Let's start pool-side with the meet administration jobs.

Automation Coordinator: At home meets, primarily responsible for operating computer and team software to prepare meet entry sheets and to record swimmer times and heat scoring. Prints ribbon labels, event score sheets and final meet summary. Prints out program. At away meets, assists host team automation coordinator. Active coordination with Head Coach required during week. 

Scorer/Verifier: Works each meet with Automation Coordinator at the computer to check timer sheets and final results summaries for accuracy.

Clerk of Course: For both A and B meets, the clerk of course is responsible for checking in swimmers prior to their events. Assures swimmers know which lanes they are swimming in and how to get to the starting area. 

Clerk of Course Assistant: The assistant(s) often find the swimmers in the team area and/or escort the swimmers in lane assignment and heat order from the clerk area to the starting end of the pool.

Officials:

Stroke and Turn Judge: Requires prior certification through the MCSL, whose clinics cover the legality/basics of each stroke. There are four stroke and turn officials at each meet; two from each team. The Stroke and Turn Officials watch 3 lanes each and make sure the strokes are done legally (eg., did a backstroker swim the entire race on his/her back, is the breaststroker kicking properly, etc.).

Starter: Requires prior certification through the MCSL. Starter is responsible for giving the command to start the race, operating the starting equipment, and assuring (with the referee) that no one false starts.

Referee: Certification is required through MCSL and current certification as a S & T judge is also required. The referee is responsible for running the meet. The referee must approve all swimmer disqualifications and keeps the meet running in a timely fashion. All disputes, rule questions, etc. are handled by the referee; therefore, the referee must be familiar with all applicable USS and MCSL rules.

Chief Judge: Certification as a Referee or Stroke and Turn Official is required. Chief Judge works at the Relay Carnival with the Referee to approve disqualifications at the far end of the pool.

Head Timer: Prior experience as a timer is required but no certification by MCSL is needed. The Head Timer is responsible for assuring that all timers have started their watches at the appropriate time and recorded their times accurately, collecting all timesheets after the race, and providing timers with support as needed. The Head Timer also starts two extra watches in case they are needed by other timers. (Training is available).

Assistant Head Timer: Prior experience as a timer is required. Assistant Head Timer works with the Head Timer and is responsible for assuring that timers in three lanes have started their watches at the appropriate time and recorded their times accurately, for collecting all time sheets after the race and giving them to the runners, and supporting the timers as needed. (Training is available).

Ribbon Writers: Responsible for attaching labels to ribbons during the meet and organizing their distribution to swimmers in specially designated ribbon folders.

Runner: Responsible for taking the time sheets from the Head Timer and delivering to the Automation person after each event. (Same responsibility for A and B meets).

Team Representative(s): Team reps are responsible for managing and coordinating all activities for the swim season. Woodley's reps attend monthly MCSL meetings in Rockville from January though July, ensure that key volunteers are in place for all positions, interview and hire the coaching staff, and make decisions as necessary to ensure the team runs efficiently. The reps coordinate major meets (Relay Carnivals and Divisionals) with other reps in the division. For both A and B meets, the reps ensure that the necessary preparations, supplies and volunteers are ready at the start of the meet; the A rep also signs official score sheets to certify acceptance of A meet final results. The reps also work and consult with the coaching staff, and pool board and staff, on all matters as necessary relating to swim team operations. 

Treasurer: The second easiest job in summer swimming. Tracks all income and expenditures for our program, including registration fees, sportswear purchases, concessions purchases and sales, and a million little items that no one else would ever notice. Coordinates banquet arrangements, entertainment and ticket sales. Turns around tons of reimbursements for team-related expenses quickly and accurately, Goes above and beyond all things bookkeeping and most importantly, laughs at all team rep jokes. 

Timer: There are 3 timers in each lane. The primary responsibility is to start the watch at the start of the race and stop it when the swimmer touches the wall. One of the timers records all three times after each heat and circles the middle time, which becomes the official time for that lane. You get the best seat in the house with this job -- no experience is required.

Concessions Jobs

Concessions are important for the swim team budget, a big part of which contributes to our coaches' salaries. We also subsidize the costs of the season-ending banquet for each family with funds raised from concessions, and covers other equipment and operational costs with these funds.

YES, IF YOU ARE WORKING CONCESSIONS, YOU CAN STEP AWAY TO WATCH YOUR CHILD SWIM.

Concessions Manager:  This job requires managing concessions area set up, operations and clean-up throughout the meet. Along with a couple of helpers, the manager ensures that tables are set up, food & utensil wash stations established, coolers are filled with ice, sodas and water, and food is prepared and displayed in accordance with food safety standards (most of which are just common sense, by the way). S/he also makes sure that hospitality for timers and officials is prepared and laid out, and that the ice chests by the diving boards remain stocked with water and ice for timers and officials during the meet. S/he ensures that the concessions helpers are on task with prep, sales and re-stock from inventory, and that concessions operates cleanly and and efficiently. About 20 minutes before the end of the meet, volunteers can begin cleaning & storing utensils and serving pans, putting away unused and perishable food, and getting ready to break down the concessions area for general pool usage. Other clean-up tasks include draining the coolers of ice and restoring unsold drinks to the storage area, and cleaning off tables and re-storing them in the swim team storage area.

Concessions Helpers: Set-Up, Sales, Prep, Clean-Up. Helpers will wash and cut fruit, restock pans of food, check & refill the coolers with ice and drinks, wrap sandwiches in foil, wash knives & trays and tin foil pans, take money and make change. Please be prepared to help as the leads (see above) direct. If you have a health issue that limits what you can do, by all means let us know; otherwise, don't just park in front of the cash box and wait out the chaos around you -- pitch in!

Concession helper for OFFICIALS FOOD TABLE: This job combines early bird shopping with day-of activity. First, purchase food for 30-35 people (save receipts for reimbursement) and then set up a table at halftime with snacks and water for officials. Food must be purchased in advance and ready by 10 AM; cleaned up at 10:15 AM Suggested food: grapes, pretzels, mini donuts (powder), Chex Mix, watermelon.

COSTCO Run: We try to combine shopping for more than one meet/event when we can, but this job involves spending an hour or two at COSTCO stocking up on paper goods, fresh, frozen and packaged foods and most non-drink offerings needed at concessions. We'll equip shoppers with a list of items and quantities and phone numbers to call if you need to clarify while you're in the store. Pool staff will help you unload and store items in the swim team freezers and refrigerators; shopping must be done by 3 pm the day before a meet or event.

Helps to have a car that holds a lot (Prius not recommended) and a COSTCO membership -- we cannot buy memberships for shoppers. Buyers purchase concessions items on their own credit card and are quickly reimbursed by the swim team as soon as you submit your receipts. Don't do this job if you hate COSTCO -- the better you know the place, the easier it is to do this.

Ice/Bagels/Donuts Pre-Order, Pick-Up and Delivery: Great jobs for first-timers, but they'll take some planning and dependability is a must. You do the pre-order, pick-up and delivery to the pool; we ask that you remain at the pool for an additional 30-45 minutes to help with set-up for concessions, automation or sportswear as needed.

We need between 15 and 20 16-pound bags of ice per meet and usually get them at a nearby store. Check with the Concession Manager for best options.

Coffee: This person arranges coffee for the Saturday A meets.