Volunteering: Job Descriptions
FAMILY OBLIGATIONS:
#1: READ the information about your family's obligations to the team. (Found under "Volunteering" --> "Family Obligations.")
VOLUNTEER ROLE DESCRIPTIONS
Thank you so much for volunteering for the Gator swim team!
CHECK IN IS REQUIRED between 4:30 and 5pm. If you will be late YOU MUST communicate via TEXT to the Volunteer Parent Rep.
ROLES NEEDED:
MEET SET-UP/TEAR DOWN* (Home and Away. For AWAY MEETS ONLY this counts for two shifts) 4pm - ***these duties are absorbed in other roles for home meets).
1. Gets shade tents from BSC by asking the manager to unlock the lower pump house, there are four tents. The other equipment is in the guard house. (For away meets you may wish to pick up the following supplies on Sunday before the meet: shade tents, the clear volunteer tub, the two orange water coolers, two foldable tables, and the two alpha- sheet boards. Please ensure your ability to achieve a timely set-up prior to swimmers arrival, aka be at the away destination at 4pm with the tents.)
2. 4pm: Sets up the tents around in the bullpen. Ask the hosting team where to find the bullpen.
3. Hangs the laminated Bullpen signs designating where the age groups are to gather. Simply choose an area of fence and use the clips to mount the sign to the fence.
4. Hangs the alpha sheet boards and puts the alphabetized swimmer sheets in the page holders.
5. Sets up the folding tables. Home Meet: in concession area and for the check in area. Away Meet: for check in and water coolers.
6. Fills the water coolers. Is available to execute additional delegated tasks by the parent reps.
6. Break down the tents at the end of the meet.
7. (For Away Meets:) Transport equipment back to the pump house and guard house at Brentwood Swim Club.
*Benefit: Free to watch your swimmer(s) during the meet.
CARD RUNNER (1 per meet HOME and AWAY, 2 for the Gator home meet). 5:15pm Picks up timer sheets from each lane and delivers them to the scoring table. This job is on your feet and you will get a lot of steps! Each team provides a runner. Work together!
LANE/BLOCK LOADERS (2 per meet, HOME and AWAY) 5:10pm
-Referencing the Heat Sheet obtained during check-in, places swimmers in chairs marked with their lane number
-Prompts swimmers to move forward towards the blocks as their race approaches.
-Reviews heat sheet to ensure that the swimmer is in his/her designated lane.
-Relays: Ensures younger relay swimmers are in the correct order, sending or accompanying the appropriate swimmers to the other end of the pool, and ensuring they know what stroke they will swim and in what order. (All this information in on the heat sheet that will be provided to you).
LANE TIMERS 9 per meet (HOME and AWAY) or 12 for the Gator meet; 5pm
-Timers are essential workers. Confirm volunteer commitment by 4:30pm to ensure the meet may run. You can to this in person or text 314-620-3156 guaranteeing your 5pm arrival.
-Get clip board and fanny pack from check in. Assess fanny pack for functional timers and pencils.
Attend timer meeting 15 minutes before meet starts. This varies but is usually 5:10pm.
-Initiate timer for all races: Race starts at signal or light.
-Stop timer. Race ends when a part of the body touches the wall (this is summer league casual, not USA swimming rules.)
-One person from each lane should record all of the individual watch times on the timer sheets. Do not circle any times. The scorer’s table will determine the official time. A runner will come by to collect each lane’s sheets periodically as needed. Hands recorded times to the runners.
-Solicits Alternate timer's Assistance if the heat start is missed by yelling "Alternate" and raising your arm.
Each lane has three timers, 9 total provided by us, 9 provided by the opposing team. In general, the timers are assigned lanes as follows:
Home meets: 2 Brentwood timers in lanes 1,3,5; 1 Brentwood timer in lanes 2,4,6
Away Meets: 2 Brentwood timers in lanes 2,4,6; 1 Brentwood timer in lanes 1,3,5
ALTERNATE/RELIEF TIMER (1 per meet, HOME and AWAY) 5pm Starts a stop-watch at the beginning of each race as a back-up for the timers. If a timer misses that start, he/she will raise hand and call “Alternate!” The alternate timer will come over and finish timing the race on their watch and report the time to the main lane timer. The opposing team supplies an additional timer as well.
BULLPEN (7-9 per meet, HOME and AWAY) 4:45pm Bullpen volunteers are responsible for gathering the swimmers for their races and delivering them to the Lane Loaders. The bullpen is where children hang out during the meet in their age groups while waiting for their swimming events. The volunteer are located in the bullpen and is also responsible for maintaining a positive environment. This includes encouraging kids to clean up after themselves. We are often able to function with only 8 bullpen slots. The teenagers self-manage well! Parent volunteers should ask for the heat sheets when they arrive at the meet. Also, help yourself by writing the swimmers' names on their shoulder. Ex. First Initial, Last Name. This is a GREAT JOB for people with younger children. You can hang out and have family time together in the bullpen area and will line up swimmers at intervals following the heat sheet list.
Generally, there will be 7-9 parent volunteers in the main bullpen to cover the following jobs:
- 6&u girls – 1 volunteer, sometimes combined with 6U boys
- 6&u boys – 1 volunteer, sometimes combined with 6U girls
- 7-8 girls – 1 volunteer
- 7-8 boys – 1 volunteer
- 9-10 girls – 1 volunteer
- 9-10 boys – 1 volunteer
- 11-12 girls – 1 volunteer, sometimes combined with boys group
- 11-12 boys – 1 volunteer, sometimes combined with girls group
- 13+ girls/boys - 1 volunteer, this age cohort is usually self sufficient. If we are tight on staffing, this role may be reallocated.
BULLPEN TRACKER/LANE LIASON 5pm – Easy, nuanced details below
- Critical as the meet starts. First the swimmers with all four legal strokes compete in an individual medley (IM), these older kids mostly manage themselves. These events take a bit of time due to the nature of multiple strokes being swam.
- Then the meet flow gets going quickly with the free style stroke, normally around event 9.
- CRITICAL: ensure the youngest bullpens are lining up so that the lane loaders can sort them into their lane chairs. Once the grid of chairs is loaded and the free style is underway, your aim is to:
- Assesses the swimmer congestion in the lane loading. When there is space to call up the next age group, you will alert the upcoming group's Bullpen Volunteer. For example, you will walk over to the 6U Bullpen Volunteer and say, “Hi, you need to start lining up your kiddos.”
- Sometimes the 13+ and 15+ kiddos don't have an adult bullpen leader, if this is the case, please introduce yourself early and tell them you will call on them when it is time to line up. (Teenagers generally self manage)
- Flip the event tracker numbers to communicate/alert the bullpen volunteers OF BOTH TEAMS which event is next in the loading lanes.
Swimmers are highly encouraged to sit with their age group so parent volunteers can locate them when it is their turn to swim.
COMPUTER ASST 1: Card Judge (1 per meet, HOME and AWAY) 5:30pm Organizes time sheets as they are delivered by the Runner. Associates DQ slips with the appropriate time sheet. Circles the middle time of the three recorded for data entry. Reviews time sheets to look for potential errors (Significant spread in time, difficulty reading, inappropriately truncating the times, etc.). Notifies parent rep if there is a problem. Determines if a timing malfunction occurred.
COMPUTER ASSIST 2: Data Entry (1 per HOME and AWAY meet) 5:30pm Works with opposing team’s computer scorer to input all times into the computer as they come in from the Card Judge/Runner.
RIBBONS/Treat Hand-Out (2/morning after meet; post HOME and AWAY) You MUST BE PRESENT 8:00-11am, the morning following the meet. Post meet mornings start.
-The RIBBON LEAD: attaches labels to ribbons and sorts ribbons in labeled file folders. Who gets Ribbons? All competitors 10&u, and only 1st, 2nd and 3rd, place for competitors ages 11+. Complete ribbons for each practice and hand out to swimmers after practices are over. The first practice ends at 8:30, so priotirize labeling those between 8-8:30.
-The TREAT LEAD: purchases the post-meet treats, brings them to practice on Tuesday morning, submits the receipt for reimbursement to a Parents Rep, assists the Ribbon Lead in labeling ribbons and hands treats out to the swimmers after practice.
-Be sure to prioritize ribbon writing for early practice age groups so swimmers can receive ribbons immediately after practice.
-Hand out treats after practice for a job well done at the meet the night before.
-This job requires the volunteer to be there from the beginning of the first practice to the end of the last practice. Practices start late the day after meets.
CHECK-IN/SUBSTITUTE/HOSPITALITY (HOME and AWAY) 4:10pm
Check in duties are accompanied by either being a substitute, hospitality or clean up.
1. Check in: You will check in the volunteers, reference the role description sheet to help new volunteers understand their roles. Everyone will want a sharpie to write events on the kids arm.
-If Checking in swimmers:
Once Checked-in, direct swimmers to the fence by the tennis courts to find the Alpha Sheets (Alphabetized Swimmer List- separated by females first, then Males) to see what events they are swimming. Once check-in is complete, attempts to track down any missing swimmers or volunteers that have not checked in.
Report back to parent rep and coaches on any missing swimmers so line-up can be adjusted if needed.
-If Checking in Volunteers:
Guard the Heat Sheets (Events with Swimmer line-up) and give them to the (1)Lane/Block Loaders, (2)Bullpen Volunteers, (3)Coaches, and (4)13+ and 15+ age groups who do not need Bullpen Volunteers but will need a Heat Sheet. DO NOT give out heat sheets to families wanting have their own. Heat Sheets tend to walk away, please make sure the volunteers that need them to execute their roles have them. If families and swimmers want a heat sheet to know their races, direct them to the fence by the tennis courts to find the Alpha Sheets (Alphabetized Swimmer List- separated by females first, then males) to see what events they are swimming.
Alert parent reps to staffing holes. As the substitute, you may be asked to fill in for a job at any time. Help with clean up and tear down. Works with the other (Check-in/ Hospitality) Volunteer to tell swimmers what events they are swimming in and give volunteers labels and supplies for their job.
2. Substitute: Be well humored if extra help is needed or staffing gaps need filled!
3. Hospitality: each team offers a hospitality volunteer. If hosting the meet, you will find the tray, cups, and water pitcher from either concession volunteers or the guard house. At intervals, walk around the meet offering water to the official, coaches, timers and other volunteers. If a guest at an away meet, find their hospitality volunteer and ask how to be helpful.
HOSPITALITY: See Check-in/Substitute/Hospitality
ADDITIONAL ROLES REQUIRED FOR HOSTING HOME MEETS:
ANNOUNCER (1 per HOME meet) Announces the events for the main bull pen and spectators over the PA system. Reports any results as they are given. For 2023, this is Mike Ponciroli. Thank you Mike!
STARTER ASSISTANT (1 per HOME meet) Generally assists official as he/she walks the pool deck looking for disqualifications. Records 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in heats as directed by the official. Records DQs as directed by the official. For 2023 this is Jody Brent. Thank you Jody!
PARKING/Concessions 1st half (2 per HOME meet, 1 for Gator meet) 4:10pm Parking helpers MUST ARRIVE AT HOME MEETS BY 4pm. Parking directs cars to parking areas/spots. Reserves 2 front parking spots for the official and opposing coach when they arrive. After parking duties are complete, assist in concession stand for 1st half of meet, or until food inventory dictates.
CONCESSION Lead- HOME - Entirety of the concession stand operation (1-2 per home meet) 4:30pm
Set up concession area (tables, water, lemonade coolers, delivered food) while the other concession workers are doing parking and check in. Receive food deliveries, sign for, and save receipts when food arrives (chick-fil-a, pizza, smoothies). Sell snack and meal items on behalf of the team until food runs out. Break down the concession area at the end.
SAFETY MARSHALL/CLEAN UP/BREAK DOWN (1 per HOME meet) 5:45pm But available for check-in by 4:30. You may confirm your arrival by texting the Volunteer Parent Rep.
SAFETY MARSHALL: Wear an amazing orange vest.
-Walk about and adult starting around 5:45pm. Be a present at intervals during the meet's first half. Sitting and watching your kids as needed.
-Monitor Swimmer behavior, be a supportive and authoritative adult watching for excessive horseplay... be a guiding force for good behavior.
CLEAN UP: Begins at the beginning of the free relays, a halfway point of the meet.
-Starts cleaning up the bullpens by collecting trash and placing items in the lost and found.
TEAR DOWN: Help Meet Set Up/Tear Down Volunteer take down bullpen tents and signage.
-Returns Tents to the lower pump house.
-Returns signage to the volunteer box, and clips to the tin can in the volunteer box.
-Stays about 45 min after the meet ends to ensure the grounds are clean and tidy.
NON-MEET VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY:
SPIRIT BREAKFAST ASSISTANT (2ish annually): The Friday Morning 7:30-11am before Conference. (7.14.23) Come and help us get set up to decorate posters for Conference an enjoy breakfast. Assistant will help the general food service, maintain the art area and clean up after the event.
BANQUET ASSISTANTS (3-4 ish annually - this falls under the conference volunteer requirement) The Monday Evening after Conference at the end of year Banquet Party - 7.17.23. Volunteers will assist in one or two of several roles including picking up food, set up, clean up, serving food, organizing and passing out ribbons/trophies, etc.
ADDITIONAL ROLES:
ALL-MEET SUBSTITUE/Gambler: (0-4?): 5pm. This is a Gamblerʻs Delight because while this role is hopefully not utilized and counts towards your credits, you might find yourself doing something you don't desire. Therefore, FLEXIBLE TEMPERMENTS ONLY! These spots require you to be available for the duration of the meet to fill in for absences, illness, etc. Report between 4:30 and 5pm, assist as needed.
2024, 2025, 2026 Volunteer Coordinator Parent Rep: Erin Buehler, 314-210-8793
