Summer swim cannot happen without our wonderful family members volunteering. Everyone pitches in to help and support our Autumnwood Piranhas! Check out the volunteer descriptions below and feel free to ask the volunteer team managers any questions you may have. We are happy to help! 

Volunteer sign-up will be coming soon when the meets are released. 

SIGNING UP FOR VOLUNTEER JOBS

Each family is required to volunteer for jobs to help our swim meets run smoothly. We ask each family to volunteer for 4 meets total.  

• Sign up for volunteer jobs by clicking on the Events Tab (will be updated soon) along the top navigation bar where you will see the meets listed. You can click on the Job Signup button for an individual meet to sign up.
• Once in the individual meet you can check the box of the specific job that you would like to sign up for.
• Make sure you supply your volunteer’s information by entering the name you would like to appear on your volunteer’s name tag.
• If you need to remove a sign up, you can do so by checking the box of the job you want to remove and click on the Remove Signup button.

JOBS WITH NO FORMAL TRAINING REQUIRED (GREAT JOBS FOR NEW FAMILIES)

• 8 & Under Aides: Using the lane list, aides check in the 8 & Under swimmers in event/heat order. The 8 & Under Aides supervise and guide swimmers to their appropriate lane in time to swim their event. This is a great job for a parent with an 8 & Under.
   
• Assistant Chief Timer: Help the chief timer keep the timers focused. You get two stop watches and can help any timers who inadvertently miss a start.
• Assistant Clerk of Course: A great way to learn how the meets are run. See details below under Clerk of Course.  
   
• Card Runners: Get your early morning workout in. Collect time sheets and DQ slips at the completion of each event. Check in with scorers at beginning of meet to determine a good cadence for turning sheets in. 
   
• Concession Attendant: Prefer the shade and making change? The concessions attendants help sell food items and run the concession stand during home meets (3 total). This person also periodically delivers water to other volunteers, particularly meet officials and timers.
   
• Timer: Want the BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE? That’s right, you’ll be the VIP with the front row seat to all the action. If you’re lucky you may even get splashed! No training required, just attend the timers briefing right before the meet starts to get directions.

JOBS FOR THE MORE EXPERIENCED FAMILIES

• Announcer: Do you have a loud voice, love to play music and talk into a microphone? Then this job is for you! It is the responsibility of the Announcer to call the swimmers for each event, play the national anthem, music during warm-ups and breaks, announce the score after the completion of each event and most importantly get the swimmers and families pumped up!
   
• Assistant Chief Scorer: Love numbers, want some shade and a little peace and quiet? This is the job for you. The Assistant Scorer checks that the official time for each swimmer and passes them to the Chief Scorer for data entry. The Assistant Chief Scorer assists the Chief Scorer in checking times, entering results, checking data entry, and posting results. (No formal training required for Assistant)
   
• Chief Timer: Keep those timers focused and make sure there are always a few back up stopwatches. You will need to gather timers before the meet to provide guidance and pass out watches. We have a script you can read from. Prefer an experienced timer, but no formal training is required. 
   
• Clerk of Course: Enjoy seeing all the swimmers and learning their names? The responsibility of the Clerk of Course is to check-in all swimmers and to direct them to their proper location for the start of each heat. An Assistant Clerk of Course is provided by the visiting team. Team Managers advise the Clerk of Course of any deck changes which are in turn recorded on the appropriate timing sheets and communicated to the Chief Scorer. The Clerk of Course has a nice shady spot to sit close to the entrance of the pool and will need to arrive by 7:00 am.
   
• Concession Coordinator: This volunteer ensures the plentiful and delicious provision of snacks and beverages for home meets (3 total). The Concession Coordinator determines the mix and volume of items required, and then places orders with vendors and calls for donations from home team families prior to the meet. The coordinator will work with volunteer attendants to set up the snack bar, manage sales, monitor the replenishment of items during the meet, and coordinate pull-down and cleanup after the meet. The Concession Coordinator does not need to be at every meet and a lot of the work can be done at home.
   
• Meet Marshall: Able to get to a meet EARLY but not keen on the idea of 4 hours of intense volunteering? This job is easy if you can keep track of a few key things. The meet depends on your attendance. No marshal = no meet.  We'll need you at the meet 20 minutes before warmups begin. The Meet Marshals will supervise the warm-up period and serves as a relay take off judge during age group relays (events 21-30) and the mixed-age relays (events 51 and 52).  
  
  * Meet Marshalls are considered "meet officials," and as such will be asked to attend the Officials' Briefings before each meet (which typically takes place during warmups for about 10 minutes). It sounds complicated but it is one of the best jobs!
   
• Scoring Assistant: The assistant from the host team will receive the timing sheets and DQ slips from the runner. If there are any discrepancies, the Assistant Scorer takes them to the Referee for resolution. The Assistant Scorer checks that the official time for each swimmer and passes them to the Chief Scorer for data entry. The Scoring Assistant from the visiting team notifies the announcer of score updates and new records. After data entry, timing sheets and DQ slips are separated by team. At the end of all events in each stroke, the Scoring Assistant posts swimmer results. (No formal training required for the Scoring Assistant)

OFFICIAL SCHOOL

Each official must attend at least one of the RSTA provided training sessions to serve as an official for that year, except those who are active Potomac Valley Swimming Officials or registered with USA Swimming as a certified official. Official volunteers need to arrive to the pool by 6:45 AM)

• Chief Scorer: The Chief Scorer oversees scoring the meet. It is the responsibility of the Chief Scorer to preview the entries for each event, ensure deck changes are logged, record swimmer’s official times, match disqualification slips to the appropriate swimmer’s event/heat/lane, and call any discrepancies to the host manager or other appropriate official. The Chief Scorer will record results using the Hy-Tek Meet Manager software provided by RSTA.  (Scorer and Hy-Tek Meet Manager training required).
   
• Referee (NEED): The Referee has full authority over all officials. The Referee shall enforce all rules and decisions of RSTA and shall decide all questions relating to the actual conduct of the meet. Referees need to be at the pool by 6:45 am. The Referee needs stay after the meet to sign the meet result to be official.
   
• Stroke and Turn Judge (NEED): A Stroke and Turn Judge (S&T) is the eyes of the referee on deck. A S&T judge observes whether the rules relating to the style of swimming designated for the event are being observed. They are positioned on the sides of the pool during summer swim. When a violation of the rules is observed, the S&T must raise a hand and complete a disqualification slip with the event number, heat number and lane number plus a description of the infraction. S&T Judges wear a cool uniform of a white shirt and navy blue bottoms.
   
• Starter (NEED): The Starter is one of the most important officials in a swim meet. The Starter, in conjunction with the Referee, determines the fairness of the beginning of each heat. The Starter is the official in complete control of the meet from the time he receives a signal from the Referee to begin a heat until the swimmers are in the water. The Starter helps keep swimmers and the meet on track with a smooth delivery and calming presence.