Volunteer information

Some of these volunteer positions do take place during meets.  Others do not. If you are interested in any of these positions, please read the descriptions VERY CAREFULLY and email our Volunteer Coordinator at FASTswimvolunteer@gmail.com to get your name on the list.  

Announcer (1 volunteer total)

Announces events to the ready area, calls for missing swimmers, and other general items. This position serves both shifts during home meets only.  This position can be seated during the meet. 

Assistant to the Clerk (1 volunteer total)

Supports the clerk during home meets throughout both shifts.  Fills in for the clerk if they cannot attend an away meet. 

Head Timer (1 volunteer total)

Trains and oversees timers at the meets.  Serves as backup timer as needed or in case of stopwatch failure.  Flips chart for event in the water.  This position serves both shifts during home meets only.  Requires little training.

Ice and Water (1 volunteer total)

(For Officials and volunteers) Brings 2 large coolers, 6 cases of water and 4 bags of ice to each home meet.  Checks throughout the meet to refill.  This is for all home meets only and covers all required volunteer shifts.

Officials (10 volunteers total)

Read more about the requirements for these volunteer positions here.

• Starters – Important to efficiently run swim meets, this person calls swimmers to the blocks, starts each heat of races, calls false starts and possibly some strokes and turns.  Annual Training is required.

• Referees – Senior officials at swim meets responsible as the final authority for rule interpretations and decisions.  The starter and Referee may be the same person during a swim meet. Annual Training is required.

• Stroke and Turn Judges – Generally overlooking four lanes, responsible for judging the technical form of the swimmers’ strokes to ensure compliance with league rules.  Also, responsible for disqualifying swimmers and explaining disqualifications to swimmers with a mind toward positive reinforcement for improved swimmer performance. Annual Training is required.

• Official in Training - Shadows officials during the meet with an intent to certify as an official the following season.  Also functions as a scribe on DQ slips on deck during meets.  Mini team trainings are also available during practices with the head coach in advance of meets.

Ribbon Coordinator (1 volunteer total)

This volunteer spot will cover all required volunteer hours. You will be working after each of the 5 meets held in season at home.  This volunteer position commitment includes completing ribbons for Reserve and Champ meets. The Ribbon Coordinator will pick up ribbon stickers from our Clerk of Course, Christina Moore, at her home on Saturday afternoons. Ribbon Coordinator will affix each swimmer’s label from each event swum on to the correct ribbon. The Ribbon Coordinator will then file the finished ribbons in the correct swimmer’s file before Monday morning. The ribbon boxes will be delivered to the pool on Monday during the Ribbon Coordinator’s assigned practice squad.  The boxes will remain at the pool until Friday’s practice is complete.  

This position is great for a parent or guardian that has small swimmers to manage during the meet or has limitations being in the heat or standing for long periods of time. However, this job requires strict deadlines. Please don’t disappoint our swimmers by not fulfilling your duties on time.

These positions are EXCLUSIVELY during swim meets.  The website required times for shifts, but as a swim team, we work in EVENTS.  Shift 1 is always events 1-40, and shift 2 is always events 41-80. 

If you are on the pool deck, there is ALWAYS time to pause your job briefly and watch your swimmer race! Don’t miss it! 

Set Up

For home meets, the night BEFORE the meet, sets up the equipment (tents, tables, chairs, ropes, etc.) needed for the meet. You must be able to lift and move equipment. Families can only sign up for ONE Set Up shift per season. 

Lane Timer

Records swimmer times on timing sheets for each event. This is the best place to watch a swim meet. You will be standing for the duration of your shift. There are two shifts: events 1-40, and events 41-80. 

Scorer

Using the timing sheets, records swimmer times for the scorekeeper. Scorers are seated in the shade for the duration of their shift. There are two shifts: events 1-40, and events 41-80. 

Ready Area Assistants

Assists the ready area coordinator via placing swimmers by event and lane in the ready area, then moving swimmers to the starting blocks.  Ready area volunteers are standing and moving for the duration of the shift. There are two shifts: events 1-40, and events 41-80. 

Runner

Collects timing sheets from lane timers and delivers them to the scorer table.  They also pick up DQ slips from officials, post results, and deliver water to other volunteers.  The role is walking and standing for much of the shift. There are two shifts: events 1-40, and events 41-80.