Parent Volunteers
Volunteer Policy and Descriptions
It is the goal of the Bay Ridge Swim Team to run smooth and effective meets, as well as increase family involvement, and have fun. In order to reach our goal, Bay Ridge Swim Team policy is that at least one member of every family on the team volunteer for three regular meets and one championship meet. If the family 3+1 volunteer obligation is not met, the swimmers may not be allowed to participate in the Championship meet or you may not be invited back to the swim team. 3+1 is a minimum, not a maximum, please volunteer as often as you can!
The Marlins use Swimtopia’s online volunteer management system to coordinate volunteers. As a registered swim team parent, you can sign up to volunteer in the same area where you sign your swimmers up for meets. Once the volunteer needs for a meet have been activated, you can sign up using the “Job Signup” button. Click on this button and you will see the adults in your family and a button allowing you to sign up for a job. Click that button.
You will then see the available jobs. This example is for an away meet. We ALWAYS need volunteers for both home and away meets. Click on the job(s) for which you would like to volunteer and hit Save Assignments.
Depending on the size of the event, some jobs, like timer, concessions, stroke and turn, might be a single shift or multiple shifts. If it is a multiple shift event and you sign up for and work two non-simultaneous shifts (of the same job or different jobs), that will count as two volunteer credits to the 3+1 total needed for your family.
Stroke and Turn Judges (cannot run meets without trained BR S&T Judges)
- Observe swimmers for proper stroke, legal turns, and finishing
- Determine if swimmers need to be disqualified (DQ)
REQUIREMENTS: GASL Training prior to season (training sessions offered)
Starter (cannot run home meets without trained BR Starter)
- Keeps the events moving along consistently
- Announce events, calls swimmers up for events
- Operates “Start System” to begin each heat
- Judges false starts
NOTES: Requires GASL Training prior to season (training sessions offered)
Head Timer
- Keeps a “master” time on a stopwatch in case a Timer’s watch malfunctions
- Assigns Timers in each lane to ensure proper number and combination exists
- Checking visually to make sure all Timers are ready for next event
NOTES: Organization, ability to click the start button and not get distracted. Standing job
Timers
- Three timers at the start/finish of each lane time the swimmers with stopwatches
- One of the three timers also records the swimmers times
NOTES: Requires standing at end of line. Feet will get wet. Great view of the swimming.
Clerk of Course
- Checks in swimmers
- Verifies swimmer attendance against the meet heat sheet
- Confirms heat and lane numbers
- Seats swimmers on benches and ensures the next 2 to 4 events are ready to go.
NOTES: ¼ cup organizational skills, ¼ cup cheerleader, ½ cup patience
Lane Organizer
- Assists Clerk of Course
- Receives grouped swimmers from the Clerk, lines them up in correct places, and safely guides them to the right chairs or starting blocks.
NOTES: ¼ cup organizational skills, ¼ cup cheerleader, ½ cup patience
Kid Finder
- Works with Clerk of Course and Coaches to identify and locate swimmers who have not checked in
NOTES: ¼ cup detective skills, ¼ cup cheerleader, ½ cup patience
Runner
- Collects the recorded swim times from the Timers and delivers them to the IT/Computer table
NOTES: Ability to negotiate wet, crowded start lines and identify the timer with timesheet
Tech Rep
- Away Meets
- Assist in reading times to scorekeeper for data entry
- Cross check entered data against actual Timer sheets
- Home Meets (above plus:)
- Assemble clipboards with event sheets for Timers
- Ensure enough programs are assembled and distributed for all coaches and essential positions
NOTES: This is usually a seated job
Ribbon Clerk
- Adhere printed labels onto appropriate ribbons
- Assist scorekeeper with various duties
NOTES: This is usually at least partially a seated job
Heat Winner Ribbon
- Carefully watch each heat to determine winner of heat
- Hand out “Heat Winner” ribbons to the swimmer that won the heat
NOTES: Ability to negotiate wet, crowded start lines and identify heat winner and appreciate the giant smiles!
Relief Worker
- Provide bathroom breaks to all non-trained positions for the duration of the meet
- Check in with all Timers regularly
- Hand out water to all swim meet workers, especially Timers who spend a lot of time in the sun
NOTES: Flexibility and willingness to help where needed
Concessions
- Assist in Concessions with selling and distribution of all food items
- Replenish food items during meet, work with grillers
- Provide water cups for Relief Worker to distribute during meet
- Set up and clean up of concessions items and area
- Possibly work a snow cone machine
NOTES: Standing job, requires patience with retail, kids, and tacos in a bag
Concessions Griller
- Set up and break down grill area depending on shift
- Break down includes cleaning the grill
- Cook occasional breakfast items
- Grill burgers, hot dogs for duration of meet
NOTES: Requires heat tolerance
Set Up and Take Down
- Fully set up pool according to directions prior to meet
- Saturday meets – set up takes place the night before (shortly before 8PM)
- Any weeknight meets – set up takes place the afternoon of the meet between 3-4pm
- Take down takes place immediately following meet until all items are put away and everything is back in place
NOTES: None – directions for set up will be provided
PLEASE NOTE
Concessions donations are needed and appreciated but do not count towards volunteer credits
If you have any questions about volunteering, please contact Jess Pachler at 410-916-5500 or [email protected]
