We need every family’s help to make the swim season happen!
The Darnestown Swim Team is a solely volunteer run organization (with the exception of coaches). It is imperative to have parent volunteers run meets and other swim team events.
Volunteer Policy
The Darnestown Swim Team is run entirely by volunteers and each family is required to participate as volunteers no less than 16 hours per season. Parents who do not fulfill this requirement may be subject to penalties.
How to Volunteer
There are many areas where volunteers are needed during the swim season.
The most important area where volunteers are needed is to support our swim meets!
It is easy to sign up to volunteer for a meet or other swim team activity!
You can sign up for most of your volunteer dates/responsibilities on our website.
The procedure is simple:
- Log onto your account at our website
- Click EVENTS
- Next to any event, (swim meet, etc...) when volunteers are needed, there is a JOB SIGN-UP button.
- Click on the JOB SIGN-UP button.
- Check the box next to the position for which you chose to volunteer.
- Click the SIGN-UP button near the bottom of the screen.
- Your name will be entered on the volunteer list.
Note: There are some swim meet volunteer positions that you can only sign up for if you have experience or certification: Chief Judge, Computer Operator, Referee, Starter, and Stroke & Turn Judge. Please email [email protected] if you are interested in learning more about the training for these positions.
All other meet volunteer responsibilities only need a brief on the job training.
Non-Meet Volunteer Options
We understands that sometimes families cannot fulfill all their volunteer hours through swim meets. There are volunteers needed for all swim team activities. Most swim team activities are on the calendar and need volunteers! For example pizza parties, Pancake Breakfast, making concession runs, and there are many, many more
VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTIONS- ROLES NEEDING NO EXPERIENCE
Announcer
Love hearing youself talk? Kids love hearing their names announced. Help announce the meet. Use heat sheet to read swimmers names as they are getting lined up for each event/ heat.
Automation Assistant/Verifier
Sit in the shade and help with automation. Works with our certified automation team to help review time sheets and get them into the system successfully.
Clerk of Course (Home Meet)/Asst Clerk of Course (away meet)
Help to gather the swimmers and get them in order prior to their event/ heat. Coaches help with this as well and its mostly our younger swimmers (8U, 9-10) who need help getting lined up. Great way to get to know the kids on the team!
Timers
Timers use stopwatches to time how fast the swimmer in their lane swims their race. One timer per line will record each of the three times on the provided paperwork and then circle the middle time. Great way to be right where the action is!
Head Timer (home meet) Assistant Head timer (away)
The head timer starts two stopwatches at the beginning of each race. If any timer missed the start of a race or forgot to clear the watch from the previous race, the head timer will lend the timer one of their watches for that race.
Runner – 2 runners per meet
Collect sheets from timers at the end of every heat and get them to the automation table. Post results on the wall for swimmers and families to see
Concession Stand
Sign up in various increments. Help to make the purchases of food for sale prior to the meet, help sell concessions during the meet OR help to manage the grill during the meet flipping burgers and hotdogs and cheering on the kids! Another great way to meet parents and swimmers.
Ribbon Writer/Awards
The person in charge of awards is responsible for getting the results labels from automation and placing the label on the corresponding ribbon. The swimmers love to get their ribbons from the meets!
Photagrapher
Love taking pictures? The team photographer gets a front row pass at the meet and takes candid and action shots of our swimmers. Photographers then load the pictures onto our shared Demon website for parents and swimmer to view. Lastly they help to put together the Swim Banquet slide show. Its the highlight of the season! More than one person can volunteer to split the meets (A vs B) or any way you like.
Parking Attendants
Help manage the parking for home meets prior to the meet beginning.
Volunteer Jobs- Requiring Certification or Experience
Automation
Experience-needed position that enters time, disqualifications and other key meet results into our automation system to keep score at meets. No official certification required but training is available.
Head Referee- Home meets Only
The referee ensures that the rules are enforced fairly. The referee confirms disqualifications raised by the stroke and turn judges when the swimmer violates the rules for that stroke. The referee also blows a whistle at the beginning of each race to signal that the next race is about to start. The referee attends a special training session at the beginning of the season to certify that they can act as a referee.
Starter - home meets only
Certified position that determines that all lanes are properly filled with eligible swimmers for the event; determines that all swimmers are in proper start position. Starts each event with whistle or airhorn. Determines that all swimmers properly begin the event. Must attend annual league training clinic to be certified
Stroke and Turn Judge
Stroke and turn judges watch how swimmers swim each stroke. They disqualify a swimmer in the event where the swimmer does not swim the stroke legally. Stroke and turn judges attend a special training session at the beginning of the season to certify that they can act as stroke and turn judges.
