Forest Park Swim Team

Ensure accurate timing for each swimmer in their assigned lane. There are three timers per lane, with three jobs: stopwatch timer, recorder, and ribbons / time tickets. Timers stand and stop their watches as swimmers touch the pool wall. For 8 & under races, they verify the swimmer's name with the recorder and assist younger swimmers out of the pool if needed.

• Start Time: 30 Minutes Before Meet Starts
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Standing & Sitting
• Advantages: Enjoy a poolside seat to watch the entire meet — ideal role for new families.
• Disadvantages: You must stay focused on the start and finish of the swimmer in your lane

Responsibilities include preparing the Pool (Flags, Blocks, Lane Ropes, etc), Arranging Tables and Chairs, Removing and Replacing the Diving Board, Posting necessary signs, and taking down and neatly storing all equipment after the meet.

• Start Time: 1.5 Hours Before Meet Starts
• End Time 1 Hour After Meet Ends
• Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting
• Advantages: Watch the entire meet and socialize.
• Disadvantages: You must arrive 1-1.5 hours before and stay 30-45 minutes after

Click Here for Setup and Take Down Manual

At each meet, 4 Shepherds are assigned to manage one of the following groups: Boys 6 & under, Girls 6 & under, Boys 7–8, Girls 7–8. Shepherds are responsible for collecting swimmers for their events, ensuring they are in the correct lane (and on the correct end of the pool), verifying swimmer names on the recorder’s sheet, and collaborating with other Shepherds, especially for relays.

• Start Time: 10 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Frequent Walking
• Advantages: Enjoy some free time during the meet. This job concludes early.
• Disadvantages: Must locate and direct 6 to 16 swimmers for each event. Patience is a must!

At a dual meet, two ribbon positions are needed—one from each team. These individuals place pre-printed labels on ribbons and file them in team folders. Place ribbons are given to swimmers aged 12 and under only. Heat Winner & Participation Ribbons are given to swimmers aged 8 and under only.

• Start Time: 30 mins after start
• End Time 45 mins after end
• Physical Requirements: Sitting
• Advantages: Poolside seating, firsthand knowledge of winners, start 30 mins into competition.
• Disadvantages: Stay 30 mins after the meet to finalize ribbons and file them before leaving the desk.

Collect and verify event sheets from each lane and deliver them to the meet desk. Gather DQ slips from stroke & turn officials and delivers them to the referee.

• Start Time: 10 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Walking
• Advantages: A poolside seat for all events. Ability to watch the entire meet.
• Disadvantages: You will be moving the whole meet.

This role ensures that timers and recorders get short breaks during the meet. It requires constant movement to cover breaks, making it a full-time job during the event. If there aren't enough volunteers, this person may need to fill in for other roles, and breaks may not be provided.

• Start Time: 10 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Phsyical Requirements: As Needed
• Advantages: Experience many different jobs throughout the meet.
• Disadvantages: No defined role. Must be willing to jump into any job as needed.

Coordinates all timers and recorders, distributes timing devices, and conducts a time check with the starter to verify accuracy, and provide backup times in case of stopwatch failure.

• Start Time: 30 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Walking & Sitting
• Advantages: Poolside view of all races.
• Disadvantages: Must pay close attention to the meet in progress.

In a dual meet, each team provides at least one stroke-and-turn judge to monitor up to three lanes. These judges disqualify swimmers who violate stroke and turn rules. This role requires Stroke and Turn training, attention to detail, and impartiality.

• Start Time: 30 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Standing & Walking
• Advantages: Poolside view of the meet and a lot of exercise. Works in shifts.
• Disadvantages: Must have training, ability to accept criticism, and be completely impartial.

Inform swimmers of upcoming races, announce winners, update the score, and play music between events. The announcer must stay aware of the current event, call the next swimmers promptly, and avoid interfering with the starter. Clear communication and strong voice projection are essential to ensure swimmers hear and understand announcements.

• Start Time: 30 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Sitting
• Advantages: Poolside seating and no paperwork. The opportunity to watch the entire meet.
• Disadvantages: You must closely monitor the meet as it progresses.

The home team provides an experienced starter, responsible for installing and testing the starting system, ensuring swimmers have exited the pool, and announcing the next race. The starter calls swimmers to the blocks, announces the age group and event, and ensures swimmers are in the correct stance before starting the race. This role requires prior swim meet experience and Starter training.

• Advantages: The starter has the optimal poolside view and establishes the flow of the meet.
• Start Time: 30 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Standing
• Disadvantages: The starter must stay alert to the meet's progress, ensuring fair competition and a timely conclusion.

Each meet requires a referee with full authority over officials and responsibility for enforcing rules and resolving issues related to the meet’s conduct. The home team provides a referee for our meets, and this role requires prior stroke & turn experience and training.

• Start Time: 30 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Standing

This position requires two individuals that can run the meet software on the computer and manage the entries and score sheet. This position is always filled by a veteran team member that has had extensive training on the software program.

• Start Time: 30 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Sitting
• Advantages: Poolside seating and ability to see all times.
• Disadvantages: Must arrive early to set up the computer and stay late to reconcile the meet.

• Start Time: 1.5 hrs before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Standing & Walking

Prepares and transports meals to the pool before home meets, with food ready by 4:45 pm for Wednesday meets and 8:00 am for Saturday meets.

• Start Time: 1 hour before meet
• End Time 30 mins before end
• Physical Requirements: Standing

Manages the cash box, collects money, and gives change during home meets.Advantages: Poolside viewing; only works at home meets.

• Start Time: 1 hour before meet
• End Time 30 mins before end
• Physical Requirements: Standing

Sets up, grills, and serves hot items at home meets. Must arrive early (4:30 pm for evening meets, 8:00 am for morning meets).

• Start Time: 30 mins before meet
• End Time 30 mins before end
• Physical Requirements: Standing

Assist with setup, serve snacks, and clean up after home meets.

• Start Time: 30 mins before meet
• End Time 30 mins before end
• Physical Requirements: Standing

• Start Time: Meet End
• End Time 45 mins after end
• Physical Requirements: Lifting & Cleaning

A parent volunteer from each age group plans and organizes an activity, including advertising and coordination.

• 10 & Under Sleepover Coordinator- OPEN
• 11 - 14 Age Group Event Coordinator - OPEN
• 15-18 Event / Camping Trip Coordinator- OPEN

Coordinates the pancake breakfast, managing preparation, set-up, clean-up, and volunteer requests.

Organizes activities, games, food, drinks, decorations, and the water polo game for 13 & up swimmers, and handles clean-up.

Plans the pre-invitational "carb load" event for swimmers and families, overseeing preparation, set-up, clean-up, and volunteers. There are 4 "carb-load" feeds during the 2025 season. 

A coordinator is needed per age group. The coordinator of their age group will organize a potluck one breakfast and one lunch during their assigned Coach's Appreciation Week. 

• 6 & Under - FILLED
• 7-8 - FILLED
• 9-10  - FILLED
• 11-12 - FILLED
• 13 and Up - OPEN

Creates the slide/video show to recap the team's season. To be shown at the Awards Night.

Plans the end of season dinner for Awards Night. Parent will help with advertising and communicating with the team about the night, make plans for food and drinks. The Parent Lead will have a team of 2-3 other parents to assist with the Fiesta Night.

This parent will decide on a theme and collect items from their own swimmer age group to create the auction basket. Needed for ages: