Woodlea Watermocs

Parent Volunteers

It takes LOTS of volunteers (about 30-35) to run our swim meets. In order for your child to participate on the team, your family is required to commit to volunteer for four meets (16 hours of volunteer time).

Your family will sign up for preferred jobs or fill in where needed. It is the responsibility of your family to contact the Volunteer Coordinator if you are having trouble signing up for jobs online or need to find opportunities to fulfill your volunteer hours during times other than at meets. Please understand that your child may not be able to participate on the swim team in the future if your family does not meet this requirement.

Once you have committed to the work assignments it will be your responsibility to find a replacement for your job if you need to miss a meet. Remember that you are still obligated to work your four meets. We will keep track of each family and how many hours they are signed up for and actually complete. The Watermocs are a family team and it takes all of us to make the meets run smoothly. Please make every effort to fulfill your assignments. Please notify the Volunteer Coordinator when you have switched with someone (prior to the meet).

All parents working the day of the meet need to check in with the Volunteer Coordinator when they arrive at the meet, unless you are part of the set-up/tear down crew. The Volunteer Coordinator will need to fill any jobs that are no-shows as quickly as possible. Please make every effort to be at the meet when you are expected.

All jobs are for the entire length of the meet. We provide breaks during the meet with "relief workers". These are not your replacement workers. Please return to your meet job after visiting the restroom and getting some food or drink. You may bring your refreshments back to your position with you.

Volunteer Positions are:

Head Timer (Home meets only)

• Coordinates timekeepers prior to the start of the meet.
• Makes sure that there is at least one timer from each team in each lane at all times.
• Takes over for any timer whose watch fails to start or otherwise malfunctions during a race.

Timers

• Arrive at the meet 15 minutes prior to start of meet, and check-in with the volunteer coordinator to receive a stopwatch. Listen for an announcement to gather for the Timer's briefing.
• After the Timer's briefing, report to the timer’s end of the pool in your assigned lane.
• Start your watch when the light flashes/bullhorn sounds and stop it when the swimmer in your lane touches the wall.
• If your watch malfunctions or fails to start, raise your hand to notify the head timer.
• Timers record all three times on the time card and indicate the official time by circling it.
  • When three timers are timing per lane, the official time is the middle time of the three, unless two times are identical, in which case that time is the official time. When two timers are timing per lane, the official time is the average of the two times.

Heat Ribbon Runner

• Stands at the starting end of the pool and immediately awards a ribbon to the heat winner.

Meet Set-up/Clean-up & Meet Floater (Home Meets Only) -

• Set-up for Saturday meets is Friday night around 8:30 pm; for Wednesday meets is 4:30 pm.
• Crew will be provided a layout of the pool area and should be familiar with where equipment is.
  • They will set-up tables, chairs, garbage cans, and backstroke flags, and rearrange any pool furniture as necessary, all according to a checklist.
  • At the conclusion of the meet the crew takes down the backstroke flags, picks up any trash that the teams missed, puts all tables and chairs away, and returns the pool furniture to its proper places according to a checklist.
  • Additional set-up includes bringing speakers and snow cone machine from upstairs and setting them up, hanging lane signs, and any other jobs to get the pool ready.
  • This is a great job for Dads whose muscle we often need to carry tables to and from the clubhouse! We always try to leave the pool better than we find it.

Runners

• Collect DQ slips from the stroke and turn judges, take them to the referee for signature, and then to the computer operator.
• Pick up timing sheets from each lane and take them to the computer operator.

Ribbon Writer

• Label and sort ribbons into the team boxes.

Clerk of Course

• Coordinates and lines up swimmers behind the lanes. Responsible for making sure that swimmers from both teams are lined up correctly.  Please only sign up for this role if you have experience with ready bench.  

Ready Bench

• Gathers swimmers prior to each event from the team area.
• Lines up Woodlea swimmers in the team area by lane and heat.
• This is a role for someone who is familiar with most of the swimmers

Concession Sales (Home Meets Only)

• The concession volunteers work directly with the Concessions Coordinator to help run the concessions at home meets.

Computer Operator Assistant (Home Meets Only)

• Assist the computer operator during the meet.

*Computer Operator - Enters swimmer's time into the computer, scores the meet, enters disqualifications, and prints ribbon labels.

*Starter (Home Meets Only) - Set up starter system, announce the Pledge of Allegiance and play National Anthem, announce each event, start each race, determine false starts, box up starter and return to the Meet Manager at the end of the meet. Starter also provides briefing to timers and runs a practice heat for the timers.

*Referee (Home Meets Only) – Works with the starter and all meet officials to ensure the smooth operation of the swim meet. Provides briefing to Stroke and Turn Officials.

*Stroke and Turn Judges - Attend one stroke & turn training clinic prior to the season’s start. Observe swimmers in your assigned lanes during each heat. Disqualify, in a fair and consistent manner, those swimmers who violate the current ODSL disqualification (DQ) standards. Raise hand to alert the Runner to pick up DQ slip to deliver to score table.

*Computer Operator, starter, referee, and stroke and turn judges require training.

Our volunteer coordinator will be happy to answer questions about what is required for each job. Most volunteer positions need no prior swimming experience. You'll receive an email when sign-up for volunteer positions is open (usually early June).