Volunteer Expectations
Swimming is unlike any other sport as it requires enormous volunteer support to run each meet.
Each home meet requires at least 45 volunteers and each away meet about 30 volunteers. We CANNOT run a successful program without parent involvement! There are some positions that require training (stroke & turn, starter, scorer) and other positions do not (like hospitality, helping line kids up, concessions). It is the expectation that if your swimmer is not signed out of the meet, one representative per family is required to volunteer for at least one half of ALL home meets and at least one away meet. We will use Swimtopia for signing up for volunteer positions this season.
**Parents of 10 and under swimmers: You must do line up for half of a meet during the season unless you volunteer as a meet official (Stroke and Turn, Starter, Referee). If you have a 10 and under swimmer and you are not needed as a meet official, sign up online for which meet(s) you will do Line Up.
Job Descriptions
Starter (Home Meet only)- The starter assumes control of the swimmers on the block until a fair start has been achieved. Requires LAL training and certification.
Referee (Home Meet only)- The referee has authority over all other officials. He/she
decides all questions relating to the actual conduct of the meet. Requires LAL certification as a stroke &turn judge for 1 year plus additional training.
Stroke and Turn (4 needed per meet) The stroke & turn judge ensures swimmer compliance with the stroke, turn and starting requirements as set forth in the rules adopted by the Lynchburg Aquatic League. This individual notes disqualification of the swimmer on disqualification cards that are subsequently approved by the referee. Requires LAL training and certification.
Timers (12 per meet-6 each half) Two lane timers are placed directly over an assigned lane. Lane timers start the stopwatch upon observing the flash from the starting strobe light and stop the stopwatch immediately upon observing any part of the swimmer’s body touching the pool wall at the finish.
Head Timer (2 needed, Home Meet only) The head timer ensures that all lane timers are ready with stopwatches cleared before the start of each race. He/she also acts as a roving timer in case a lane timer misses a start or has a stop watch malfunction.
Place Judge (4 per meet) Two place judges from each team are required to determine the order of finish for each swimming heat. This job is crucial to event scoring and must be done as accurately as possible.
Hospitality (2 per meet, Home Meet only) Hospitality volunteers provide refreshments (water/lemonade) to the meet worker volunteers.
Runner (4 per meet, Home Meet only) Runners collect all time cards, place judge cards and any disqualification cards from the appointed timers, place judges and stroke & turn judges during the meet. These cards are subsequently delivered to the scoring table immediately following each heat.
10 and Under Line up (4 per meet) Line-up parents are responsible for lining up and leading to the starting blocks swimmers 10 years old and younger before the swimmers’ designated event/heat. It is not the responsibility of the line up parents to FIND swimmers. Parents MUST be responsible to get their swimmer to the line up area.
Concessions (Home Meet only) Concessions workers will sell snacks, drinks, and pizza at home meets. The Concessions coordinator will secure donations from team members and will set up the concession area.