Swim Meet Volunteering
With the enthusiastic support of our parent volunteers, we’re looking forward to a great
year for our TDC Breakers. In fact, we couldn’t pull off a swim meet without your
contributions.
Over the course of the season, we fill hundreds of volunteer roles. Each family provides
the equivalent of 4 shifts, which represent half of a meet. Those with swimmers ages 9
and older must complete second-shift duties.
For the 2011 season, we introduced an online system that allows you to sign up for the
volunteer slots that work best for you and your family. If you need to change your slot,
you are responsible for finding your replacement. Also, if a meet is postponed due to
inclement weather, you are still responsible for filling your slot – or finding a
replacement.
At the beginning of meets where you are volunteering, please come to the swimmer
check-in desk to let us know you’re here and to collect your name tag. All first-half
volunteers are asked to report to their positions at 5:45 p.m. or when directed by the
Meet Director. Second-half workers will be called about 8 p.m.
Here is some general information about our volunteer roles:
Certified Positions: Volunteers must attend a GRAL training class every one or two
years, and in some cases, pass a written test.

Meet Director – Home meets only. Readies the pool and pool deck, clerk of
course area and the PA and Electronic Starter system.

Referee – Head official, who has final say in all disputes.

Head Clerk of Course – Home meets only. Assembles and moves swimmers and
through benches to blocks, including overseeing swimmers into heats and lanes
for relays.

Head Table Worker – Home meets. Oversees receiving deck and DQ cards,
sorting, verifying meet IDs, computer input and reports, and ribbon labeling.

Starter - Home meets only. Starts each race and makes sure that each heat
begins evenly and legally. Also disqualifies swimmers for false starts.

Strokes & Turns Official – Home and away meets. Ensures swimmers comply
with the style of swimming, turn and finish specific to each stroke.

Head Computer Position – Home and away meets. Enters registration
information into league-provided database. Records pre-meet information on
swimmers, heats and events to generate meet programs and deck cards for each
event and heat.
General Volunteer Roles: Most volunteers can learn on the job.

Announcer – Home meets only. Calls swimmers to Clerk of Course and makes
other required announcements.

Check-In Parent – Home and away meets. Must arrive at the pool at 4:15 for
home meets and 4:30 at away meets. Provides heat and other swim information
to swimmers, and confirms volunteer assignments for families.

Mite Parents - Assists the Clerk of Course in assembling and organizing our
youngest swimmers (crowd control!) in their correct heats and lanes for relays.

Runner – Home meets only. Picks up lane timer sheets from Timers and DQ
(disqualification) cards. All sheets and cards are delivered to Table Workers.

Concessions Coordinator – Home meets only. Helps to purchase supplies and set
up concession area.

Concessions (Snack Bar) Worker – Home meets only. Sells food and keeps
products stocked.

Head Timer – Home meets only. Assigns 3 timers to each lane assuring that each
team is represented in each lane. Assures Timers have proper lane timer sheets
before an event starts. Serves as a backup Timer for any Timer whose watch
malfunctions during a heat.

Timer – Home and away meets. Uses a stopwatch to time each swimmer
swimming in a specific lane. Records time on lane timer sheets. Check with each
swimmer as they come to the blocks to ensure the swimmer is in the correct lane
and that appropriate lane timer sheet is being used.

Assistant Table Worker – Home and away meets. Assists Head Table Worker in
receiving, sorting and recording deck cards and DQ (disqualification) cards from
the Runners, as well as labeling ribbons.

Computer Worker – Home and away meets. Reads times from the timesheets to
the Head Computer Worker.

Floater/Alternate – Home and away meets. Replaces any non-certified worker
that is not available to fulfill their duties.
Families: Please sign up for no more than 1 check-in/mite relay per season, and 1-2
floater roles.