Swim Meet Volunteers
Swim Meets are run by parent volunteers and cannot happen without parent help. If your child is swimming, someone from your family will be expected to volunteer. Each week you will be able to sign-up for jobs on-line through our website. There are also opportunities to donate food to the concession stand, but food donations are not a substitute for volunteering! NVSL requires all volunteers on the deck to wear a plain white shirt and blue shorts/pants/skort.
Jobs Requiring Special NVSL training (Certified Positions)
Referee: The Ref is responsible for running the swim meet and making the final determination on swimmer disqualifications. The host of the home swim meet is responsible for providing the Ref.
Starter: The Starter is responsible for starting each race using the starting machine. They wait for clearance from the referee, announce swimmers to a racing stance, and then start the race. SOC provides one Starter for each home meet.
Stroke and Turn Judges: The Stroke and Turn Judges are positioned around the pool deck during the events and ensure that starts, strokes, turns and finishes are performed legally in accordance with the NVSL Rule Book. If a Judge believes that a swimmer has not legally performed the start, stroke, turn and/or finish, they raise their hand and discuss observations with the Ref to determine whether the swimmer should be disqualified. If you are interested in an NVSL-Certified Position, please let the Team Rep know ASAP! Certification training is generally done at NVSL clinics in June. If you have stroke and turn certification through Potomac Valley swimming, please let the Team Rep know.
Jobs Not Requiring NVSL Certification
Chief Timer/Asst Chief Timer: The Chief Timer is responsible for the Timers at the home swim meets. The Assistant Chief Timer volunteers this position at away meets. The Chief Timer fills in for a Timer if they have a watch malfunction; ensures that time cards are properly completed; and distributes/collects stop watches at the meets.
Chief Table Worker/Assistant Table Worker: The Chief Table Worker oversees the table workers. Together they receive time cards and note the order of finish for each event. They submit this information to the Data Coordinator and verify the score. The Chief Table Worker also ensures all swimmers receive the appropriate ribbons.
Concessions Chief: The Concessions Chief makes sure there is seed money in the cash box at the home meets; purchases basic snack bar items; and records expenditures/income.
Data Coordinator: Enters times during the swim meets, prints ribbon labels and meet cards, and generates the Saturday meet sheets.
Announcer: The Announcer announces upcoming races, sponsors, and provides meet updates as needed.
Clerk of Course: There are 1-2 people who work in the Clerk of Course during each meet. The Clerk of Course keeps all swimmers organized and in the proper race order in the Clerk of Course area. They receive swimmers from each team area prior to each event, organize the swimmers by lane, and make sure the swimmers make it to the correct end of the pool to start the race.
Timer: Each team provides ten Timers to time the races, verify swimmer identities, write down times on time cards, and post times on the timer boards. There are three Timers per lane. The Timers are responsible for starting their watches when the starter goes off and stopping the watch when any part of the swimmer touches the wall. The Timers do not disqualify swimmers.
Runner: The Runner receives time cards from the Chief Timer after each race and takes them to the Scoring Table.
Marshall: The Marshall wears an orange vest and ensures that swimmers are in the appropriate location, keeps noise to a minimum, and monitors warm ups. Table Workers: Receive the time cards from the runner, determine the place order for each event, submit the results to the data coordinator for scoring, help verify the score, and create ribbons for each event.
Concession Workers: Volunteer in the concessions stand to sell food and drinks at the swim meets.
Assistant Data Coordinator: This volunteer helps the Team Data Coordinator work with the Table workers and enter results into the computer during home Saturday meets.
Meet Set Up/Meet Clean up: These are separate positions and are usually filled by 4 individuals. Heavy lifting of picnic tables is involved.
Non-Swim Meet Volunteers
In addition to volunteering at swim meets, there are many other volunteer opportunities that benefit the team. These are not required jobs. However, if you have an interest in the following, you may want to consider:
Sponsorships: HUGE TEAM FUNDRAISER! Solicit sponsorships from local businesses, order sponsor banners, coordinate sponsor donations.
Restaurant Nights: Work with local restaurants on Team fundraising nights, communicate dinner details to Team and community.
Spirit Wear: Coordinate merch with Suit Up, pick up orders and distribute to the Team.
Friday Night Potlucks: Help set up weekly themed potlucks.
Fun Friday Practice Breakfasts: There are five fun Friday post-practice breakfasts throughout the season in the pavilion area of the pool. Examples of breakfast themes include fun cereals, donuts, muffins, and pancakes. This volunteer will purchase the food, set up after each practice and clean up.
Kings Dominion Coordinator: Every summer, SOC team members head down to Kings Dominion…. but only if we have a coordinator!!!! This volunteer will coordinate parent chaperones, carpools, and will group the swimmers based on age and ride choices (ex—thrill riders and chill riders). Note—this is a voluntary team event—swimmers pay for their own tickets at the NVSL discounted rate.
Teen Progressive Dinner Coordinator: Swimmers, age 12 and up, participate in this fun, progressive dinner potluck event. Each family donates a dish, and SOC families in the neighborhood close to the pool host a different meal course while swimmers walk from house to house. The volunteer coordinator for this event will line up families to host; assign main dishes, salads, side, dishes, and desserts to swimmers; and communicate details to swimmers.
11&Under Fun Social Event: While the 12 and older swimmers are at the progressive dinner, our 11 and under swimmers will enjoy a fun event at the pool. Anything goes! A dessert potluck, scavenger hunt, water, balloons, tie-dyeing, fun pool relay races! The coordinator will help plan and communicate this event.
End of the year potluck banquet: Held on the Saturday evening of the Divisional swim meet, volunteers help design end of the year slide show, purchase coach gifts, and order trophies.
