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SWIM FAMILY VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
The Mako Swim Team takes pride in hosting top quality YMCA meets and providing meet assistance to the teams we visit. Keeping up this tradition takes a lot of volunteers but is worth the effort. A well organized meet can bring out the best in the swimmers by maintaining a steady pace, staying on track, and keeping the swimmers involved. You may not hear it often enough, but a swimmer truly appreciates a well run meet.
To help share the time and effort required to run a meet, each swim family is asked to participate as outlined in the Swim Meet Volunteer Contract. Volunteering is a great way to meet others, learn more about swim meets, and make the time spent at the meet pass faster. It is such a powerful positive influence for our swimmers to see their families working together to make a meet successful!!
Swim Meet Volunteer Opportunities - No experience required!
Don't feel as if you need to have experience to help out with a meet. There are many ways to help that require nothing more than a willingness to do so. There will always be someone there who has done this before to coordinate the activities, provide guidance, and answer questions. If you want to learn more about any volunteer position or would like training in any position, please feel free to speak to a member of the parent group.
Setup - Before the meet, volunteers are needed to setup the pool deck and the snack bar. On the pool deck, equipment needs to be stored away so that chairs, tables, and benches can be setup. In the snack bar (the babysitting room), tables need to be setup and all items to be sold need to be displayed and priced.
Snack Bar - During the meet, volunteers are needed to staff the snack bar. Because this position requires that you be away from the pool deck, the snack bar is always sufficiently staffed to allow family members to leave and watch their swimmer.
Clean Up - After the meet, volunteers are needed to put the pool deck and the snack bar back as we found them. On the pool deck, chairs, tables, and benches need to be put back into storage and the pool equipment put back in place. In the snack bar (the babysitting room), tables need to be put back in storage and any remaining goods cleaned up and removed from the room.
Swim Meet Volunteer Opportunities - I want to be more involved in the meet!
Even if you have never been to a swim meet, you can still take part in running it. Timing is a great place to start plus a great way to see the meet up close. Some of these positions require prior experience but that experience can often be gained in a single season. Regardless of your experience, if you are interested in any of these positions, please speak to a member of the parent group. We can train you!
Timers - Throughout the meet, each lane has 3 timers. Within each lane a Lead Timer (see below) who has experience and knows the timer responsibilities will be designated. The remaining timers are typically a mix of new and experienced volunteers. Timing techniques can be taught before the meet and reinforced during the meet.
Lead Timer - Each lane has a designated Lead Timer. These volunteers are the most experienced timers and are expected to train and support those less experienced.
Runners - As races are completed during the meet, the event cards for swimmers must be collected from the Lead Timers and brought to the scorer's table. Meet experience is helpful as this position operates rather independantly and tends to be fast paced.
Projectionist - During the meet, the current event and all events that should be in the bullpen are displayed through the use of an overhead projector. The bullpen volunteers (see below) will typically provide the information to be displayed and the projectionist will keep the display up to date. Experience is not needed but is helpful when the bullpen is busy.
Swim Meet Volunteer Opportunities - What else can I do?
If you've been through all the above places and are ready to take on more, great! The following positions require experience and, in some cases, officiating classes. If you have an interest in becoming a YMCA Swim Official, classes are completed in a single day and certification can be obtained immediately. Ask a member of the parent committee for more information.
Bullpen - During the meet, swimmers will gather in the bullpen area prior to their race. The volunteers running the bullpen will ensure the swimmers are assigned to the proper lanes and proceed to the starting blocks at the appropriate time. Working in the bullpen requires strong organizational skills and meet experience.
Head Timer - Each meet has a designated Head Timer who is responsible for all timing activities throughout the meet. This volunteer must have extensive timing experience and is often a YMCA Swim Official. The Head Timer is typically a lane Lead Timer as well.
Scorers - During the meet, the swimmers' event cards are submitted to the scorer's table where the results for each event are determined and scoring assigned. Scorer's are often YMCA Swim Officials and are responsible for the accuracy of the scoring for the entire meet.
Officials - Each meet is officiated by YMCA Swim Officials. These volunteers are responsible for conducting each race in accordance with the YMCA Swimming and Diving regulations. Officials must have completed Level II YMCA Swim Official training and have current YMCA certification.
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