Volunteering at MEETS

Below is a description of each volunteer position. We recommend parents tryout a variety of jobs throughout the swim season to familiarize themselves with swim meets and how they are run. Again, we thank you for your time and effort volunteering. The support from parents directly benefits swimmers and the team at large. If you have any further questions about swim meets jobs do not hesitate to reach out to Janet Weber volunteercoordinators@alamedagators.org

New Family Ambassador 

1. Greet New Families and provide them with information given in Step 2-9. 
2. Check in at the swim meet desk. Make sure your swimmer is aware of his/her event number since the heat number and lane number will be published later on, on the swim meet bulletin board. Also if your swimmer is registered for an event and cannot swim in the event make sure to scratch the event at the check in desk. 
3. Find Gators tents where you can set up backpacks, chairs, etc.
4. Check in with coaches for warm up.
5. Check the swim meet bulletin board for updates of swim meet such as events numbers and heats number and lane number for each swimmer. Also a great app to have is MeetMobile. It gives swimmer events, heat no, lane no, time of swimmer, etc.
6. Once swimmers event number, heat number and lane number is available walk over to the coaches tent and provide them with these details. They will give swimmers reminders of what to watch out for, tips for the style, etc.
7. Always keep track of the event number by listening to the announcements. 
8. Swimmers get ready for the event by lining up at the starting blocks. Note that for a 25m event the swimmer lines up on the opposite side of the starting blocks. (the swim ends where the timers stand)
9. After the swimmers event please check-in with coaches that will provide swimmers with feedback on their event. 
10. New Family Ambassador don’t forget to check-in with the volunteer coordinator at the event to receive your volunteer hours. If the coordinator isn’t around please text Janet Weber 510-205-5391 and they will ensure that you received the credit.

Bring and Set up Gators Tents

1. You will receive a text from the volunteer coordinator on the Thursday before the event that will provide you with the details of where to pick up the tents. 
2. The text will also CC a Gators coach that you will coordinate with to discuss a pick up time. 
3. Remember to also pick up the buckets and bungees.
4. The swim events usually open at 07:00 am so please make sure to have the tents at the event between 7:00 - 7:30 am. 
5. Once at the event you can reach out to the coaches that will help to set up the tents. 
6. Don’t forget to check-in with the volunteer coordinator at the event to receive your volunteer hours.

Take down and Return Gators Tents

1. You will receive a text from the volunteer coordinator on the morning of the last day of the event with the details of a Gators coach at the event to coordinate with for the tents pick up. 
2. The text will have a Gators coach (usually Coach Marshall) CC’ed that will give you the address for the drop off. 
3. Once the meet is over the coaches at the swim meet will help to take down the tents and carry it to your car. 
4. Remember to also pick up the buckets and bungees.
5. Please drop off tents on the same day. 
6. Don’t forget to check-in with the volunteer coordinator at the event to receive your volunteer hours.

Timers

1. Check in with the Volunteer Coordinator 20 minutes before the event starts. They should be able to guide you to the lanes that Gators are responsible for.
2. Move to the starting line 5 minutes before your job signup starts. Make sure you are at the Gators assigned lanes (ALGA).
3. The meet director or an official will give a short lesson (5min) on how the equipment works. (very easy and straightforward using of a stop watch and/or semi-automatic system button)
4. On race start: One timekeeper will operate the stopwatch. At the start of the race be in position to see and start the watch at the instant of observing the visual starting signal. If the visual starting signal is not observed, start the watch upon hearing the sound of the signal. A timekeeper without a stopwatch does nothing on race start.
5. On race finish: All timekeepers, stand directly over the assigned lane at the finish to observe a touch above, at or below the surface of the water and stop the watch and/or push the semi-automatic system button when any part of the swimmer's body touches the wall.
6. Determine and record manual watch times or the absence of a swimmer seeded in your lane.
7. Lane Timers may operate both one watch and one button, but you may not operate two watches or two buttons.
8. Don’t forget to check-in with the volunteer coordinator at the event to receive your volunteer hours.

Volunteer Coordinator

The role of the volunteer coordinator is for checking all volunteers on the OnDeck App.

1. Download the OnDeck app
2. Login with your team unify username and password
3. Select Job Manager from the menu
4. Select Event
5. Check people in via job, start time or people
6. Click the gray check mark next to the name of the person checking in. It should turn green when successful. 
7. Please check access the night before the event and let the Volunteer coordinator if you have any issues.
8. At the event please make it known that you are the volunteer coordinator and all volunteers that signed up for jobs should check in with you. 
9. For Timers please guide them to the lane Gators are assigned. 
10. If a volunteer did not show up for a job please communicate this to the Gators Volunteer Coordinator Janet Weber 510-205-5391 and or the Gators Swim Meet Director. 
11. If possible, ask around for new volunteers to fill the position. New volunteers will be given credit for the jobs they filled.