Parental participation is the key to the success of the Torpedoes!  Due to the large size of our team, we have a good base of volunteers, as long as everyone participates.  However, this year our resources will be stretched in some key certified positions.  Home swim meets require over 100 Torpedo parent volunteers and away swim meets require 80 Torpedo parent volunteers, therefore it is necessary for every family to volunteer 5 shifts (1 shift equals ½ of a meet). One of the five shifts must be in concessions. Please remember that, if necessary, you are responsible for finding a replacement and you must let our Volunteer Coordinator, know about any changes to the volunteer schedule. The team roster, with parent and swimmer names, addresses and phone numbers and the preliminary volunteer schedule will be available shortly after the season begins.  If you miss a rotation without finding a replacement, you will be reassigned at a later meet.

Please check in at the swimmer check in table at the beginning of meets when you are volunteering.  All volunteers at both home and away meets will gather with the Meet Director prior to the start of the meet.  All first half volunteers are asked to report to their positions at 5:45 or when directed by the Meet Director.  Second half workers are asked to report at approximately 8:00 or when directed by the Meet Director.  When you gather with the Meet Director at the beginning of the meet, he/she will tell you after which event the 2^nd half volunteers will report.  A Meet Event Schedule can be found in the back of this handbook.  Please note that the Schedule for Events is the same the 1^st, 3^rd, and 5^th meets and are different from the 2^nd, 4^th, and 6^th meets.

Non-Certified Positions

Training for these positions is usually “on-the-job”

ü       Set Up Crew – Home meets only.  Must arrive at the pool at 3:30 to prepare pool and concession stands for the meet.  Is done by meet’s start.

ü       Parking Attendant – Home meets only.  Must arrive at the pool at 4:00 and is done about 6:30 .  Helps guide drivers to parking areas.

ü       Announcer – Needed for home meets only.  Calls swimmers to Clerk of Course and makes other required announcements.  First half Announcer should report at 5:00 .

ü       Clean Up Crew – Needed for home meets only.  This position reports at the meet’s end to clean pool area and prepare for normal use the next day.

ü       Garbage Detail – empty garbage cans and take trash to the dumpster.

ü       Check-In Parent – Home and away meets.  Must arrive at the pool at 4:15 for home meets and 4:30 at away meets.  Task completed by the beginning of the meet.  Swimmers and families will check in prior to warm ups to confirm event numbers for swimmers, volunteer assignments for parents, and to provide information pertaining to the meet facilities.

ü       Mite Parents - Assists the Clerk of Course in assembling and organizing swimmers (crowd control!) in their correct heats and lanes for each event.

ü       Runner – Home meets only.  Picks up lane timer sheets from Timers and DQ (disqualification) cards from the Referee.  All sheets and cards are delivered to the Table Workers.

ü       Refreshment Runner – Home meets only.  Distributes drinks to all meet volunteers as needed.

ü       Concessions Worker – Home meets only.  Helps to set up, sell food, and then clean up concession area.

ü       Head Timer – Home meets only.  Will assign 3 timers to each lane assuring that each team is represented in each lane.  Will assure that the Timers have proper lane timer sheets before an event is started.  Make sure the Runners receive completed lane timer sheets as soon as possible after the race.  Serves as a backup Timer for any Timer whose watch malfunctions during a heat.

ü       Timer – Home and away meets.  Will use a stopwatch to time each swimmer swimming in a specific lane.  Will record 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.

ü       Recall Rope – Attends the recall rope and drops it into water in case of false start.

ü       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.  Verifies meet IDs and provides information to Computer Workers.  Helps to label ribbons.

ü       Assistant Computer Worker – Home and away meets.  Reads times from the deck cards to the Computer Worker.    

ü       Ribbon Labeler – Home and away meets.  Assists Table Workers in preparing ribbons.

ü       Floater/Fill-in – Home and away meets.  Will replace any non-certified worker that is not available to fulfill their duties.

ü       Computer Worker – Home and away meets.  At swim meets, calls out and enters swimmer times and runs reports for meet officials.  

Certified Positions

These positions require attendance at a GRAL training class every one or two years, and in some cases, require a written test.

ü       Meet Director – Home meets only.  Responsible for ensuring that all physical needs are ready for each meet, including pool and pool deck, clerk of course area, and the PA and Electronic Starter system.  Works with the Volunteer Coordinator to organize all parent volunteers.

ü       Referee – Home meets only.  This person is the Head Official.  Directly responsible for efficient running of the meet.  The referee must remain on deck throughout the entire course of the meet and must signal the Starter that the competition can begin before each event.  The Referee has final say in all disputes.  The Referee should remain until the last event has been scored.  Consult USS Handbook for more detailed duties.

ü       Clerk of Course – Home and away meets. Responsible for assembling swimmers and moving swimmers through benches to blocks Responsible for assigning swimmers into heats and lanes for relays.

ü       Head Table Worker – Home and away meets.  Sets up table prior to each meet with all equipment and materials needed.  Coordinates tasks of Assistant Table Workers.  Processes information from the Runners all the way through posting of the results.  Tasks include receiving deck and DQ cards, sorting, verifying meet IDs, computer input and reports, and ribbon labeling.

ü       Starter - Home meets only.  Starts each race and makes sure that each heat begins evenly and legally. Also, disqualifies swimmers for false starts.  Responsible for operation of electronic starting equipment. 

ü       Strokes & Turns Official – Home and away meets.  Ensures that all swimmers comply with the style of swimming, the turn and the finish applicable to each stroke.  

ü       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.  At swim meets, records swimmer times and runs reports for meet officials.