PARENT VOLUNTEER POLICY
The Flying Fish have access to one of the best aquatic centers in Arizona and host several meets throughout the year. Not only does this bring in money for our team, it also keeps us from having extra travel expenses that attending out of town meets would incur.
The success of our meets as well as our overall program is dependent on our families’ involvement. With help from everyone we can keep our dues down and avoid traditional fundraisers.
We want to thank you for taking an active role in supporting FAST and your swimmers!
Session Obligations
Families (Green thru Senior Plus) will be required to work the following sessions per meet whether or not the family has a swimmer swimming at the meet.
Any home meet with six or more sessions - 3 sessions
Age Group / Senior States (when hosting) - 3 sessions
Any home meet with four or five sessions- - 2 sessions
Any home meet with three or fewer sessions - 1 session
Any additional smaller meets hosted by FAST may be used as makeup sessions
As an alternative, your family can make a direct donation of $1,000 to cover all volunteer obligations for the year. This fee will be non-refundable and will not be prorated.
Volunteer Sign-Up
All volunteers must first register / sign up for jobs using the team’s website. Volunteers must also check in at the Clerk of Course for the session worked to be counted. If a volunteer does not sign in at the Clerk of Course the session will not be counted and your account will be charged $75.00 per missed session at the conclusion of the meet.
To sign up as a volunteer for an upcoming meet:
Log into your account
Click "Events" at the top of the page and find the meet
Click "Job Signup" to see the available jobs / sessions
Choose the jobs / sessions you'd like to work
Click the button with the green plus sign that says "Signup"
We ask that you please sign up for jobs / sessions no later than one week prior to its start. If there are no jobs available or if you have questions about the ones that are available, please contact the volunteer committee ([email protected]) to discuss your options BEFORE the meet.
Common Meet Volunteer Positions
Admin Official
Is required to obtain a USA Swimming Certification and non-athlete registration (fees will be reimbursed by the team). Admins are responsible to work with officials and other meet personnel to accurately record swimmers’ times which may require timing adjustments and computer entries. This position requires a person that can focus in noisy situations and multi-task.
Admin Assistant
No previous experience necessary. This position may include collecting timer sheets, posting results, filing, and organizing.
Admin Runner
No previous experience necessary. Runners collect the timing sheets from the lanes after the races and deliver them to the administrative referee. They may also post results throughout the facility or deliver them to the Clerk of Course.
Announcer
No previous experience necessary. Uses a public address system to announce each event and heat of the meet. Makes required sponsorship announcements and announces the results at prelim / final meets.
C6 Operator
Basic training is required. Responsible for operating the Colorado Timing System (computer hooked to timing system) and monitors timing or equipment errors. Must have the ability to function and multitask in a noisy environment.
C6 Assistant
No previous experience necessary to shadow / train.
Clerk of Course
Assisting with the administration of the meet, including but not limited to athlete and coach check-ins, distributing coach information, and other paperwork. Training can be given during a meet.
Hospitality
No previous experience necessary. Hospitality servers help coordinate the food set up, preparation, and serving in the hospitality room. Hospitality runners assist the hospitality staff with bringing snacks, beverages, and meals to coaches, officials, and volunteers, as well as helping to refill dispensers on deck. Children 11 or older can sign up for sessions in the hospitality area. Families with younger children are welcome to bring them to help but it will not count as an additional session. For a child under the age of 11 to count as a session, they need to have volunteered in the hospitality area with a parent at a prior meet and have approval by the hospitality coordinator.
Head Timer
No previous experience necessary. The head timer starts two stop watches at the start of each race to serve as backup watches in case there is a problem or malfunction in a lane during the race. They also communicate with officials regarding any replacement timer needs or problems.
Lane Timer
No previous experience necessary. Timers operate either a button or a stopwatch during each race and record the stopwatch time on a timing sheet. Training is given prior to the start of the first race of the day. Children 11 or older can sign up for sessions as a timer. Families with younger children are welcome to bring them to help but it will not count as an additional session.
Meet Marshal
Meet Marshals are required by USA Swimming to properly run a meet. They assist the officiating staff by observing the deck and surrounding areas to ensure that all safety rules are being followed. The online training and tests are quick.
Officials / Official Trainees
Officials need to have USA Swimming Certification - that includes a background check, concussion prevention training, and Safe Sport training. All fees will be reimbursed by the team. Only those interested in becoming an official should sign up for the trainee positions. No previous experience is necessary to shadow / train. Click here to learn how to become an official.
Additional Volunteer Opportunities
If you are unable to volunteer for one of our mandatory meets, you may do one of the following:
Obtain a team sponsor. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Volunteer at a smaller meet (i.e. High School Time Trial - not guaranteed).
Provide other professional services. Contact [email protected] with any other skill, service, or creative ideas that you might have.
All of the above MUST be pre-approved by a member of the Volunteer Committee. Please contact [email protected] with any additional questions.
