2023 PARENT VOLUNTEER JOBS

 

Parent Involvement: Your help is VITAL for a successful meet. We expect all parents to volunteer for at least 2 shifts for the season (2 hours/shift). We need your help to make these meets run smoothly. Your child will not be able to swim if you do not volunteer. No prior experience is required. Sign-up sheets will be provided on the website.

 

If you have any questions about volunteer jobs please contact Andrea Siceluff, Meet Manager, through TeamUnify.

Part 1: A step by step guide on how to sign up for Volunteer Jobs for swim meet

Part 2: Volunteer Job Descriptions and Procedures




Team Unify: Step by Step Guide to Sign up for Volunteer Jobs

 

Step 1: Go to Team Unify Website: https://www.teamunify.com/Home.jsp?_tabid_=0&team=recsalbb 

Step 2: Sign in to your account

Step 3: Click on the “Events” tab at the top of the webpage

Step 4: Select the swim meet you want to sign up for

Step 5: Select Job Sign Up

Step 6: Select Job Name you want to sign up for and click “Signup”

Step 7: Double check that it went through by looking for your name in the Job Name Signup Slot


 

Volunteer Job Descriptions and Procedures

 

Age Group Leader

(act as an age-group shepherd for swimmers to get to their events)

(Position needed at ALL swim meets)

This is one of the most important jobs for which we need volunteers and requires the individual to volunteer the entire meet. We have used this system for a while, and it has proven effective and the least chaotic. This is a good way to be with your child during the entire meet if you work his/her age group, and allows you to see your child swim right from the edge. Age-group coordinators are the only parents allowed to have their chair within the tent space. Please make sure to be here 20-30 minutes before the start of the age group you are working with.

 

Materials Provided

  1. Color Coded Vest: each age group leader will get a colored vest for their age group. There are 2 vests per age group: one for girls and one for boys.
  2. Clipboard and Heat Sheets: Please make sure you have the clipboard for your age group.
  3. Pencil/Pen: Please make sure to have this to mark off the list

 

Procedure: 

  1. Choose an age group and pick up that group’s clipboard and vest from the volunteer table
  2. Ask each swimmer their name and find it on the list; put a check by their name to mark them present.
  3. Check for the swimmer’s competition number on their upper forearm area. The swimmer should arrive at the meet with this number. If they don’t have a number, find a Barracuda’s swim coach to get the number and events on the swimmer. Barracuda numbers are in the 2000s. See picture after procedure.
  4. Look up the events in which the swimmer is entered. The swimmers should be in no more than three individual events and a relay as a maximum (3-4 events total) Wipe off any sunscreen or the marker won’t stick. Mark them with the event abbreviation followed by their seeding number (whether they start 1st, 2nd, 11th, etc. This will help them be in the proper heat. Usually 3 swimmers per heat in a 6-lane pool, 4 in an 8-lane pool, etc..)
    ​Abbreviations for Events:
    MedR: Medley Relay
    IM: Individual Medley
    FR: Freestyle
    BK: Backstroke
    BR: Breaststroke
    FLY: Butterfly
    FrR: Free Relay
  5. Check to see if the swimmer is in a relay, if so, mark their arm with their position number after the relay abbreviation. Make sure that you have all your swimmers for the first relay. If not  you must fill the relay with the next fastest swimmer (who is not already in a relay). If in doubt, check with a coach.
  6. For the 10 and unders, get the first relay to the lineup area and send the #2 and #4 swimmers to the opposite end to the start, and put #1 and #3 at the starting end. The 11-12 and up age groups all swim 50 yards, so they can all go to the starting end.
  7. About 15 minutes before your group is due to start their event (approx. 1 ½ age groups before your event) line the swimmers up in a straight line on the “ready bench” and line them from fastest first to the slowest by their seeding from the clipboard. Skip numbers for absent swimmers.
  8. March the swimmers from the gathering area to the starting line; make sure the three fastest swimmers are in the first heat. Continue to line up the swimmers by threes (for 6-lane pools) from fastest in descending order. 
  9. If we are running freestyle relays at the end of the meet, notify these swimmers so they know to stay. If one is missing, check with a coach to see if a substitute can be found. There should be no more than 3 individual events and 1 relay for each swimmer. If a swimmer exceeds this, contact coaching coordinators to move the swimmer's events.

 

 

 

Ribbon Writer

(Position needed at ALL swim meets)

This job is quick-paced and easy. You will be placed behind the card-writers and timers, and you will write the ribbons for each swimmer who comes in. You will need to determine the place of each lane and write out a place ribbon Timerfor each swimmer. If a place is in dispute, use the time provided by the timers to determine the award.

 

Materials Provided:

  1. Apron
  2. Ribbons for each place
  3. Pen/Permanent Marker

 

Procedure:

  1. Put on an apron and make sure you have ribbons for each place in the pockets.
  2. Make sure to have a writing instrument to write on the ribbons.
  3. Work with the Scribes and Timers to determine the correct place and choose that ribbon.
  4. Write down the EVENT Number and TIME on the ribbon.
      -The event number will be announced before each heat (if you miss this, the scribe will have this written down on the time card)
      -The time will be given by the scribe in your lane
  5. Give the ribbon to the swimmer once they get out of the water.

 

Timers and Scribes

(Position is needed at ALL swim meets)

TIMERS

Timing is fairly self-explanatory: START, STOP, RESET! This job is very important because this is what determines place finish. You will be seated by the scribe for the same lane. Make sure to test out your watch and let the Meet Manager know if you have any issues with your watch. Below is a picture of a stopwatch with instructions. While your stopwatch might not look exactly like this, the buttons are the same. You will also have a kickboard available. This kickboard is to be used during backstroke heats to make sure the younger kids don’t hit their head on the wall.

Materials Provided:

  1. Stopwatch

Procedure

  1. Once you receive your stopwatch, test out the buttons on the top to make sure they all work.
  2. Use the “Mode” button (middle button) to get to the stopwatch setting.
  3. Make sure to CLEAR OUT the stopwatch. To do this you will push down on the left button “Split/Reset”. This should zero out the stopwatch.
  4. Test the Start/Stop button. This is important so you know how hard to push the button to start the time. 
  5. After you are done testing, make sure to clear out the watch (Split/Reset Button)
  6. Before the first heat, check the watch to make sure it’s cleared out. 
  7. When the first heat starts, the announcer will prep the swimmers and then use a speaker to indicate when to start swimming. At the same time, there will also be a flash of a light on the top of the speaker. START YOUR WATCH WITH THE LIGHT, not the sound (Sound travels slower). 
  8. When the swimmer touches the wall, stop your watch. This is especially important during the first heat of an event, where the times determine points.
      -Please stand up and hang over the edge so you can see the swimmer finish and determine their place
      -    Your time determines place finish, so it is very important that you are as accurate as possible
      -For freestyle and backstroke: Only 1 hand touches
      -For breaststroke and butterfly, swimmers must touch with TWO hands- so stop on the second one.
  9. Show the time to the scribe (who will be sitting next to you)
  10. After the scribe has written down the time, RESET your stopwatch. 
  11. If your watch malfunctions, or you miss a start, raise your hand and flag down the Back Up Timer, whose job is to start the watch for every event in case of a missing time.

SCRIBES

One of the timers will also be a scribe. Your job is to write down the times from the timers and record the swimmer’s number (located on their upper arm/back) so that the card can be used to tabulate the scores. 

Materials Provided:

  1. Clipboard
  2. Time Cards
  3. Pen

Procedure:

  1. Take a look at the time cards provided and familiarize yourself with the layout. While most cards are the same, sometimes the layout can change
  2. Before each heat, the announcer will say the event and heat number. Please write these down when they are announced.
  3. When the swimmer finishes, get their swimmer number from their upper arm or back and write it down on the card.
  4. Then get the time from your watch and the timers watch (next to you) and write them down on the time card.
  5. The MOST IMPORTANT things to write down so we can accurately score are:
      -Swimmer Number
      -Event Number
      -Heat Number
      -Time 1 and 2
  6. Hold up the card once you have completed all of the necessary items and a runner will come pick them up. 
  7. If you have any issues please alert the meet manager as soon as possible so they can figure out any issues.
  8. During the younger kids’ events, the 25 yard swims go VERY rapidly, so if you have time to write ahead the basic data on a card or two, it will help you when it’s busy.

 

 

Volunteer Check-In

(Position needed for ALL meets)

This job requires sitting at a table, checking in volunteers as they arrive and making sure all of our shifts are covered. If a volunteer doesn’t arrive on time, please find a willing parent to fill in until the volunteer checks into the meet. Individuals volunteering for the job will need to be available 20 minutes BEFORE the beginning of the meet AND 20 minutes before the half-way marker to check in volunteers for both shifts.

 

Tent Master

(Position needed for AWAY meets)

The tent masters will set up and take down the age-group tents for each AWAY meet. These tents will provide shade and a place to corral the swimmers while waiting to swim their events. Only swimmers and the age group coordinator will be allowed under the tents. This job only requires transportation and set up for tents BEFORE the 6 and under meet and AFTER the older kids’ meet. No work in between!

 

Runner

(Position needed for HOME meets)

Runners simply take the cards from the scribes after each event and “run” it to the scoring table. On the way to the scoring table, review the information to make sure it is complete and correct. Hit the EASY button for this job and get your steps in!


 

Back-Up Timer

(Position needed for HOME meets)

This is only available at home meets. Timing is fairly self-explanatory: START, STOP, RESET! While you are not timing a specific swimmer or lane, you make sure everyone gets a time in case another watch malfunctions! Make sure to test out your watch and let the Meet Manager know if you have any issues with your watch. Above is a picture of a stopwatch with instructions. While your stopwatch might not look exactly like this, the buttons are the same

 

Materials Provided:

  1. Stopwatch

Procedure:

  1. Once you receive your stopwatch, test out the buttons on the top to make sure they all work.
  2. Use the “Mode” button (middle button) to get to the stopwatch setting.
  3. Make sure to CLEAR OUT the stopwatch. To do this you will push down on the left button “Split/Reset”. This should zero out the stopwatch.
  4. Test the Start/Stop button (right button). This is important so you know how hard to push the button to start the time. 
  5. After you are done testing, make sure to clear out the watch (Split/Reset Button)
  6. Before the first heat, check the watch to make sure it’s cleared out. 
  7. When the first heat starts, the announcer will prep the swimmers and then use a speaker to indicate when to start swimming. At the same time, there will also be a flash of a light on the top of the speaker. START YOUR WATCH WITH THE LIGHT, not the sound (Sound travels slower). 
  8. Keep an eye on the other timers to see if there are any issues. If there are, you can move to where the timer having an issue is.
  9. Because you are the back-up timer, you will time until the LAST swimmer finishes, so any person can catch you if your watch is needed
      -When the swimmer touches the wall, stop your watch. This is especially important during the first heat of an event, where the times determine points.
      -For freestyle and backstroke: Only 1 hand touches
      -For breaststroke and butterfly, swimmers must touch with TWO hands- so stop on the second one.
  10. RESET your stopwatch once all the swimmers have finished and there are no issues.


 

Stroke Judge

(Position needed for Prelims/Finals)

Judges are the ones to call disqualifications; not the job for the faint of heart! This is a job which is probably best for ex-swimmers who have familiarity with basic aspects of strokes, turns and starts. Judges look for stroke violations and for procedural irregularities. Usually both teams provide one judge per meet to ensure that the calls are fair. If you’re interested in judging, see the coordinators and the most current set of rules can be relayed to you.


 

Other Jobs As Needed

Score Keeper/Data Entry: We use the program Meet Manager/Team Manager to tabulate and score meets. This is an easy job, but requires basic computer knowledge and organizational skills. This is a computer data entry job for those who like computers and sitting down! The times from each swimmer’s card will be entered and the program will calculate the scores for us.

 

Announcer/Starter: Best seat in the house! At Home meets this volunteer will announce each heat and event and start each race. This position is for the entire meet and is one of the most important jobs. Fast paced, exciting and fun!