Volunteer Job Descriptions

Success of our Swim Club Depends on Member Participation

The success of Piranhas depends on its members. One way to help the club thrive is to become directly involved as a Volunteer. Opportunities to participate in the day-to-day activities of our team exist all year long, but the greatest need for volunteers occurs when the Piranhas Swim Club hosts meets. Hosting meets throughout the year requires over 1800 volunteer hours. As such, Piranhas Swim Club requires its members to staff the various meets it hosts throughout the year. A link to our detailed Volunteer Policy can be found HERE.

 

Below is a list of typical single-day job duties at our hosted meets:

Position

Description

Head Timer

1 per session

Train and direct lane timers prior to the meet’s start. Make sure each lane has a stopwatch, pencil and race list for the lane. Instruct timers of their duties. Set two back up watches for each heat and troubleshoot if problems crop up. Make sure all materials are returned at the end of each session.

Timers

16 per session

Closest job to the action! Provide back-up times for each swimmer. One person per lane operates a stopwatch and the other person operates an electronic button and records the stopwatch time.

**ACCESS A TIMING INSTRUCTION GUIDE HERE**

Meet Marshall

3-4 adults/session

Keep our swimmers safe and our officials sane by providing crowd control around the pool. Direct swimmers to their starting blocks, redirect spectators to the perimeters of the pool deck. Check restrooms for empty supplies, request restock from janitor. Maintain orderly warm-up & cool down practices in the diving well. Keep diving boards clear of swimmers. Direct guests to first aid/emergency assistance.

Runner

2 per session

Get some steps in! Walk between timing table and timers to get backup times, take adds and scratches to the timers. Back up to Head Timer as needed. Deliver results to Awards table when needed. Runs other miscellaneous, necessary errands and serves as a helper for any volunteer or coach who needs support on deck.

Order of Finish

2 per session

Be an extra set of eyes for our Officials; observe each race and make a written record of the finishing place of each racer.

Meet Computer

1 per session

Be part of the group at the computer table. Using Meet Manager software, record the results of each event in the computer.  Print results and award labels when necessary. Training is provided for this position.

Colorado Electronic Operator / Colorado Electronic Shadow

2 adults per session

Another group at the computer table! This person operates the electronic timing system. Training is provided for this position, and it is easy to learn - best if you’re a detail-oriented person.

Greeter      

2 adults+ per session

The first face our guests see! Direct volunteers, coaches, spectators, and officials. Answer questions. Hold lost items for claim.

Concessions

3+ adults per session

Work with the Dry Side Director to set up and sell food. Keep beverages stocked in coolers. Organize money and transfer earnings to Dry Side Director. Clean up at the end of each shift.

Hospitality

2 per session

Work with Dry Side Director to take care of our coaches and officials for breakfast, lunch, dinner, beverage, and snack needs. Make sure the Hospitality area is stocked, cleaned, and organized.  Occasionally serve volunteers on pool deck. 

Set Up/Take Down

4 per meet

Put the pieces of the puzzle into place! Set up timing equipment, chairs & bleachers on deck, concessions and hospitality equipment, and more.

Announcer

1 per session

You are the voice of the meet! Announces the swimmers and events as they occur, as well as other miscellaneous information.

 

Officiating

Who are the people in white polo shirts standing at the pool ends during meets? They are the stroke and turn officials. They judge whether the swimmers are performing according to USA Swimming rules. They are volunteers, most of them parents of swimmers.

Why become a stroke and turn official?

  • You help make successful meets for your swimmer and lots of other swimmers.
  • You have the best and often the coolest view. You are close to the action.
  • You come to understand swimming better.

What do I have to know about swimming? Can I still be a stroke and turn judge, if I was not a swimmer?

  • Yes, you can. The instruction and shadow sessions with an experienced stroke and turn judge prepare you.

Are there any costs involved with becoming and Official?

  • There are nominal fees involved in becoming certified as a Stroke & Turn Official.  However, Piranhas Swim Club is proud to support your commitment and will reimburse all costs incurred in the process.
  • Fees:
    • Non-Athlete MSI Membership - $62.00/annually
    • Initial required Background Screen - $19.00 (re-checked every 2 years)

Would I have to disqualify swimmers, if they violated the stroke and turn rules? I do not want to disappoint them.

  • At one time or another, especially in their first meets, nearly all swimmers receive a disqualification. Yes, the swimmer is disappointed, but learns and goes on to swim correctly in the next meet. A disqualification creates an opportunity for the swimmer to learn from the coach.

How do I become a stroke and turn official? You become a stroke and turn official in four steps:

  • Become a non-athlete member of Minnesota Swimming. This step provides insurance for you while you are on deck officiating. See the Minnesota Swimming Web site for registration information and forms.
  • Attend a Minnesota Swimming stroke and turn clinic. These clinics last two hours. A representative of the Minnesota Swimming Officials Committee explains the duties and the protocols. He or she also explains the rules for each stroke and shows a USA Swimming video that presents examples of correct and incorrect form. Clinics are given at irregular intervals. 
  • Take the on line exam on the USA Swimming website. It is open-book and easy to pass. The purpose is to encourage you to study the rules. The rules book is online. You also receive a copy, when you become a non-athlete member of Minnesota Swimming.
  • Shadow for five sessions. Remember that a session is a morning or afternoon period of a meet and not an entire meet. When you go to a meet for a shadow session, you go to the timer’s table, ask for the referee and tell the referee that you want to shadow for stroke and turn. The referee will assign you to work with an experienced stroke and turn official. Usually you will rotate from one official to another during the meet so that you have observations at both the start and turn ends. The experienced stroke and turn official will ask you what you saw and discuss your observations. You will learn to recognize acceptable form and infractions.

When can I shadow? When can I officiate once I have completed my shadow sessions? Just at Piranhas Swim Club hosted meets?

  • You can shadow at any meet, except State Finals meets. Once you have completed your shadow sessions, you can officiate at any meet. You will be welcomed on deck as a volunteer contributing to the success of that meet.

If you are interested in becoming a stroke and turn judge, contact our Head Coach.