Meet Volunteer Positions
Here is a list and brief description of the volunteer positions we need to be able to run a home meet as well as attend away meets.
Click the links at the end of the description to take the certification test online.
Roles that do not require any training or certification:
Pit Parents: These parents sit in the swimmer tent area (“The Pit”) with the swimmers. With the use of a heat sheet, pit parents gather swimmers for upcoming heats and send them to the clerk of course area. Since there is usually more than one tent parent, parents can go up on deck during their swimmers event to watch them swim. (No training or certification required)
Concessions: (HOME MEETS ONLY) This position will help do some minor preparation and selling of food and drinks during our home swim meets. (No training or certification required).
Hospitality/Runner: This role collects sheets from the timers and delivers them to the computer operator(s). At home meets, this roles also delivers drinks to other volunteers during the home swim meets. (No training or certification required).
Parking: (HOME MEETS ONLY): This role involves directing parents where to park at our home meets. (No training or certification required).
Ribbons: These volunteers will bring ribbons supplies to each meet, access time drop on computer, and print labels for our ribbons and the visiting team starting around event 40 (halfway through meet). If hosting, provide SAIL ribbons for vising team. Labels are applied to our ribbons and then sorted/ filed alphabetically. Ribbons team must stay until end of meets to print relay ribbons for visiting teams. Ribbons coordinator bring ribbon box to fun Fridays to be handed out by coaches and takes box home for safe storage after.
Computer Operator: These volunteers work on deck near the starter stand and ensure timedrop and stopwatch (if needed) times are populated into computer. May work on ipad or computer. If not a timedrop meet, enter stopwatch times into computer. Roles that require brief (around 5-10 minutes) online training and certification:
Timers: Each lane during a swim meet will have 3-4 timers, typically 1-2 from each team. If using TimeDrop, two of the timers will use a plunger and 1 will operate a backup stopwatch. The stopwatch operator will time the swimmer based on the strobe light start and their swimmer touching the wall. There may also be a timer assigned as the “recorder” and sit at a small table at the lane to record the stopwatch time on the timer sheets. (Short online info and test).
Head Timer: This person will stand behind the timers and signal to the starter/referee when the timers are ready for the next heat to start. This position will also start a stopwatch in case a timer’s watch does not start. At away meets, our team’s head timer will serve as assistant head timer, working in conjunction with the hosting team’s head timer. (Short online info and test).Roles that require SAIL In-House Training and certification:
Clerk of Course: These volunteers line swimmers up on benches and in chairs behind each lane by event and heat. Ensure absent swimmers are scratched from heat sheet and if not, notify lane timers if able to. (Class training and certification required).
Stroke and Turn Judges: This position will use official rules learned during certification to ensure a swimmer’s stroke is legal. If a swimmer’s stroke in found to be non-legal, the stroke and turn judge will raise their hand and communicate with the referee regarding the possible disqualification of the swimmer. (Class training and certification required).
Referee: This person will oversee home meets and serve as assistant referee at away meets. This role has the responsibility of seeing that the meet is properly conducted and that rules are enforced, fairly, for all swimmers. (Class training and certification required.
Starter/Deck Ref: This person will be “the voice” of the meet at home meets and start each heat using an electronic starting system when they assistant referee and head timer signal that swimmers are ready. At away meets, serve as Deck Ref to signal the Starter to start the race. (Class training and certification required).
