Meet Volunteer Descriptions
Certified Positions
Stroke and Turn Judge - The Stroke and turn Judge determines if each swimmer is swimming the stroke legally as defined by Swimming rules. It is the responsibility of the Stroke and Turn Judge to disqualify any swimmer whose stroke, start, turn, or finish is illegal. The stroke and judge must be certified at an officials training clinic and pass a written test. New stroke and turn judges will apprentice with a veteran before working a meet independently.
Referee - The Referee presides over the meet to see that the meet runs on time and is fair and safe for all swimmers. The Referee has the overall authority and responsibility for seeing that the competition complies with all the appropriate rules and regulations. The referee resolves all questions related to the conduct of the swim meet and reviews any disqualifications before they are sent to the Scorer’s Table. The Referee must be certified.
Non-Certified Positions
Starter - The Starter ensures that all swimmers receive a fair and equitable start. The Starter works closely with the Referee and assumes responsibility for the start at the Referee's signal. The Starter steps the swimmers onto the starting blocks or into the water, directs the swimmers to "take their mark," and in conjunction with the referee, determines when a false start has occurred. The starter is also responsible for making sure that the starting equipment is in working order prior to the start of a session.
Head Timer - The Head Timer assures that all lanes have timers, working stop watches, clipboards, pencils, and timing cards. The Head Timer starts two watches on every race and delivers a working watch to timers when their own watches fail. The Head Timer will meet with the lane timers before the start of a session to explain the duties of the timer and answer any questions. The Head Timer supervises lane timers during meets and signals to the Referee when Timers have cleared their watches.
Timers & Scribes - Lane timers are responsible for starting their watches at the Starter's signal and stopping their watches when any part of the swimmer's body touches the wall at the finish. The watch time is then recorded by the Scribe on the entry card. Timer’s meetings are held just before the start of a session to explain the duties of the timer and answer any questions.
Relay Take Off Judge - The Relay Take Off Judge ensures that a relay swimmer does not leave the starting platform before the preceding swimmer has touched the end of the pool.
Finish Judge - The Finish Judges stand at the end of pool and observe the end of the race. They help decide the order in which the swimmers finished the event. No technical knowledge of swimming is required, but it does require a keen ability to focus your attention for close races. Training or shadowing is recommended and happily provided.
Runner - The Runners are responsible for collecting the event cards from each Timer, Finish Judge slips from each finish judge, and the Over-call judge’s slip after each heat. The cards are then brought to the Placer at the scoring table. They are also responsible for collecting any disqualification (DQ) slips from the Stroke and Turn Judges and relay jump slips from the Relay Jump Judges and taking them to the Meet Referee for their signature. These cards are also taken to the Placer at the scoring table.
Sorter - The Sorters are responsible for placing the event cards for each heat in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. place order, according to scoring rules. The Sorter position requires some training.
Scorer - The Scorer takes event cards from the Placer and puts them on the score sheet and adds the points earned by each team in the appropriate total column. Scorers need to be able to add simple numbers quickly in their head, as they will be adding the score. The Scorer then gives the event cards to the Computer Entry person.
Computer Entry - The Computer Entry person enters the times and places from the event cards into the computer and prints labels for the Ribbons person.
Awards/Ribbons - The Awards person organizes and labels the appropriate place ribbons
