Volunteering
All families are expected to volunteer at home swim meets, team meals, and social events. These functions are important for the development of our swimmers not only to showcase their improvements in the pool but also allows families to work together as a team and socialize. Volunteering opportunities may include:
- Helping setup for swim meet - move bleachers, prepare time sheets, setup time system
- Help setup tables & chairs for team meals
- Timekeeping during races
- Help collect race time sheets and heat winner awards
- Help bullpen swimmers
- Label and divide awards at meets
- Collecting attendance money and running raffles and games
- Helping at the concession stands
- Clean up after the swim meet and or team meals
Volunteering at Home Swim Meets
If your child is registered for a home swim meet, you or someone you designate is required to volunteer. Failure to sign up or failure to show up for a position for which you have committed, will result in a non-volunteer fee of $50 per meet.
Note: We don’t want your money, we want your service.
Volunteering at Away Swim Meets
Generally, volunteers are not necessary for away swim meets but there may be a few meets that ask for help.
Fundraising
Fundraising by each family is necessary since registration fees do not cover all of the operating expenses of the Gators Swim Team. Our swim meet events help to meet budgetary expenses, such as coaches’ salaries and professional development, pool and facility costs, local, regional and national meet expenses for the coaching staff, awards, equipment and other expenses. Special financial concerns can be discussed and arranged through the Head Coach.
We require each family to provide items for the concession stand and team meals. Responsibilities for these items will be divided as evenly as possible. If you are unable to provide items for the concession stand, please let us know so we can make alternative arrangements. If you do not provide concession stand donations or if alternative arrangements have not been made, you will be charged a $25 non-donation fee.
In all cases, please speak with us if you have any issues with volunteering or providing items for the concession stand and team meals. We don’t want your money, we want your service and there are alternative ways to help.
CHEESE DAYS CLEAN UP (Every other September)
MNG SWIM MEET CONCESSIONS
HOME SWIM MEET CONCESSIONS
GEM'S MEET CONCESSIONS
Team Officials
Below are the different Officials needed for home swim meets and links to available training.
Become a USA Swimming Official - Get Started Link: https://www.usaswimming.org/officials/how-to-become-an-official
YMCA Administrative Official (AO):
- Meet Schedule & Software
- Timing Software & Touch Pads
- Manage Timers
- Finalize Times & Places
This course is designed to certify administrative (dry deck) swim officials for the YMCA of the USA's Competitive Swimming Program. The course focuses on the specific duties and responsibilities of the Administrative Swim Official prior to, during and after a meet. The course also briefly reviews for the participants the facilities and staffing requirements for a meet, including matters relating to eligibility to participate in and entry into the meet. Successful completion of a written examination is required to pass the course.
Timing & Start Protocol - Training Video
Swim Official Level 1 Courses: includes following jobs
- Stroke & Turn Judge
- Relay Take-Off Judge
- Place Judge
This course is designed to train participants as swim officials for YMCA Competitive Swimming in the areas of Stroke and Turn Judge, Relay Take-off Judge, Place Judge and Timer. The course focuses on the specific duties and responsibilities of the above officials prior to, during and after a swim meet. The course also reviews the facilities requirements for a meet, swimmer eligibility and the roles of Chief Judge, Starter and Referee. Successful completion of a written examination is required to pass the course.
How To Officiate Freestyle - Training Video
How To Officiate Backstroke - Taining Video
How To Officiate Butterfly - Training Video
How To Officiate Breaststroke - Training Video
How To Officiate Individual Medley IM - Training Video
How To Officiate Relays - Training Video
Swim Official Level 2 Course: includes following jobs
- Referee
- Starter
- Chief Judge
This course is designed to certify or recertify participants to be Swim Officials for YMCA Competitive Swimming in the areas of Referee, Starter and Chief Judge. The course focuses on the specific duties and responsibilities of the above officials prior to, during and after a swim meet. The course also reviews the facilities and staffing requirements for a meet, rules for swimming various strokes, matters relating to eligibility and other key roles of the official. Successful completion of a written examination is required to pass the course.
Course participants desiring initial certification must have been a fully certified YMCA Level I or USA-S official for at least one year. In addition, they must provide a copy of their YMCA Level I Certification or USA-S Official designation and documentation that they have served a minimum of 8 sessions as a fully certified YMCA and/or USA-S Swim Official.
Course participants intending to use this program to recertify as YMCA Level II officials must provide documentation that they have served a minimum of 12 sessions over the prior three-year certification period.
