Swim Team Parent Volunteers

Volunteer Roles

Indian Hill Club prides itself on hosting well-run swim meets, and we rely on our parents to help us do this. All swimmers entered in a meet are required to have a parent/guardian volunteer for a minimum of half a meet (approximately 1.5 hours). The following is a description of the various volunteer roles that are required to run a swim meet.

Clerk of Course
(2 in total, all meets)

Manage the clerk of course.

Boys/Girls Age Group Organizer
(20 in total; all meets)

Work with swimmers who are ages 8 and under and 9-10. Ensure swimmers are brought to clerk of course, stay with the swimmers at clerk of course, line up behind the starting blocks in the correct order and in time for their race/relay according to the meet lineups which are provided by the coaches. There are a total of 10 organizers per meet as follows:

  • 2 (1st half only) – organizers for 6 and under girls
  • 2 (1st half only)– organizers for 6 and under boys
  • 2 per half – organizers for 8 and under girls
  • 2 per half – organizers for 8 and under boys
  • 2 per half – organizers for 9-10 girls
  • 2 per half– organizers for 9-10 boys

The role is for the entire meet, through there are breaks when the older kids are swimming. Role is split into first half and second half volunteers.

Stroke/Turn Judge
(4 in total at all meets: 1 turn and 1 stroke for each half )

Watch swimmers in 3 lanes (either 1-3 or 4-6) to ensure they are swimming legal strokes and turns. Disqualify swimmers who do not swim legal stroke/turns. This job is for half of the meet and you must remain in the position for the entire half (no breaks). Requires attending a 1 hour training session before the first meet.

Place Judges
(4 in total home meet: 2 each half; 2 in total away meet: 1 each half)

Watch finishes and record the order in which each lane placed in the race. This job is for half of the meet and you must remain in the position for the entire half (no breaks).

Timer
(16 in total at home meets: 8 per half; 12 in total at away meets: 6 per half)

Time swimmer in your lane and record time on the lane slip. There are 2 timers per lane and times are averaged together. Must pay close attention to meet starter. This job is for half of the meet and you must remain in the position for the entire half (no breaks).

Head Timer
(2 in total: 1 per half ; home meets only)

Keep two back-up stop watches running in case one of the timers has a problem with their stopwatch. This job is for half of the meet and you must remain in the position for the entire half (no breaks).

Runner
(2 in total: 1 per half, home meets only)

Collect lane slips from timers and place slips from the place judges after each race and deliver them to the ribbon table. This job is for half of the meet and you must remain in the position for the entire half (no breaks). Requires much walking.

Ribbon Table—Stickers
(2 in total; 1 per half; all meets)

Receive sticker sheets from computer person. Place finished label on ribbons.

Computer Table – Enter Times
(4 in total, 2 each half; home meets only)

Enter times into the EasyMeet software on the team computer. One person reads off times from lane sheets, the other person enters times. Check the finish judge sheets to confirm order of finish agrees with the times. Keep a running tally of the meet score based on the points awarded to the top finishers in each event (EasyMeet will score the meet for you).

Announcer

(Home meets only; 1 per meet (or 2 per half))

Announces all pertinent information during the meet

Deck Referee

(1 total; home meet only)

Organizes officials; runs timer meeting; starts each heat. Must be USA Swimming or YMCA Swimming certified official. This job is the whole meet.

Meet Manager

(1 total; all meets)

Creates meet files; prints lane sheets, heat sheets, finish judge sheets prior to start of meet. Saves meet file and submits to League for publication on League website.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time do I need to arrive at the meet?
If you are a first-half worker, you need to arrive at least 30 minutes before the meet is scheduled to start. If you are a first-half stroke/turn/ place judge, timer, or lane slip runner, you must attend a brief meeting 15 minutes before the start of the meet. The location of the meeting will be announced over the speaker. If you are a second-half worker, you should arrive by 7:30.

Where do I report for my job?
This depends on what job you are doing and whether you are a first or second half worker as follows:

  • Clerk of Course
  • Age Group Parents
  • 1st Half Judges, Timers and Runners: Go to the pre-meet meeting
  • 2nd Half Judges, Timers and Runners: See the 1st half person you are replacing
  • Ribbon Table: Go to the ribbon table

Do I need any special training?
The only positions that need special training are stroke and turn judges. Training for these positions involves attending a 1 hour clinic. Certified YMCA or USA swimofficials do not need to attend the clinic in order to be a turn or stroke judge. For all other positions, training is provided “on the job.”

How will I know what to do?
If you are a timer, judge, or land slip runner, this will be explained at the pre-meet meeting. For all other positions, an experienced meet worker will show you what to do.

Will I get a reminder that I am supposed to work?
Yes, you will receive a reminder phone call and/or e-mail the day before the meet.

What do I do if I am signed up to work a meet but can’t work that meet?
Contact someone who is working another meet and work a trade with them.