Unlike most sports, running a swim meet requires many parents and guardians to volunteer. Without the volunteer efforts of swimmer’s parents the team would just not function. Most volunteer positions and jobs are at swim meets, although there are a few positions where the work is done outside of meet settings. The following paragraphs help explain the different volunteer positions. There are approximate 180 positions to be filled.
Starters:
Starts each event with the announcement of the age and stroke and the words "SWIMMERS TAKE YOUR MARK", pauses to make sure that all swimmers are motionless, and then gives an electronic sound or a blast of a whistle. He/She shall be the sole judge of FALSE STARTS and all false starts shall be restarted. The Starter signals a false start with repeated blasts from the starting device. One false start shall be tolerated by any individual and charged to the field. A false start by any individual on the second attempt to start an event will result in his or her disqualification from that event. (2 volunteer slots. Position requires working ½ meet shifts at all home meets)
Announcer:
Responsible for calling the event number, age group, sex, and event name so that the swimmers will know when to report to the ready bench. The announcer calls the "first" and later the "final" call for each age group pair of events in coordination with the flow of the ready bench. The announcer will need to anticipate based on the number of swimmers, the stroke, the number of lengths to be swum, and the age of the swimmers. (2 volunteer slots. Position requires working ½ meet shifts at all home meets)
Equipment:
Assists in hauling tents and tables to away meets; returns equipment back to PPST shed
Head Timer:
Organizes and briefs the Lane Timers on their duties prior to the meet and is in charge of the lane timers throughout the meet. The head timer has the authority to remove and replace any lane timer, with the approval of the home meet director. The head timer, when assigning timers to a lane, avoids wherever possible having all three timers in any given lane associated with the same club. The head timer shall run two watches for use as backups during each event. (1 volunteer slot usually assigned by Meet Director or Team President)
Lane Timers:
Keep 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. The timers also verify that the event card is correct for that lane, swimmer, and event. Click here for more detailed information regarding lane assignments, time keeping, start/stop times, and event cards. (40 volunteer slots. 24 timers are needed to work ½ meet shifts at each home and away meet. Timers will be contacted by the head timer during the week before the meet. Volunteers are expected to plan to work multiple meets.)
Stroke Judges:
Work in pairs on each side of the pool with one member of a pair being from each team. Judges only rule on infractions on their side of the pool. They observe strokes, turns, and finishes to see that swimmers comply with requirements for that stroke. (8 volunteer slots. 4 judges are needed to work ½ meet shifts at all home and away meets. Volunteers are expected to plan to work multiple meets)
Exchange Judges:
They are only required for relay events and shall be positioned at each corner of the pool. One Exchange Judge from each team shall be positioned at the corners of the pool. These exchange judges shall be responsible for observing exchanges. (8 volunteer slots. 8 judges are needed to work ½ meet shifts at all home and away meets. Volunteers are expected to plan to work multiple meets)
Ready Bench:
They are the keys to keeping a meet on schedule. They organize the swimmers into heats before the start of each event. Swimmers must arrive at the ready bench with an event card for their event. Ready bench workers must:
- Verify each swimmer or relay team has a valid event card (i.e., with their name and the correct event, heat, and lane) for the event being staged.
- Check their copy of the official heat sheet to verify that all swimmers on the list are present. Notify the age group parents of any missing swimmers, and notify the coach of any swimmers not on the official heat sheet.
- Arrange the swimmers from both teams into individual heats. During this process the ready bench workers may reassign a swimmer to an earlier heat if there is an open lane and a remaining swimmer is not left to swim alone in the previously assigned heat. Such changes should only be initiated when they will result in fewer heats.
- If there are very few swimmers in two events (e.g. in the older age groups) then the ready bench workers may combine the swimmers into a single race. (8 volunteer slots. 6 volunteers are needed to work ½ meet shifts at all home meets. Volunteers are expected to plan to work multiple meets)
Runners:
Responsible for obtaining the completed event cards and DQ forms for each race from the timers and judges. The cards and DQ forms are delivered to the scoring table. . (10 volunteer slots. 8 runners are needed to work ½ meet shifts at all home and away meets. Volunteers are expected to plan to work multiple meets)
Scoring/Ribbon Officials:
Identify the official time for each swimmer in an event and determine the official order of finish, according to the recorded times. Scoring/ribbon officials keep an accurate count of the team points as the meet progresses, post official results, and prepare ribbons. In addition, a volunteer determines the winner of each individual event heat and awards that swimmer a heat winner ribbon. . (8 volunteer slots. 3 volunteers are needed to work ½ meet shifts at all home and away meets. Volunteers are expected to plan to work multiple meets)
Pit (Age Group) Parents:
Receive all event cards for their age group prior to the start of the meet. Pit parents distribute event cards to the swimmers at the time the announcer calls "first call" for their event. These parents listen to the announcer and begin locating their swimmers about 2 events prior to the "first call" for an event. The Pit Parents for the youngest ages (6 & under and 7-8) are critical to the timely start of the meet. About 15 minutes prior to the start of a meet, pit parents for these ages begin organizing their swimmers. Pit parents must report absentees to the scoring table 10 minutes before the start of the meet. Younger swimmers are personally escorted to the ready bench for each event to prevent them from getting lost or losing their cards. . (2-3 volunteer slots per gender per age group. Volunteers are expected to plan to work every meet or find substitutes if unable to attend)
Set Up/Clean Up Crews:
Install the lane ropes, set up the starting blocks, and other items necessary to conduct the meets. They also install canopies and barrier ropes, relocate tables and chairs and assist the meet director in last minute preparations for the meet. During the last few minutes of a meet the crew begins taking down and storing items in preparation for vacating the pool immediately after the meet. All swimmers and parents are expected to help clean up the entire pool area. This position requires time on Friday evening prior to home meets, early Saturday morning prior to the start of meets, and at the end of meets. . (10 volunteer slots. All volunteers are needed for both home and away meets for setup as well as tear down)
Concessions:
They set up the concession stand and then operate it throughout the meet. At the conclusion of the meet, they clean up and store the equipment properly for use at future meets. . (40 volunteer slots. 10 volunteers are needed to work ½ meet shifts at all home meets. Volunteers are expected to plan to work multiple meets. 1st shift includes setup and runs from 6:15am to 9:30am. 2nd shift runs from 9:30am to 12:45pm and includes clean up. Volunteers will sign up for a specific shift.)
Computer/Data Entry Officials:
Enter the times into the computer. The raw results are then printed and verified with the official times on the cards. Relay names are also verified.
