Swim Meet Volunteer Descriptions

Clerk of Course

1 lead

3 assistants

Responsible for all of the paperwork at the meet prior to the swimmer's event. The clerk seeds each swimmer in each event to a heat and lane according to their submitted entry time. Swimmers report to the clerk prior to their scheduled event to receive a time card with their heat and lane assignment for that event. The Clerk is always in need of volunteers to help hand out event cards, get swimmers in their proper order, and walk young swimmers to their assigned lane at the start of their event.

Lead Clerk of Course requires training at the league certification clinic; assistants do not require training.

Stroke & Turn Judge

6

Stroke & Turn Judges are responsible for making sure swimmers comply with the rules relating to each stroke/turn. These parents have the best seat at swim meets and are often former swimmers themselves. They are responsible for insuring that swimmers are swimming "legal" strokes during relays and individual events.

Minimum of four required for each meet. Parents choosing to volunteer as a Stroke &Turn official are also required to complete a training course sponsored by PWSL.

Referee

2

One each per home meet, one each as backup for away meets. These parents are very experienced and knowledgeable about how swim meets run.

Starter

2

Starters are volunteers with several years of experience as a Stroke and Turn Judge. Starters require training at the league certification clinic for officials.

One each per home meet, one each as backup for away meets.

Recorder

6

Record the swimmer's time (as reported by the lane timers) on the card at the completion of the race. In addition they make sure the right swimmer is in the correct heat and lane before the start. One recorder is required per lane (usually seated).

Volunteer Coordinator

1 Lead

(Board Secretary assists)

This parent is responsible for making sure all the volunteer positions for swim meets are filled for both home and away meets. They set up the online sign-up each week, check in the volunteers the morning of the meet and make sure all positions are filled during shift changes. They also keep track of how many hours each family is working during the season.

Timer

1 Lead

1 assistant

12 - 18  per meet

Most parent volunteers start as timers. The only skill or knowledge required is the working of a stopwatch. The most important single statistic at a swim meet is the time a swimmer achieved during their race. This is also the "best seat in the house" right at the finish! 18 lane timers and 1 head timer per team are needed at each home meet. 12 lane timers and 1 head timer per team at away meets.

Ribbons

1 Lead

2 assistants

Place the labels with names of the swimmers on their ribbon after each event. At home, this is done in an air conditioned location and begins about 1/3 of the way thru the meet. Some work may also be completed the next day. 

Scorer

1 Lead

3 assistants

Receive time cards from the runners and determine the official time. Also verify each event with the computer results.

Runner

4

Collect time cards from the recorders and deliver them to the scorers after each heat.

Concessions

1 Lead

2 assistants

4 per meet

At all home meets, there is a concession stand organized and staffed by volunteers. This is a primary fundraiser for the team! Volunteers are needed to set-up and sell the food and drinks at each home meet.

Announcer

1

Call swimmers to the Clerk of Course area; provide score updates and other required messages.

Computer Operator

1 Lead

1 assistant

Responsible for electronic meet entries prior to the swim meet and data entry of meet results at the meet. The biggest part of this job is done the week prior to a swim meet; getting all meet entries entered into the computer and printing event cards for the Clerk of Course. The computer operator always needs a volunteer or two on the day of the meet to help enter event results. 

Heat Ribbons

3 

Stands poolside and awards a heat ribbon to the winner of each heat. An exciting and very satisfying position.

Marshal

2

Controls traffic flow in and around the pool deck to prevent injury or interference with meet operations.

Set Up

1 Lead

10 assistants

Prepare the deck for the meet beginning when the pool closes to the public on Friday night. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to help.

Clean Up

1 Lead

10 assistants

It is not the responsibility of the Kingsbrooke HOA to clean up after the meet. After each meet, our team is responsible for putting everything back in its proper place and retrieving all trash and storing meet equipment. This means removing lane lines and backstroke flags, returning tables, chairs, and lounges to their original spots, and disassembling temporary pavilions and picking up all lost and found items. By approximately 12:30 pm the pool should be ready to re-open to the public. All families are encouraged to clean up after themselves and to help clean up after our guests at every meet.