Each family pays a volunteer deposit that will be returned upon completing your volunteer requirements. If that requirement is not kept, the deposit will go toward the team.

In order to sign up, please see the swim meet schedule and select "Job Signup". 

On the day of the meet, there will be a sheet posted at the computer table for volunteer sign in. Please ensure you sign your name upon arrival so we can give you credit for your time.

Volunteer Roles:

Computer

For the day of the meet, please arrive by 7:00am. Another Nelson Farm computer volunteer will have already set up the meet ahead of time and will have heat sheets available. This position includes running the Meet Computer and/or assisting that person by cross checking. Make possible changes for swimmers who want to possibly add an event or no do an event. You will be taught during the meet!

Announcer/Starter

This volunteer position includes giving specific instructions for each event to the swimmers and is in charge of the tempo of the meet. Example: “Event 22, 13-14 Ladies/Gentlemen 200 yard butterfly, heat 1. Step up to the block. Take your mark.” Then you would hit the horn button to start the race. For another heat, you would just say “Heat 2 for event 22.” Please use the terms “ladies” and “gentlemen” not girls and boys. For backstroke, you would ask swimmers to enter the water. You will have to find out from the meet leaders if this meet would like “Flyovers” or not, and for what age group and then announce that as applicable. You would give additional instruction to the swimmers to exit the water or stay.

It’s important to keep the pace consistent and swift, and stay communicating with the computer volunteers at all times.

You should be able to speak loudly and clearly.

While swimmers are currently swimming, you would announce 1st call, 2nd call, last call for upcoming events.

Seating/Heating (Clerk of Course)

There will be a team for Clerk of Course, which is responsible for making sure the right swimmers are present and in the right lanes. The team and will discuss ahead of time who would like to do which position. If you have 5 volunteers, one will be at the entrance of the heating area to funnel the next group of swimmers in.

The other 4 volunteers will split up into pairs. 2 will take the back rows: 1 taking lanes 1-3, the other taking lanes 4-6. You will make sure you have the correct swimmer in the correct chair.

The last 2 volunteers will be in the front rows. 1 taking lanes 1-3, the other taking lanes 4-6. They will tell swimmers when to move forward in their chairs and when they can move to the blocks. They should also double check swimmer names to make sure they are still in the correct lane.

If at any time a swimmer shows up late, try and get them to their correct spot. If they have missed their event, they need to have a coach come to the computer table to see if they can fit them into another slot.

DO NOT switch swimmers into another lane or heat unless told yes by the computer volunteers.

Heat Winner Presenter

You will collect “Heat Winner Tickets” from the computer table and distribute them to the swimmers who win each heat. There will be tickets for relay winners (so hand out 4) and for individual winners (hand out 1). The prizes will be set up at the end of the computer tables. Relay winners can choose a tattoo or a candy, and individual winners can choose a tattoo, a candy OR a duckie. The swimmers will leave their ticket at that table. When you run low, you can go get more tickets from there. If there seems to be a close tie, please feel free to hand out extra tickets.

Please note that some events will be combined. You need to keep track of your heat sheet to see that you might be handing out multiple tickets after one race. For example, we might have relays for boys 15 and up in lanes 1-3 and relays for girls 15 and up in lanes 4-6. One boys team would get tickets and one girls team would get tickets.

Meet Setup

You will show up before everyone else and start getting items out of the shed. Wheel out the 4 tires that will be by the shed. Make sure with a coach that they are in the correct spots. Then attach the flags, making sure that the numbers are correct with the lanes.

Take the longest white table to the computer area. This will be on the East side of the pool on the concrete. One tent with the white backdrop should go here. There is a plastic splash guard to go in front of this tent/computer table.

Extension cord needs to start at the lifeguard office, then up to the awning ceiling, then down to the fence to the grass. Keep the extension cord going in the divot of the grass/concrete all the way to the computer table.

Heating area chairs: Bring all of the chairs to the far South side of the pool. Set up 3-4 rows of chairs behind each lane. Please make sure the green lane numbers are on the back or front of each chair. All chairs should be on the grass.

Tents: Set up shade tents throughout the heating area. Bring them forward and have them partially on the concrete. Put bags on the bases of each tent to hold it down and protect swimmers’ toes.

Caution tape/rope: Take the rope and tie it to one end of the tents (lane 1 or 6) and wrap it around the closest tree. Do this on both sides. There should be 2 poles to stick into the ground. Make an “entrance” with these poles at the back of the heating area, and have the ropes end at that spot on each side. The computer table will also need the computer area taped off to give space for them and the announcer.

Gray rubber pads: These will be put down on the grass behind the computer tent.

Meet Tear-Down

Take down all tents, stack the heating area chairs, roll the tires back to the shed area. Wrap the backstroke flags back onto the plastic holders. Pick up left over trash.

Runner

Bring water bottles to timers, clerks of course, announcer and computer table. Keep track of when the timers’ sheets are complete, go collect each one. Keep them in order and take them to the computer table. Let the computer volunteers know if there were any issues in any of the lanes.

Timers

Each lane will have 2 timers. We use a Dolphin System and each timer will have a Dolphin device. Timers WILL NOT have to start their timer. The computer system will do this. Timers are in charge of stopping the device when their swimmer in their lane is done. At the end of the race, one timer in each lane will write down both times shown from both timers.

Please check that your swimmer listed on your sheet is the correct swimmer.

Concessions

Set up 2 tables by the lifeguard office in an L shape. One volunteer will need to agree ahead of time to go and get the Consuelos burritos. The other will get the table set up. There will be a cash box to make change. CASH ONLY. Prizes for Heat Winners will be located at the computer table.

Ribbon Labels

Come to the computer table at the end of the meet. Collect all of the labels and ribbons. Take them all home with you to put together and then deliver ribbons to the other pools that attended our meet on Monday.