Volunteer Info
A SWIM TEAM IS RUN BY PARENTS!
There is no swim team without parental support and involvement. No one but the coaches receives compensation for their involvement. The Barracudas rely heavily on parents. It takes approximately 100 volunteers to run a home swim meet and 70 to work at an away meet. Your participation is not only invaluable - it is essential.
PARENT VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
Upon completion of registration, parents agreed to the following volunteer requirements:
All parents are required to volunteer for a certain number of shifts per family (pending final swimmer registration). For 2020, we ask that all families volunteer for at least four shifts.
MOST shifts last for one half of the meet.
The first half start time varies by role and all are required to report well in advance of the meet start time. Parents are required to arrive prior to the start of the shift.
The first half ends at event #33 (IMs). The Starter will begin calling for second half volunteers near the end of event #30. Even if you do not hear the announcement (especially at away meets), make sure you report for your shift on time.
Second half volunteers are required to remain until the end of the meet.
The practice meet is only 1 shift long and will count as 1.
All volunteer roles count as 1 point with the exception of Scorekeeper and Head Team Parent which count as 2.
All families are asked to work one of their shifts “in the back” as a team parent, swimmer call/line up, or head team parent.
All parents who have a child at the All-Star Meet will need to volunteer at that meet. The GCSL will inform our league rep of our assignments toward the end of the season.
COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS
Volunteer sign-ups will be locked one (1) week before the first meet
The Volunteer Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring parents have signed up for the minimum number of spots.
Parents missing assignments will be contacted via email and asked to volunteer for additional spots.
The Volunteer Coordinator will notify the Baxter Barracudas Board of families who do not have the minimum number of assignments.
Failure to meet minimum requirements will result in having swimmer(s) excluded from swim meets.
SHIFT REQUIREMENTS
All parent volunteers are required to sign-in to receive credit for their shift.
oFor those volunteering as team parent, swimmer call/line up, clerk of course, or assistant clerk of course, you are asked to sign-in with the head team parent.
oAll other volunteers are asked to sign-in with the Volunteer Coordinator.
Failure to sign-in will result in your family not receiving credit for your volunteer spot and swimmer(s) being excluded from subsequent meets.
First half volunteers are asked to stay until their second half counterpart has relieved them of duty. This is after event #32. Second half volunteers are asked to sign-in prior to event #33 and report promptly to their shift. If you are volunteering for first AND second half shifts, discuss this with the person you check in with for the first half shift.
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT
Volunteers will sign up for shifts using the Baxter Barracudas website.
Each swim meet will be located under the Events tab on the website.
To volunteer for shifts, click the Job Sign-Up button.
Email/SMS reminders will be sent the day before the meet.
If you are unable to meet an assigned requirement after the sign-up has been locked, please find a substitute and notify the Volunteer Coordinator
The site will track how many volunteer assignments have been filled for each family.
Credit for volunteering at a meet will only be given after parents have checked in and been marked present.
VOLUNTEER ROLES
*Please read carefully and consider the requirements in italics in each description!! If you are not qualified/trained for your position, you will be moved to an alternate job at the Volunteer Coordinator's discretion.
"On Deck" - these roles are performed on the pool deck:
Starter/ Announcer: Announces and starts each event. The starter sets the pace of the whole meet. Requires previous experience as starter or starter assistant.
Starter assistant: Assists Starter by keeping current event/heat on the scoreboard.
Head Timer: This person is in charge of the timer group. They inform the Starter when all the timers are ready and runs extra watches for timers who have watch trouble during an event. The goal of this position is to keep the meet running as efficiently as possible. Previous experience as a timer. You will be standing on deck for the whole shift.
Timers: There are two timers per lane at a meet. The timers operate a stopwatch for the start and finish of each race and record both times on the form provided. You will be standing poolside for the whole shift.
Runner:Collects timesheets after each event and runs timesheets to scorekeeper table. Collects DQ (disqualification) sheets from stroke/turn judges and delivers to scorekeeper table. You will be standing/moving around on pool deck for most of the shift.
Stroke/Turn Judge: Judges individual strokes and turn technique based on assigned area of the pool. Disqualifies swimmers based on errors. Two judges per team are required per meet half. Requires training.
"In the office" - these roles are typically performed in an area removed from the pool deck
Scorekeeper: Inputs data into Hytek Meet Manager program for the meets. Runners deliver race results to the scorekeeper table. The scorekeepers will organize the results and enter the results into the program. Serves with volunteer from the away team. Training with the Meet Manager program is required – do NOT sign up for this role if you have not been trained. Must serve for whole meet (counts 2 shifts). Often will involve air conditioning and can sit through entire shift.
Ribbon Writer: Puts printed stickers on the appropriate 1st through 4th place ribbon and organizes the ribbons by team to give to the coaches at the end of the meet. Serves with volunteer from the away team. Typically involves air conditioning. Can sit through much of shift. This role may require staying after the meet has finished.
"In the Back" - these roles are all in support of the swimmer area and are located with the swimmers. All families MUST volunteer for at least one shift in the back.
Clerk of Course: The Clerk of Course is responsible for getting swimmers lined up behind the blocks. He/she has the official heat sheet with swimmer names for each lane in each event. Each swimmer must be informed which heat and lane they are in and escorted to the appropriate chair. Previous experience as Clerk of Course or Assistant Clerk of Course. This person needs to be quite assertive. Loud voice, ability to control a crowd. You will be standing close to the deck for the whole shift.
Assistant Clerk of Course: Assists head clerk of course by placing swimmers in the correct order on waiting benches, then escorting them to Clerk of Course as appropriate. Loud voice, ability to control a crowd. You will be standing behind the deck for the whole shift.
Swimmer Call/ Line Up: Responsible for getting swimmers lined up in heat/lane order prior to walking to waiting benches/chairs. Loud voice, ability to control a crowd. You will be standing in the back for the whole shift.
Head Team Parent: Checks in volunteers in the back. Serves as liaison between coaches, clerk of course, swimmer call/line up and team parents. Keeps team parents on top of when to get swimmers ready and to swimmer call/line up. Basically responsible for how smoothly the back area runs. Must arrive prior to swimmer call time (usually 4:00 pm for home meets, 4:30 for away meets) to get team parents and other workers in the back checked in. Must serve for the whole meet (counts two shifts). Loud voice, ability to control a crowd. You will be standing/moving around for the whole shift.
Team Parents: Supervise the swimmers when they are not swimming, help swimmers gets caps and goggles on, escort swimmers to swimmer call/line up, help line the swimmers up, and help maintain order in the swimmers area. First half parents must arrive prior to swimmer call time (usually 4:00 pm for home meets, 4:30 for away meets). Second half parents must stay until the end of the meet and help clean up swimmer areas. This is a great position for anyone who might need to have younger or non-swimmer kids with them at the swim meets. **If your child is less than 5 years of age, one of their parents/guardians will be required to be a team parent in the 6 & under age group while they are at the swim meet.
Hospitality: These people will be responsible for helping the sponsorship chair with the setup and management of the food trucks in the parking lot, as well as any issues that may arise there. This role requires cleaning tables, emptying trash, and making sure water coolers on deck and in “tent city” are full for timers, coaches and volunteers. It may require heavy lifting and requires standing in the food truck area for the duration of the shift.
Other Important Roles
Clean-up Point Person: Check in at the start of the second half. Report to Equipment Chair. Follow directions on what is needed to break down tents, reset pool deck, etc. Requires ability to lift and break down tents, tables, etc. Need to stay on deck after meet is finished.
Nurse/First aid: Administer basic first aid and assist in dealing with injuries. Medical training STRONGLY preferred for this role.
Parking attendant: Arrive early and help block the parking lot to people not aligned with meets. Control entrance to lot. Parking attendants can NOT sign up for first half shifts. You will be standing for the whole shift. Shift typically runs 4-6:30pm.
Volunteer backup: This position fills in “as needed” during a swim meet to fill any open volunteer positions. You will need to check in with the Volunteer Coordinator before the start of the meet and will be assigned your volunteer job. This is mainly to fill in areas of need. Credit will NOT be given if you do not check in. You need to be available for first and second shift; you will not be asked to work both. Therefore, this is not an ideal position for parents of young children who need to be taken home before the end of the meet.
