Volunteer Position Descriptions
DESCRIPTION OF TRAINED and UNTRAINED VOLUNTEER JOBS:
Referee
10.4. Referee. The Referee shall:
- 10.4.1. Have full authority over all officials and shall assign and instruct them prior and during the meet. The Referee shall have authority to decide any questions relating to the actual conduct of the meet.
- 10.4.2. Signal the starter, before each heat, when the pool is clear and ready for competition with the Stroke and Turn Judges in position.
- 10.4.3. Determine the final decision on any point where the opinions of any other official differ.
- 10.4.4. Sign off on all Disqualification slips (DQ) ensuring each is properly filled out. If in the opinion of the Referee, the DQ is not valid for any reason, then the Referee shall overrule the decision of the signatory official.
- 10.4.5. Prohibit the use of any bell, siren, horn or any other artificial noisemaking device, if in his/her opinion it is interfering with the course of the meet.
- 10.4.6. Disqualify any competitor for any personally observed rules violation.
- 10.4.7. Have the authority to interpose in a competition at any stage after the start of the meet to ensure competitive racing conditions and rules are observed.
- 10.4.8. Sign the score sheet at the conclusion of the meet.
Starter
10.5. Starter. The Starter shall:
- 10.5.2. Take a position within 10 feet of the starting edge of the pool, in a position so as to provide all timers with an unobstructed view of the starting device.
- 10.5.3. Upon clearance from the Referee, assume full control of the competitors until a fair start has been achieved.
- 10.5.4. Direct the competitors into their starting position and issue final instructions to include:
- 10.5.4.1. The distance to be covered.
- 10.5.4.2. The stroke(s) to be swum and in what order.
- 10.5.4.3. The number of lengths to be covered.
- 10.5.5. Follow the instructions above with the command, “TAKE YOUR MARK.” Sufficient time should follow this command to enable all competitors to assume a starting position. All competitors must assume a still position prior to the use of the starting device.
- 10.5.6. With the concurrence of the Referee, adapt any starting procedure to accommodate a handicapped competitor.
- 10.5.7. With the concurrence of the Referee, disqualify competitors for delaying the start by entering the water while assuming a starting position, or for willfully disobeying an order on the start, or for any other misconduct observed while in the starting area.
- 10.5.8. If in his/her opinion a false start has been committed, the Starter shall immediately recall the swimmers using the starting device again and/or a recall rope (if available).
Stroke & Turn Judges
10.6. Stroke & Turn Judge. The Stroke and Turn Judge shall:
- 10.6.1. Observe the competitors in his/her assigned area to ensure all applicable rules pertaining to the stroke being swum are performed.
- 10.6.2. Upon sighting a violation, immediately raise a hand to signal the infraction.
- 10.6.3. The Stroke and Turn Judge will then fill out a DQ slip and will present it to the Referee for concurrence.
- 10.6.4. Insofar as possible every effort should be made to explain to the competitor the reasons for their disqualification.
Clerk of Course and Assistants
The Clerk of the Course shall:
- Be organized
- Call swimmers to report to the clerk of course area prior to event
- Verify identities and place swimmers on benches in order
- Escort swimmers to blocks
- Coordinate with announcer for calling events or for missing swimmers
Head Timer
10.9. Head Timer. The Head Timer shall:
- 10.9.1. Prior to the start of the meet he/she shall group and instruct the timers on their responsibility and procedures for timing. This meeting should also include a test to verify the accuracy of all watches to be used.
- 10.9.2. Assign 3 timers to each lane.
- 10.9.3. Designate one of these timers as the official recorder for that lane.
- 10.9.4. Signal the Referee that all timers are ready after all times have been recorded and time cards have been collected.
- 10.9.5. Be responsible for delivering to the scorers, via the runner, all official time cards as completed by the lane recorder.
- 10.9.6. Shall start his/her watch(es) on every race. The Head Timer’s watch shall be used in the event of a failure for any reason of an official lane timer’s watch.
Lane Timers
10.10. Lane Timers. The Lane Timers shall:
- 10.10.1. Perform their duties in the lane assigned to them by the Head Timer.
- 10.10.2. Look at the starting device after the Referee gives control of the competitors to the Starter. Upon sighting the flash from the starting device they should start their watch. The only time sound should be used to start a watch is when the starting device does not have a visual signal.
- 10.10.3. Stop their watch immediately when any part of the competitor’s body touches the pool or course.
- 10.10.4. Promptly report the time listed on their watch to the lane recorder and if asked, present the watch for inspection.
- 10.10.5. Not clear any time from their stopwatch until after all times (from their respective lane) have been recorded on the time cards.
Scorer, Data Checker, Recorder
10.11. Scorekeepers.
- 10.11.1. Each team will provide one scorer, one recorder and one data checker.
- 10.11.1.1. The scorers will be jointly responsible for:
- 10.11.1.1.1. Overseeing the entire scorekeeping process.
- 10.11.1.1.2. Determining the official times.
- 10.11.1.1.3. Sorting entry cards by order of finish.
- 10.11.1.1.4. Determining and posting individual team scores and results.
- 10.11.1.1.5. Informing the clerk of the course of any entry changes and/or scratches.
- 10.11.1.1.6. Confirming record breaking time cards have the required 3 recorded times.
- 10.11.1.1.7. Marking DQ and attach the DQ slip to an entry card where an infraction was recorded and countersigned by the referee.
- 10.11.5. The Recorders shall jointly be responsible for:
- 10.11.5.1. Entering changes in event results at the direction of the Referee.
- 10.11.5.2. Making corrections to either the score sheet or the software program in the event errors are detected.
- 10.11.5.3. Producing the meet results.
- 10.11.6. The Data Checkers shall be jointly responsible for:
- 10.11.6.1. Determining the official order of finish in each event.
- 10.11.6.2. In the event of the use of computer scoring, the data checker will verify the entry cards and timing sheets are correct.
- 10.11.6.3. In the event the meet is scored by hand, the data checker will verify the score sheets have the properly awarded points and the times listed agree with the official time on the entry card.
- 10.11.9. At the conclusion of the swim meet, the home team is responsible for providing, to the RSL record chairperson:
- 10.11.9.1. A list of identified triple winners and/or RSL record breakers. The information should include competitor’s name, event with description, gender of the competitor, type of pool (yards or meters), official time, and the team affiliation. This list shall be reviewed by the scorers and signed.
- 10.11.9.2. All entry cards including scratches, disqualified entry cards and DQ slips.
- 10.11.9.3. Meet entry event planners from both teams.
- 10.11.9.4. An electronic data backup of all meet results, or a copy of the meet score sheet.
- 10.11.10. If the meet is scored by hand, the data must be entered into the league database in such time as to be ready for the league seeding party. At the discretion of the League it may be necessary to have the teams in question verify the data entered.
- 10.11.11. The Scorer, Data Checker and Referee shall each sign the Official score sheet at the end of the meet. No changes to the final score will be allowed after that point, unless by official protest by the Team Representative.
- 10.11.12. Are responsible that all time cards, score sheets and event planners be delivered to the President of the RSL, Inc., or his/her designee. These records will be kept for the entire swim season.
Awards
There are two types of award positions -- heat winners and ribbons.
- Heat Winners - this person gives a heat winner ribbon to all who win their heat. Keep in mind, this is sometimes subjective so just do your best. You also will not know if that winner is later DQ'd (just an FYI).
- Ribbons - at home meets, we are responsible for affixing placement labels on ribbons for our and the away team. Many away teams do their own, just as we will do our own at away meets. So it might just be our own labels. For our team, the ribbons need to be done and in the file box by the following day at Stroke and Turn Clinic (evening practice).
- Ribbons Assistant - helps the main ribbons person.
Announcer
10.14. Announcer. The Announcer shall:
- 10.14.1. Announce the following before the start of the meet: “This meet is hosted and sponsored by the Rappahannock Swim League, Incorporated. All spectators, athletes and coaches are reminded the RSL is committed to the development of sportsmanship, teamwork, dedication and a love for the sport of swimming.”
- 10.14.2. Announce on two other occasions the following: “This meet is hosted and sponsored by the Rappahannock Swim League, Inc."
- 10.14.3. Announce a running score as given to him/her by the scorer, ensuring that such announcement does not interfere with the starter or any other official.
Runner
There are several types of runners.
- COC Runner - this person runs the cards to the timers
- Timer Runner - this person collects the cards from the timers and gives them to the Data Runner.
- Data Runner - this person takes the cards past the Admin Ref to see if any need to be pulled and then takes the cards to the data area.
- In Data Runner - this person works in the data area helping with posting results and other needs of the data area.
Safety Marshal
- 10.13.1. Watch over warm-ups in addition to the team coaches.
- 10.13.2. Ensure RSL safety measures are followed during team warm-ups.
- 10.13.2.1. Ensure that while practicing strokes, all entries are made feet first into the water. Absolutely no dives or backstroke starts will be allowed.
- 10.13.2.2. Ensure that while practicing starts, all starts are made from the block or the wall at the start end. Competitors will swim one length and exit the pool at the opposite end from which they started.
Water Bearer
The water bearer takes water out to the deck officials (Starter, Stroke and Turn, Ref, Head Timer), Timers, COC workers, and Data workers beginning 1/4 of the way into the first half and ending 1/4 of the way before the end of the meet.
Concessions
Concessions workers help with all aspects of concessions.
Volunteer Assistant
This person assists the volunteer coordinator with checking in volunteers before the start of the meet and ensuring all spots are filled during the meet.
Floater
This person is used if someone does not show up or if we need to rotate breaks as is the case on very hot days.
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