Volunteering and Team Service

This season, all parents will be required to volunteer in some form. Failure to meet this requirement will result in your child being excluded from meets. There are multiple ways to contribute your time, and we will work to find something that fits within your schedule. There are three levels of service: no experience required, some experience required, and CCSL training required. We will have designated area directors to help assign volunteers to specific tasks.  You will need to work three of the five meets.

No/some experience required:

1) Timers – we usually need 15-30 timers for a meet.  Each timer is provided a stop watch and swimmers’ times are recorded on the entry cards. An experienced head timer will coordinate all timers and the runners.

2) Runners – 2-4 people per meet to run entry cards back and forth to the clerk of course.

3) Scorers – Record swimmers’ finishing place and time, as well as disqualifications and scratches.  Works closely with clerk of course.  An experienced head scorer will coordinate all scoring.

4) Ribbon writers – we regularly fill out more than a thousand ribbons per meet as rewards for swimmers’ performance.  Usually requires staying a little later at meets, but always in the shade. An experienced writer will oversee.

5) Ready area – to keep the meet flowing smoothly, 2-4 parents per meet must corral and organize swimmers before their races.

6) Heat announcer – 1-2 parents per meet roam the meet grounds announcing upcoming races with a bullhorn to get swimmers to the ready area.

7) Concessions – 5-10 parents work to coordinate food and drink donations from all parents, and to run the concession stand during the 2-3 home meets.  This is an essential fundraising mechanism for the team and allows us to keep registration costs in check. A concessions coordinator will oversee all volunteers.

8) Setup and cleanup – at home meets, 20-30 parents are essential to prepare the pool for the races. This requires 2-3 hours of setup the preceding Friday evening, and another 1-2 hours the morning of the meet.  It’s nice to have a separate group of 20-30 parents to break everything down and clean up after the meet.  Cleanup is required to continue holding meets at any of the community pools.  For away meets, 4-6 parents are needed to set up team tents. Whenever possible, separate experienced coordinators for setup and cleanup will manage the volunteers.

9)  Spirit Shop - at home meets, 2-4 parents are manning our product booth.

CCSL training required:

1) Clerk(s) of course – each team has one or more clerks who are the top administrative authority.  The clerks organize the race schedule, process scores, scratches and substitutions, and are ultimately responsible for swimmer eligibility.

2) Starters – calls swimmers to their blocks, starts each race.  Usually the same person for every home meet.

3) Referees – designated officials responsible for all decisions and rule interpretations.  The starter can assume both these roles.

4) Stroke and turn judge – 4-6 required per meet to ensure swimmers’ strokes are in accordance with league rules.  Communicate disqualifications to clerks of course