Description of Volunteer Positions for Swim Meets:

Our swim team exists and functions due to the efforts of volunteers and coaches. Without the volunteer efforts of swimmer’s parents, the team would not exist. There are approximately 150 positions to be filled! Without the help of all parents/families, the season and meets would not be able to run successfully. 

PLEASE READ - NEW IN 2025: Please note that by registering your child for the Forrest Crossing Swim Team, you're agreeing to work a minimum of TWO volunteer positions during the season. Because parent participation is crucial in order to operate, a fine of $75 will be charged to each family for each unfulfilled volunteer requirement (for a total of up to $150). This fee is to cover the cost the team must then pay to coaches or other families to work extra shifts to carry the load. Please note that any adult or teen 15 years or older (family OR friend) may work a shift on your family's behalf (just let us know so we can mark it accordingly). Fees will be due at the conclusion of the season and must be paid before swimmers will be allowed to register the following season.

• Referee (Must be WCSL certified) - Has full authority over all officials and shall assign and instruct them; enforces all applicable rules and decides all questions relating to the actual conduct of the meet. The Referee can overrule any meet official on a point of rule interpretation, or on a judgment decision pertaining to an action which the Referee has personally observed. The Referee will signal the starter that all officials are in position, that the course is clear, and that the competition can begin, before each race. The Referee signs off on all disqualification slips and has them turned in to the scoring table. The Referee Should be Knowledgeable of: Timing procedures, Stroke and Turn judging, rules, and jurisdictions, starting procedures and protocol.
• Starter (Must be WCSL certified) - The starter will announce the event and heat number, age group and sex so swimmers know when to report to the marshalling area.
• Stroke and Turn Judges (Must be WCSL certified) - Stroke and turn judges will stand at the corners of the pool and will monitor the swimmer’s strokes- making sure that every swimmer is swimming legally. If a stroke violation occurs, these judges will raise their hand, and alert the referee of the infraction and fill out a DQ slip.
• Clerk of Course- These volunteers gather the children from their age group areas and organize them in event, heat, and lane order in the marshalling area.
• Head Timer – will run two watches for use as backups during each event.
• Timers- 2-3 timers per lane sit at the end of the lane assigned and record accurate times of the swimmers. The timers also verify that the event card is correct for each lane, swimmer, and event.
• Place Judge - records the order of each race.
• Ribbon Official - Printer required for this job. Collect the ribbon box, labels, and ribbons at the meet. You will take that home with you, print the lables and place them on the ribbons, file them in the ribbon box under the swimmer name, and bring that to the practice Wednesday. You will be emailed the file to print the labels once the meet is finalized and closed (normally by 10pm the night of the meet)
• Runners/hospitality - They provide our volunteers with water throughout the meet and anything else that may be needed.
• Scorer’s Table - (Must be Swimmingly/Meet Central trained) Identify the official time for each swimmer in an event and determine the official order of finish, according to the recorded times. Scoring officials keep an accurate count of the team points as the meet progresses, post official results, and prepare ribbon label file for ribbon volunteer.
• Shepherds- the shepherds will walk each group of kids from the marshalling area to their lanes before each event. They will also assist Clerk of Course in gathering children from their age group areas.
• Concession Stand worker- runs the concession stand
• Parking Attendant - Help visitors find parking and keep parking areas clean and orderly to ensure that space usage is maximized. This shift starts at 2:45pm (15 minutes before warm-ups) and ends when all visitors are parked (approx. 4pm)
• Clean-up Crew - Clean pool deck and put everything back in an orderly and presentable condition.

~~~ 28 Home meet volunteers required: 1 starter, 1 referee, 2 stroke and turn judges, 6 timers, 1 head timer, 2 clerk of course, 1 scorer’s table, 1 ribbons official, 1 heat ribbon official, 1 place judge, 1 runner/hospitality worker, 4 shepherds, 2+ concession stand workers, 2 parking attendant, 2 clean-up crew  ~~~

~~~ 17 Away meet volunteers required: 2 stroke and turn judges, 6 timers, 2 clerk of course, 1 scorer’s table, 1 ribbons official, 1 place judge, 4 shepherds ~~~

You will be required to attend a training course if you volunteer to be a referee, starter, or stroke and turn judge. The training course will be approximately an hour for stroke and turn judges and the referee/starter training will immediately follow for an additional 30 minutes.

Here is the link to get certified: https://wcsl-officials.thinkific.com/

Other ways to help:

Donate items for our concession stand to help toward our fundraising profits.