Volunteer Information

Volunteer Coordinators: Renatte English and Carrie Payne

The Lake Linganore Dolphins Swim Team depends on a lot of support from our families. It takes more than 60 volunteers to run one swim meet. Sign ups will be available through this Team Unify site closer to the start of the season. Parent involvement is not only essential for the swim team to succeed, it is also key to making this an overall enjoyable experience for our children. We are fortunate to have such dedicated parent volunteers. It is necessary that each family volunteer at least three times (each half of a meet counts as one time). However, there may be times where you are asked to volunteer more than the required three times. Please know how much we appreciate your cooperation. 

Each volunteer will sign up for a job to perform during at least half of the meet. The volunteer coordinators will do their best to assign you according to your job preference, but understand, that you may be asked to perform another duty based on need. If you cannot attend a meet and perform your assigned job please contact the Volunteer Coordinators as soon as possible so they may replace you with another volunteer as needed. Organizing such large events makes it necessary for us to have the volunteers scheduled as early as possible. It is nearly impossible for us to handle every last minute change that all of our families may have. Families who meet their volunteer requirements will have their $250 check shredded at the end of the swim season. 

Please feel free to reach out to Carrie and Rennatte if you have any questions at [email protected]

Listed below is a brief description of each volunteer position:

50/50: This person walks around during home meets selling raffle tickets.

Concessions: We only need to provide concessions at home meets. We need a head of concessions, a cashier and four volunteers (per half) to work the concession table. The head of concessions is responsible for overseeing the concessions, as well as the planning, staffing, organizing and obtaining supplies for the concession stand. The cashier is responsible for handling the cash register. The other concession volunteers are responsible for assisting with the preparation and sale of food and snacks during the meet. Concession volunteers for the first half of the meet are asked to help in the set-up of the concession stand and volunteers for the second half are asked to help with the clean up.

Head Timer: There is one head timer per half. We only provide the head timer at home meets. The head timer runs two stopwatches for use as backups. Those watches can be provided to any timer who missed starting their stopwatch or had a watch malfunction.

Timers: We need volunteer timers for home and away meets. There are three timers to each lane: two from the home team and one from the away team. These volunteers work for half of the meet. Therefore, we need 24 timers plus two alternates for home meets and 12 timers plus two alternates for away meets. Timers are responsible for keeping accurate time of the swimmer in the lane to which they are assigned and record all three times on the event card at the end of the event. This position requires standing for an entire half of the meet. This is a VITAL job with the best view in the house. Without timers the meet cannot go on. Make sure you wear clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet!

Clerk of Course: There is one clerk of course (per half) who is in charge of organizing the swimmers into the proper order for the events. They make sure the swimmers are lined up in their proper event, heat and lane at the start of each race. They manage the swimmers from the stand-by area to the swim lanes.

Shepherds: There are two shepherds (per half) who help the clerk of course. This position involves helping the clerk of course line up swimmers for their events, as well as looking for missing swimmers. Once the swimmers are lined up correctly, the shepherds escort them to the starting block and make sure they stay in the correct line-up until their race begins.

Stroke and Turn Judges: There are two stroke and turn judges per half; two from the home team and two from the visiting team. The judges must have knowledge of the four strokes and proper swimming techniques. The judges evaluate the legality of the each swimmer’s start, stroke, kick, turn, and finish. He or she is also responsible for disqualifying any swimmer performing the stroke incorrectly. This position requires training prior to being allowed to volunteer for this position.

Water/Trash Person: One person will be assigned to this position for the meet. This person delivers bottles of water to timers and officials during the meet. They also check the trash cans occasionally and make sure they are emptied if needed.

Runners: There are two people assigned to this position per half (one from each team). These people pick up the completed event/dq slips from the timers and takes them to the scoring area.

Ribbon Writer: The ribbon writer applies place stickers (provided by computer person) to corresponding event place ribbons for each meet. They also organize the ribbons for distribution to the swimmers.

Heat Ribbon Presenter: This person stands poolside and awards a heat ribbon to the winner of each heat.

Safety Marshalls: There are two safety marshalls for each half of the meet, one from each team. Safety marshalls are responsible for patrolling the pool grounds and the bathrooms to make sure no unsafe behavior is being exhibited. As such, we need one male and one female volunteer from each team for the meet. At home meets, one safety marshall must be posted at the main gate at all times.

We understand that everyone wants to be able to watch their child swim. There is no volunteer position that prohibits you from being there to watch your child. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!