Volunteer Jobs

Meet Set-Up Responsibility: Get our pool ready for the swim meet. This includes moving chairs off the pool deck (the lifeguards also help with this), setting up the walkway for coaches and timers alongside the pool, setting chairs behind the starting blocks, setting up cones in the parking lot, etc. Usually, we need 4-5 people to help with this task and only at home meets. We ask that everyone still at the pool at the end of the meet help clean up after meets. Perk: you get your job done early and can sit back and relax at the meet.

Tent ParentResponsibility: Sit with a specific age group in our “tent” area. These volunteers are also responsible to help line up swimmers and walk them to Clerk of Course. We need 5 tent parents for all meets. This is a job done in shifts! Perk: this is a job you can usually slip away for a few minutes and watch your child swim.

Runner Responsibility: Stand near the timers and gather the timing sheets after every 4 events and deliver the sheets to the date entry folks. Collect DQ slips when needed.

Heat Treats Responsibility: Watch for the winner of each heat and pass out a prize (usually a piece of candy.)  We only staff this position at home meets. Perk: great view of the swimmers.

Timer Responsibility: Time each event and write down times on the timer sheets. For home meets, we provide 2 timers per lane (for 2 shifts) and for away meets, we provide 1 timer/lane (again, for 2 shifts). Perk: great view of swimmers

Head Timer Responsibility: Start 2 stopwatches at the beginning of each event/heat. If a lane timer misses the start or their stopwatch doesn’t work for any reason, they can get a timer from the head timer. The head timer will also fill in if someone needs a restroom break, etc. Perk: you are right by the pool with a great view of all swimmers.

Clerk of Course Responsibility:  The Head Clerk of Course serves as a liaison for home and guest swimmers and coaches. Communicate needed changes in line up to coaches and officials. The other clerk of course volunteers assist the Head with putting swimmers in order on the bleachers so that swimmers can move forward until they are behind the blocks. Perk: get to learn all the swimmer's names! Can slip away to see your swimmer swim.

Data Entry Responsibility: Enter the times for each swimmer (and DQs). For meets, we like to have two data entry volunteers and two different shifts. Perks: lots of perks for this job – you are in the A/C, you always know the score and how fast everyone swims! You can always slip away and see your swimmer swim.

Stroke and Turn Responsibility: This is a much-needed position for our team. The stroke and turn judges go to special training and help ensure that swimmers are swimming “legal” strokes during the meet. Although it is hard to “disqualify” a swimmer – better at a regular season meet, than at the City Meet! We provide 2 stroke and turn judges for every meet (home or away) for 2 shifts – so 4 per meet. Perk: you learn how to do all the strokes legally. You also get ringside seats for the swim meet.

Starter/Referee Responsibility: This position also requires special training and it is recommended that you volunteer as stroke and turn judge for at least one season before advancing to Starter/referee. At the meet, the starter is the person who starts each event (you know,” swimmers take your mark…”). The referee is the highest judge and ultimately decides if someone is disqualified, when to call the meet, ensures the score is correct, etc. Typically we only provide starter/referee at home meets. Perk: you are the boss and control the meet!

Hospitality Responsibility: These volunteers assist with making sure volunteers/coaches stay hydrated and have snacks. We only staff this position at home meets! Perk: You get a great view for watching your child swim!

Announcer: Responsibility: this person’s job is to announce which event/heat we are on and call swimmers to the clerk of course. We only staff this position at home meets and usually have 1 per shift. Perk: you always know what event we are on and never miss your child swimming!

Ribbon Writer: Responsibility: Place stickers on the ribbons for all ribbon winners and file the ribbons in the swimmers' folders. This is usually a second shift job (as it takes a while to get enough in the computer to make it worthwhile to get started. This person is usually still working as the meet ends (and a little after). It works best if we have 3 people doing this job. We provide this for both home and away meets. Perk: you know who won each event!