Dam West Dolphins

Every family is required to sign up for at least one of the meet positions in some capacity at all meets, even if your swimmer is able to get to the meet on their own.

Most of our positions do not require any previous experience or training. Volunteer "officials" positions require some training and that training is offered for free through the Mountain Hi Swim League. A position title with a * means there is additional training required.

While we hope that you would be there to cheer on your swimmer, not all positions require you to be physically at the meet for the entire time, and some positions are done outside of the meet. Most positions work half meet shifts, when you click on the jobs it shows the duration. We understand that certain individuals may have time/work constraints or physical limitations and we do try to accommodate them.  However, if we do not have a full job roster for meet positions, we will be trying a new system of rotating job assignments for meets.  If you have a job you love and want to do all season you can signup early too.

If you are concerned about your availability or ability to volunteer, please talk to one of our Volunteer Coordinators and they will help you find ways to volunteer that work best for you. If you know that only certain positions will work for you, we encourage you to sign up early - you will find that it is much easier to get your choice of position and shift.  Volunteer sign-up is done through our website's "Calendar & Sign-Ups" tab on the "Sign-Up Calendar" page.

This year is we have added points to positions, the family with the most volunteer points at the end of the season will receive a special surprise! 

For all volunteering questions, please contact our Volunteer Coordinators: Jessica Johnson or Evelyn Carino at [email protected].

These positions occur at home and/or away swim meets. Not every position is required at every meet. Away Meet positions will vary depending on the request and needs of the Hosting Team. 

Shift 1 typically runs from Event 1 through Event 48.   (End of Back Stroke) 

Shift 2 typically runs from Event 49 through Event 90. (Start of Breast Stroke)

Shift 3 occurs at the end of the meet and helps with cleanup.

Actual shift change may vary at away pools. Please listen to the Announcer for shift changes. 

After the meet help break down the pool, put away blocks and chairs, return benches to where they belong in the baby pool, put away signage and tables, pick up trash, etc.

Home meets only.  Arrives by 6:45am to set up. Should start playing music by 7:15am. Music playlist needs to be fun, upbeat, versatile and kid-friendly and cover 5-6 hours of playtime. The Announcer will also announce First/Last call for events, advertise for the Concession Stand and makes other general announcements as needed throughout the day.  

Check the clubhouse and pool bathrooms for soap, toilet paper, and other supplies. Clean at the end of the meet.

Pick up both swim team tents from the Dam West pool and bring them to the Away Meet on Saturday morning by 6:45am. Tents can be picked up anytime during the week. They are located behind the baby pool in the shed on the right. The pool is open from 10:00am - 8:00pm. Lifeguards can let you into the pool and the shed. Requires a large vehicle: truck, minivan or SUV. Tents are 66" x 10" and 58 lbs each.

This person is a Head Volunteer position. They will be in charge of taking inventory, buying supplies, setting up and monitoring all things related to the concession stand and handling the money.  They will answer questions and handle any issues related to concessions.  They will communicate with the Announcer/DJ to make announcements. Also in charge of ordering breakfast burritos the night before and picking them up or designating someone to pick them up.

Arrive 6:15 am to help organize the concession tables and get coffee started. Everything will already be there, just need to organize everything on the table. Then run concessions for Shift 1.

Run concessions for Shift 2. Upon conclusion of the meet, help to put everything back into the appropriate bins and break down the tables. Clean-up of the concession area.

Will clean up the clubhouse which includes sweeping, vacuuming and mopping floors.

Has control over the competition in the pool. They are responsible for the safety of all swimmers in the competition pool and for accurate reporting of all disqualifications called and accepted during the competition.

This is a certified position. All new Meet Referees must have at least one (1) year experience as an MHSL Stroke & Turn Judge within the past two seasons or be currently certified as a USA Swimming Official. They are required to complete an MHSL conducted "Meet Ref/Starter" clinic. New Meet Referees must attend a New Meet Referee clinic. The complete MHSL guidelines can be found HERE.

* See "Volunteering - Officials" page for full description of this position.  Requires training class.

This person will sit next to the Meet Manager near the starting blocks and work with the Meet Manager.  This person watches the meet in "real time" and will take notes on each event.  They will collect relay cards from the Heating Area volunteers and make notes regarding changes to every event such as scratches or lane switches.  Usually, one person does the entire meet (single shift) but we are offering it as 2 shifts this season.  We would prefer to train someone into this position for the entire season if possible.

Be available as a floater for anyone who doesn't show up as a backup position. You could be asked to step into any position that is not a trained position if there is an illness, emergency, etc.  Please check in with Volunteer Coordinator(s) at the beginning of the shift to see if you're needed.

There are 3 places that our equipment is stored: the shed behind the baby pool, the swim room in the clubhouse and the storage room in the basement of the clubhouse.  Help set up tables, chairs, heating area, concession stand, signage, benches, etc. There are maps and instructions available.  Friday night set-up is usually around 7:00pm.

Each volunteer needs to bring 3 dozen donuts to the pool BY THE APPOINTED TIME:  either 7:15am, 8:15am or 9:15am.  (Please don't be late.  It makes kids cry.)  ;)  You can call ahead and ask for "kid friendly" donuts for pickup which make it very easy.

Sets up the grill and serves hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch. Cleans up the grill when finished.  Shift typically starts around 8:30am.  Will need to coordinate with the Concessions Manager.

This person will manage the heating area, working closely with the heating area volunteers, the Starter, the Meet Referee and the File Writer to ensure that all swimmers are in the proper place and that all scratches and lane changes are recorded. Typically this is 1 person that works the entire meet, however it can be divided into 2 shifts if there are 2 people interested. It requires attendance of a prerequisite course. Experience in the heating area is not required but would be extremely useful. 

Typically the certification process requires attending the "Clerk of Course" meeting held by the MHSL before the season starts. 

* See "Volunteering - Officials" page for full description of this position.  An online example presentation can be found on the MHSL page HERE.

Assist with checking swimmer's names, events and lanes and getting them seated in the proper order all the way to the starting blocks.  Heating Area is sometimes referred to as the Ready Bench or the Bull Pen at other pools.

Must be in place at the entrance by the requested arrival time: 6:15am for Home Meets or 6:45am for Away Meets. Must have the "Individual Entry List" printed out so they can check swimmers in as they arrive. Double check that swimmers are properly marked with their name and events and provide the list to the Coach before the start of the meet.  For Away Meets they will also be in charge of the "Team Box". The Team Box can be picked up from the pool any time during the week but will need to be coordinated with Toni Samudio.  You will work with the Volunteer coordinator to check in meet volunteers.

This position requires special training.  The Meet Manager needs to be comfortable with computers and willing to learn the Meet Manager software.  Prior to a home meet, they will receive the list of swimmers from both teams.  They will set up the meet in the software and send it out to the Coaches, Scoring Reps and Parent Reps of both teams for any changes.  Once approved they will combine events and then send out the final Meet Program to both teams. During the home meet, they will run and record the race results using the Dolphin System and Meet Manager software.  If interested in training for this position please talk to the Parent Delegate.   

* See "Volunteering - Officials" page for full description of this position.

Has full authority over the swimming competition.

This is a certified position. All new Meet Referees must have at least one (1) year experience as an MHSL Stroke & Turn Judge within the past two seasons or be currently certified as a USA Swimming Official.  They are required to complete an MHSL conducted "Meet Ref/Starter" clinic.  Meet Referees must attend a Meet Referee clinic.  The complete MHSL guidelines can be found HERE.

* See "Volunteering - Officials" page for full description of this position.

If interested, please talk to the Parent Delegate or Volunteer Coordinator.  

Stand or sit at the end of the pool near the officials and visually determine the order of event finishes.  Write down the order on a prepared sheet.  The information is used as a back up to the timers in case there is a failure and/or a discrepancy.

Responsible for running cards from timers and disqualification slips (DQs) from the Scribe to the Scoring Table at the end of each heat.  

There are 3 places that our equipment is stored: the shed behind the baby pool, the swim room in the clubhouse and the storage room in the basement of the clubhouse. The Manager(s) should know what belongs in each room, where it goes for a meet and when it goes out (either Friday night OR Saturday morning.) They will arrive early on Saturday morning during a home meet to help direct other volunteers to finish setting up all of the Saturday morning items.  Start time is at 6:15am at the latest. Click HERE for maps and detailed instructions.

These volunteers usually sit in the officials area, though not always.  They will visually confirm that swimmers are in the appropriate lanes for each heat and work with the File-Writer to confirm scratches and lane changes.  At a home meet they are responsible for flipping the Event Number to indicate which event is currently in progress. They will run various errands such as posting results, collecting time sheets, taking DQ slips to appropriate team coaches and running information to and from the Scoring Table, the Starter, Heating Area and Meet Referee.  They may also help with score verification by looking over the results and processing the DQ slips.

Listens on the radio for disqualifications (DQs) from the officials and writes out the DQ slips. 

This is a certified position. Requires the completion of an MHSL conducted "Meet Ref/Starter" clinic.  The Starter works closely with Meet Referee and Meet Manager.   They make sure all lanes are numbered properly, call the swimmers to the blocks, announce the distance and stroke for each event, instruct swimmers on the blocks, give the starting instruction, “Take your mark” to ensure that a proper starting form is observed with at least one foot at the front of the block in a forward start. The complete MHSL guidelines can be found HERE.

* See "Volunteering - Officials" page for full description of this position.

If interested, please talk to the Parent Delegate or Volunteer Coordinator. 

This is a certified position. Must attend an MHSL conducted "Stroke & Turn" clinic and/or re-certify each year. Attending the clinics is the easiest way.  Please see our calendar for details on the clinics and attend the one that works for you.  Once certified please notify the Parent Delegate and Volunteer Coordinator. 

S&T Judges ensure that swimmers conform with the swimming rules of the current stroke. If a violation is seen they notify the Meet Referee of a possible disqualification (DQ). Meet Referee makes the final decision.

* See "Volunteering - Officials" page for full description of this position.

Before the season they help install all the batteries and test all the stopwatches.  At the end of the season they help take all the batteries out.  At a Home Meet they are responsible for the Dolphin System stopwatches.  They run the "Timers Meeting" before each home meet and make sure all the Timer Volunteers know what to do.  They address any issues that may arise.

They stand at the end of the pool (best spot in the house!) and watch the swimmer in their lane.  They stop their stopwatch when the swimmer touches the wall.  There are 3 timers per lane for accuracy. We use the “Dolphin System” which automatically starts the timers so they only need to hit “stop.”  There is a brief training before each meet.  It is a fairly easy job but if you are new to it we recommend that you check out the "Timer Instructions" under the "For Parents" tab.

Coordinates with Parent Rep to decide which volunteer positions are needed at each swim meet and all team events.  Tracks which positions have been filled and which ones still need volunteers.  Answers questions about each position and helps find volunteers. Assigns positions as necessary. Prints out name tags for volunteers and helps check-in volunteers and swimmers at the beginning of each meet.

Occasionally takes a tray of water, lemonade and snacks around to the officials and timers.  Trays, cups, water, lemonade and hard candies will be at the Concession Stand.  Help fill in with concessions if needed or to give breaks to concession volunteers so they can watch their kid(s) swim or take bathrooms breaks. Check with officials for food needs.