coordinator establishes the WHO spirit wear merchandise, the Best Times and County swim caps, and sets up the webstore, all prior to the start of the season. The Spirit Wear Coordinator is responsible to make arrangements for the spirit wear orders to be received and prepared for pick up by the families at Time Trials. The Spirit Wear Coordinator also works with the Elmore Swim Store for families to purchase new team suits for the upcoming season. This role does not require a spirit job. 

Team Leads 

Heads of each Team assume responsibility to organize and manage all the volunteers on their team for the season. There is significant preparation work necessary before the meets to schedule the volunteers for each meet, to explain and train the team members for the role, and to make sure each meet job is run smoothly. Heads are responsible for filling in when there is a need and handling individual issues that may arise from team members who may need to find a sub or no-show. Any issues that cannot be sufficiently addressed by the Heads will be directed to the Jobs Directors. As a benefit to being a Head of a team, there is not a Spirit Job requirement for the season.