Cherry Valley Swim Team
Swim Meet Volunteer Positions
Poolside Volunteers:
Set up: Set up pool deck, tents, announcers’ area.
Starter: A trained official who signals the beginning of each race. In order to serve as the starter, a volunteer must be trained as a starter / referee and stroke and turn judge. The home team supplies the starter at each meet (both A and B).
Referee: A trained official who ensures the meet runs smoothly. The referee is the head official and manages all aspects of the meet. In order to serve as the referee, a volunteer must be trained as a starter / referee and stroke and turn judge. The home team supplies the referee at each A meet.
Stroke and Turn Official: A trained official who ensures that all swimming rules are followed during the swim meets. Each team supplies two stroke and turn officials at each A meet.
Place Judge: A person who marks the order of finish for each event. In A meets, the points are awarded by a swimmer’s place, not his/her time. Each team supplies one place judge for each A meet.
Timer: A person who takes the swimmer’s time in an assigned lane. At an A meet, each team supplies nine timers (allowing for 3 timers in each of the six lanes for the meet). At B meets, only six timers per team are used (two timers in each lane). Additionally, the home team supplies a tenth timer, the “Head Timer”, whose job is to be ready to fill in if one of the timers “misses” the start of a race. For home meets, Cherry Valley also supplies one timer for our lane 7 swimmers. That timer is responsible to record all times for swimmers in lane 7.
Scoring Table Volunteers:
Scorer: Each team supplies at least two scorers who ensure that the meet information is input correctly into the system. This job involves entering times and places for each swimmer in the scoring program, assigning the appropriate number of points, and working with the scorers from the other team to ensure that the official meet results are accurate (as per timer sheets, place judges sheets, and disqualification sheets). Scorers are typically only needed at A meets.
Scoring / Awards: These volunteers (at least two for each A and B meet), assist the scorer to ensure times and places are accurately recorded in the computer program and prepare awards (ribbons) for each swimmer.
Announcer: The announcer indicates the next event and the lane assignments for swimmers in that event. The home team supplies the announcer for each A meet.
Runner: This person collects all sheets from timers and place judges after events and brings them to the scoring table. The home team is responsible for supplying the runner.
Team Area Volunteers:
Swimmer Organizer/Stager (formerly called Event Card Distributor): This volunteer assists the coaches in ensuring swimmers know their lanes (and heats for B meets) prior to their races and helps to organize the team. At least one swimmer organizer is needed for each meet (A and B). Sometimes it is easier for two volunteers to share this responsibility.
Snack Bar Volunteers:
Snack Bar Worker: The primary fundraising effort we undertake as a team revolves around our swim meet snack bar. Prior to each home meet, families will be asked to donate items to be sold during the meet at the snack bar. Of course, there is also the need for two or three people to work at the snack bar during swim meets (as someone needs to be selling the donated items).