SRA Swim Team Handbook V. Volunteering Opportunities for Parents

Opportunities for parents abound in summer league swimming.Prerequisites are common sense, organization, caring, attendance at a training clinic, and a small time commitment. Should you find that summer league swimming is worth a donation of your time, opportunities exist to assume greater responsibilities. The following officials are needed each week:

Meet Director: The Meet Director arranges with the pool manager to see that the swimming pool is set up for the meet, that refreshments are prepared and delivered, and workers for various functions are assigned for the meet.

Table Workers: Several workers are needed at the administration table for a variety of functions, including recording results and writing names on ribbons.

Runners: Runners carry time cards from the Mite swimmers to the timers at the other end of the pool (for 25-meter events) and pick up the completed cards from the timers for all other events.Cards are batched and delivered to the table workers.

Timers:Both beginning and seasoned parents enjoy being timers.This function allows workers to see the meet from the end of the pool. It requires being able to operate a digital stopwatch and record a swimmer's time.

Clerk of course: This is the official who collects cards from the swimmers before their events and assign them heats and lanes. "Clerk of Course" also refers to the place where the swimmers go to be lined up.Several assistants are needed.

This job requires a disciplined nature, a love of children, and a threshold for chaos.

Starters: They are the officials who start each race with the strobe light and buzzer system. This requires organization, a steady hand, an aura of authority, and some training.

Strokes and Turns Judges: These are the on-deck enforcers of swimming rules.They determine that each stroke is executed properly.When the strokes are not properly executed these judges are empowered to disqualify swimmers. Training and fairness are the requisites.

Computer Workers: They operate the computers that record all swimmers times.

Referee: This is the final arbiter of any dispute at a meet and has full authority and responsibility for the conduct of the competition.A thorough knowledge of strokes and turns and all other aspects of competitive swimming is necessary.

All of the above jobs are vital to the successful conduct of any swim meet. The James River Aquatic Club offers clinics to learn these jobs prior to the start of each season. Southampton hopes you will take advantage of the clinics offered before the beginning of the season. You will have greater understanding and more enjoyment of your children's meets.

Southampton also has a great need for parent volunteers willing to work to insure that information is transmitted to all parents and that social functions are well-organized.

Also needed are helpers willing to assist in maintaining order and safety in places like the Clerk of Course area where younger swimmers congregate in great numbers.