Highlands Swim Team

ALL parents are required to volunteer for jobs at meets during the swim season. This is non-negotiable, as our swim team meets are run 100% by volunteers. Each parent is expected to help by doing a minimum of 5 jobs over the season. Sign-ups for jobs are available.  Swim meets are fun and run smoothly when we have enough volunteers!

Unless otherwise specified in the job sign-up, most jobs are scheduled for one half of a meet (first or second half). A few jobs (ex: Announcer, Meet Referee, and Volunteer Coordinator) are for the entire meet and not broken into first and second half.

• ANNOUNCER: Announces first, second, and final calls for each event. Works closely with the starter and Clerk of Course to keep the meet running smoothly. The announcer will need to anticipate flow based on the number of swimmers, the stroke, the number of lengths to swim, and the age of the swimmers. Training is required for this position. 
• COMPUTER OPERATOR: Responsible for entering data from time cards and verifying data entered. This volunteer sits under a tent in the back of the pool. Assigned to work for one-half of the meet. Training is required for this position.
• CLERK OF COURSE: The Clerk of Course is the key to keeping a meet on schedule. Responsible for lining up the swimmers by event, heat, and lane and getting them to the starting blocks in the correct order and on time. Assigned to work for one-half of the meet. Previous mite parent experience is required for this position.
• HEAD TIMER: Responsible for preparing the watches gathering the timers together, assigning lanes, and conducting a timers briefing no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of the meet. The HT may also be assigned to distribute the timer sheets prior to the events starting. The HT also maintains multiple running watches at the start of each race in case a lane timer needs one because of a malfunction. Previous timer experience is required for this position.
• HEAD REFEREE: The chief official for each home swim meet. Responsible for the conduct of the meets and is the final authority on the interpretation and enforcement of all swimming rules. The Head Ref is required to attend the entire swim meet. Training is required for this position. 
• HEAT RIBBONS: Determines the winner of each individual event heat and awards that swimmer a heat winner ribbon. Assigned to work for one-half of the meet. Great job for new swim team parents. 
• HOSPITALITY: Offers water to volunteer workers for both home and away teams. Fills in for timers as needed for bathroom breaks. Great job for new swim team parents. 
• LANE TIMER: Records the swimmers’ times. Each timer is provided a stopwatch and assigned a lane; there are three timers for each lane. All three times are recorded and the middle time becomes the official time. Timers are assigned to work for one-half of the meet. This job gives you the best view of the pool and the swimmers during their races. Great job for new swim team parents. 
• MITE PARENT: Supervises the waiting area for a particular age group during meets, distributes event cards for relays, keeps track of swimmers as best as they reasonably can between events, and gets swimmers to the ready bench on time with caps and goggles. Several parents will share this job. This position is obviously more important for the younger swimmers, and the Mite Parents for the youngest ages (8 & under) are especially critical to the timely start of the meet. Assigned to work for one-half of the meet. Great job for new swim team parents. 
• RUNNER: Responsible for collecting the completed event cards and DQ forms for each race from the timers and judges. The cards and DQ forms are delivered to the scoring table. Assigned to work for one-half of the meet. Great job for new swim team parents. 
• SET UP: Arrive to the pool at 4:30 p.m. and sets up the pool area for home swim meets. Moves deck chairs, sets up starting blocks and swimmer benches, puts up canopies and announcer stand, and sets up additional items as needed. Great job for new swim team parents. 
• STARTER: Starts each event with the announcement of the age and stroke and the words "SWIMMERS TAKE YOUR MARK", pauses to make sure that all swimmers are motionless, and then gives an electronic sound or a blast of a whistle. He/She shall be the sole judge of FALSE STARTS and all false starts shall be restarted. Training is required for this position. 
• STROKES AND TURNS JUDGE: Work with other judges around the pool to observe strokes, turns, and finishes to see that swimmers comply with the requirements for that stroke. Judges only rule on infractions on their side of the pool. Assigned to work for one-half of the meet. Training is required for this position. A training clinic will be scheduled prior to the first meet of the season. You can also request to shadow a current S&T judge during a meet. 
• TABLE WORKER/VERIFIER: Marks the official time for each swimmer, records the order of finishes, and verifies the computer results. This volunteer sits under a tent in the back of the pool. Assigned to work for one-half of the meet. Great job for new swim team parents. 
• TAKE DOWN: During the last few minutes of a meet, all families with second-half swimmers begin taking down and storing items in preparation for vacating the pool immediately after the meet. Away meets may also require transporting the equipment back to The Highlands pool for storage. Great job for new swim team parents.