Cedar Park Typhoons

Volunteering 101

Welcome to the Cedar Park Typhoons Swim Club! Whether you’re looking for information about the club or you’ve already joined us, we’re happy you’re here. Our swim club is a non-profit organization and our registration fees only cover coaching salaries, facilities, and insurance. We are run entirely on volunteer support. Find out more below on the hows and whys of summer swim volunteering and the options available to help us have a successful season for all Typhoons swimmers.

Why do we need so many volunteers?

The process to take a swimming facility and transform it into a tiny tent city at 4am to accommodate hundreds of swimmers is a monumental task, and that’s before anyone even gets in the pool! In all, it takes over one hundred volunteers to successfully run a home meet. Tri-meets? You guessed it. We’ll need even more. Every position during the meet is handled by a volunteer (excluding coaches) and there are dozens positions to fill. It’s a lot of work. It’s very early in the morning. It’s also an extremely rewarding way to support the swimmers and our community.

What are the volunteer requirements for the swim season?

Every swimmer must have a volunteer present and assigned to a position during every swim meet. The volunteer can be any person willing to come and support the swim club, though some positions do require prior training. The volunteer must be present at check-in with the swimmer and must stay and complete their whole shift.

How long is a volunteer shift?

Shift length varies based on position. Some positions are completed before the meet begins (set-up) and after the meet is over (tear down) while some positions are for the whole meet (tent volunteer, team photographer, starter, announcer). Most positions are half the meet, which is usually a three hour commitment. All positions allow for volunteers to step away and watch their swimmers compete in their events!

What positions are available and do they require special training?

All of the volunteer positions can be found below. There are dozens of positions available for home and away meets. Before selecting which positions you’d be interested in committing to for the swim season, please read over their descriptions. There are no positions that require previous experience, but some do require training that will be provided at the beginning of the season by a certified Board Member.

How are the volunteer assignments handled?

The Volunteer Coordinator is a Board Member position in charge of the whole of the volunteer duties for all swim meets. There are a handful of volunteer positions that are pre-assigned and last the entire season. Any job that requires advanced training will only be available to those who have completed the training with a certified Board Member.

How does one select a volunteer job?

Each week, the volunteer job sign-up post will open and all available positions and shifts are first come, first serve. There are a limited number of positions and all selections must be submitted by the swimmer declaration deadline. If no volunteer position has been selected, the declared swimmer will be dropped from the upcoming meet.

Please note: We try very hard to be as flexible as possible with regards to volunteering. We respect your time and want to be accommodating. We are also running a very large swim club and it takes everyone involved to be patient and willing to step in for others. There will be a week you will work a shift for a position you did not request. There will be a week where we are short-handed due to vacations and we will need to scramble for coverage. There will be a week when your own swimmer is out, and we’ll also cover your commitments. There will be a week when you are a flex volunteer and you don’t work a shift at all! Please be open to all options during the six week season. We appreciate it!

What happens if a swimmer does not have a volunteer?

Swimmers will not be able to check in for a meet without a volunteer present. If the volunteer is not present, the swimmer cannot swim. If the volunteer does not complete their volunteer shift, the swimmer will be suspended from the following meet. Again, please respect that it takes hundreds of people to successfully run swim meets for all swimmers in the Northwest Swim Circuit. Without volunteers, we would have no swim team. In order to ensure all volunteers are equally contributing, suspensions are necessary for volunteers who are unwilling to support the swim club.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

The Volunteer Coordinator is always available to chat! Please reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns to [email protected]

Updated: 2024

Position: Set-Up Crew

Shift: Before the Meet

Training: None

Set-Up Crew arrives before the meet and sets up the pool facility. We bring everything but the pool to the swim meets, so all of the necessary equipment will need to be unloaded and set-up in limited time. This includes several tents, tables, chairs, benches, sound and computer equipment, concessions, and all additional necessities. Once set-up is complete, the volunteer shift is fulfilled.

Position: Tear-Down Crew

Shift: End of Meet

Training: None

Tear-Down Crew will start the tear-down process thirty minutes prior to the end of the meet. All equipment will need to be packed up, removed from the facility, and loaded onto the truck. We are required by contract to exit pool facilities by certain hard-line times, so tear-down must be quick and efficient. 

Position: Truck Crew

Shift: Day Before Meet; Immediately After Meet

Training: None

The Truck Crew position is responsible for unloading all equipment from the storage unit onto the truck on Friday evening and unloading all equipment from the truck back into storage after the meets on Saturday afternoon. (Of note: The storage unit is local to Cedar Park.)

Position: Head Tent Volunteer

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: SafeSport Certificate Required

The Head Tent Volunteer position will coordinate all swimmer tents for the Cedar Park Typhoons. They will be responsible for packing and distributing tent packets, passing out both relay changes post swimmer scratches, and enforcing all facility rules for swimmers. The Head Tent Volunteer position will also be available to help and advise all Tent Volunteer positions as necessary and communicate all issues to the Volunteer Coordinator.

Position: Tent Volunteer

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: SafeSport Certificate Required

The Tent Volunteer position assumes the responsibility of all the swimmers in the tent for the duration of the swimmers’ time at the meet until they are checked out to their proper guardians. The Tent Volunteer responsibilities include: check-in, marking swimmers for their events, relays, directing swimmers to the Swimmer Entrance Gate and Ready Bench area, collecting swimmers at the pool end, and bringing them back to the tents. Tent Volunteers will also be expected to participate in the weekly meet themes and support the Typhoons team spirit!

Of note: Tent Volunteers will spend the meet in their assigned tents. We welcome any siblings who need supervision to also be in the assigned tents. All other family members or guests of the Tent Volunteers will need to set up outside of the tent for safety purposes. All adults requesting to stay in the tent for the duration of the swim meet will need prior approval from the Volunteer Coordinator and to complete the Safesport Certification.

Position: Head Sound Crew

Shift: Whole Meet (Home Only)

Training: PDF Available

The Head Sound Crew is a lead volunteer position within the Sound Crew. The position will ensure the sound system is set-up and working correctly and will coordinate with the Announcer and Event Board position when issues arise during the meet.

Position: Sound Crew

Shift: Before and After Meets - (Home Only)

Training: PDF Available

The Sound Crew position will ensure the sound system is set-up and working correctly before the meet and properly dismantled and stored after all home meets. 

Position: Announcer

Shift: Whole Meet - (Home Only)

Training: By Audition Only

The Announcer is the voice of our home meets. The position will announce events and heats, call swimmers to the ready benches and starting blocks, direct Lane Timers, notify the swimmers of the event, stroke, and distance, and make any requested announcements over the PA system. 

Position: Starter

Shift: Whole Meet - (Home Only)

Training: Northwest Swim Circuit Training Required

The Starter position uses the designated starter device to begin each heat, ensuring all Judges and Lane Timers are ready beforehand. They will determine false starts, complete disqualification forms, and act as the primary judge for determining re-running a heat in the case of a false start.

Position: Event Board

Shift: Whole Meet - (Home Only)

Training: None

The Event Board position will update the event board throughout the meet using a remote control to mark the current event and heat for volunteers and spectators to view. The Event Board position is also responsible for all music for the home meets.

Position: Head Ready Bench 

Shift: Whole Meet 

Training: Heat Sheets Knowledge

The Head Ready Bench position is a lead volunteer position who will oversee the Ready Bench at all home meets. Along with all Ready Bench responsibilities, the Head Ready Bench position will lead the morning group meeting, ensure all volunteers are properly trained in reading heat sheets, and communicate with Tent Volunteers, Swimmer Entrance Gate, and the Announcer to ensure all swimmers are in position and ready for their events on time.

Position: Ready Bench

Shift: Half Meet

Training: Heat Sheets Knowledge

The Ready Bench position is responsible for seating swimmers based on the heat sheets for the correct events, heats, and lanes. The Ready Bench will confirm swimmers’ information, strokes, and ensure all swimmers are on the starting blocks on time.

Position: Swimmer Entrance Gate

Shift: Half Meet

Training: None

The Swimmer Entrance Gate position is responsible for monitoring the Swimmer Entrance Gate to ensure swimmers do not enter the pool area before their event has been called by the Announcer. Once called by the Announcer, the Swimmer Entrance Gate position will help facilitate directing swimmers to the Ready Bench. 

Position: Head Stroke/Exchange Judge

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: Northwest Swim Circuit Stroke Training

The Head Stroke/Exchange Judge position is responsible for supervising all Judges during the meet. The Head Stroke/Exchange Judge collects all disqualification slips, confirms any discrepancies, and discusses any disputes with the Meet Director. The Head Stroke/Exchange Judge will also act as the False Start Technician (if needed) and back-up Stroke/Exchange judge.

Position: Stroke Judge

Shift: Half Meet

Training: Northwest Swim Circuit Stroke Training

The Stroke Judge Position is responsible for observing swimmers from start to finish to ensure all swimmers are in compliance on strokes, turns, and finishes per stroke and event. Stroke Judges will need to document violations and disqualifications and alert the Running Proofer to collect any DQ slips. The Head Stroke Judge may also act as the False Start Technician, dropping the false start line during races to alert swimmers of the false start.

Position: Exchange Judge

Shift: Whole Meet (Relays)

Training: Northwest Swim Circuit Stroke Training

The Exchange Judge position is responsible for observing the relay exchanges to ensure swimmers do not leave the wall or starting block at the start of their race prior to the touch of the swimmer preceding them in a relay race. Exchange Judges will need to document violations and disqualifications and alert the Running Proofer to collect any DQ slips.

Position: Head Lane Timer

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: Northwest Swim Circuit Training

The Head Lane Timer is a lead position responsible for ensuring all Lane Timers are in place and ready. They run two stop watches as back up to Lane Timers who may have failed to start or reset their watches. The Head Lane Timer is also responsible for leading the Lane Timer meetings for home meets and ensuring all Lane Timers know how to properly fulfill the Lane Timer role.

Position: Lane Timer

Shift: Half Meet

Training: (As needed by Head Lane Timer)

A front row seat to the races, the Lane Timer position uses both digital and manual stopwatches to record the time it takes a swimmer to swim an event. There are three Lane timers assigned to a lane and each lane will confirm the swimmer’s identity and record all three times on the Swimmer’s Event Card. Lane Timers will ensure the event cards are given to the Running Proofers for disqualification review and computer input.

Position: Running Proofer

Shift: Half Meet 

Training: None

The Running Proofer position is responsible for collecting the event cards from Lane Timers and disqualification (DQ) slips from the Head Stroke Judge. The Running Proofer will then confirm name and race times, record the DQ code, and pair alphabetically any DQ slips with the proper event cards. All event cards are then turned into Computers. (This is a combined position of Runner and Proofer that’s new for the 2024 swim season.)

Position: Computer Representative Assistant

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: Swimtopia Webinars & Northwest Swim Circuit Training

The Computer Representative Assistant position will help with setting up all computer equipment prior to the meet, enter all swimmer scratches, and adjust relays as needed due to scratches. They will verify communication between Dolphin Computer and Swimtopia software during the meet, print out all labels and results during the meet, and assist in finalizing the meet results. 

Position: Dolphin Computer Operator

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: Swimtopia Webinars

The Dolphin Computer Operator position is responsible for monitoring the connection between the dolphin computer and the dolphin timers to ensure the information feed between the starter, dolphin timers, and dolphin computer are registering properly. They are also responsible for manually recording times after each heat. 

*Will be in charge of the electronic event board.

Position: Head Ribbons

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: None

The Head Ribbons is a lead position and will oversee the Ribbons and Heat Ribbons positions. They will be in charge of ensuring all labeled awards and disqualification slips are filed in the Family Boxes and the Family Boxers are brought to all practice blocks Monday to Wednesday the following week after the meet. The Head Ribbons position will also need to coordinate with the NorthWest Circuit Ribbons Representative to ensure we have enough ribbons for all home meets. 

Position: Ribbons

Shift: Half Meet (Afternoon) - (Away Only)

Training: None

The Ribbons position is responsible for attaching all labels to appropriate place ribbons and filing the awards in the Family Boxes.

Position: Heat Winner Ribbons

Shift: Half Meet

Training: None

The Heat Winner Ribbons position is responsible for handing out heat winner ribbons at the end of every race. This position does not require swim times to be finalized. If a winner is not easily determined, the heat winner ribbons volunteer will give out more than one heat ribbon. 

Position: Concessions

Shift: Half Meet - (Home Only)

Training: None

The Concessions position is responsible for the set up and running of the concession stand throughout home meets. The Concessions volunteer will handle equipment, food, and money, and will occasionally need to deliver refreshments to other volunteers working the swim meet. As needed, a food and ice runner will be on-call during the meet to replenish the concessions stand.

Position: Concessions - Grill

Shift: Half Meet (Afternoon) - (Home Only)

Training: None

The Grill position will be responsible for running the grill during the home meets. The concessions stand will offer burgers, hot dogs, and sausages for the second half of the meet. This position requires the volunteer to never leave the grill unattended.

Position: Water Runner

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: None

The Water Runner position will coordinate with Concessions and is responsible for ensuring all Judges, Lane Timers, and Coaches are given water and act as back-up Lane Timers for restroom breaks during the meet. This position is required to attend the Lane Timer meetings.

Position: Team Photographer

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: None (Bring your own camera)

The Team Photographer position is responsible for taking photos of the swim meets each week and recording the outdoor facilities of away meets. They will also maintain a photo drop box for swimmers to access photos and send photos each week to the Webmaster to be shared with the team. The Team Photographer will adhere to all USA Swim guidelines for proper areas of camera usage around the pool facility. 

Position: Photo Booth Coordinator

Shift: Whole Meet

Training: None

The Photo Booth Coordinator position will oversee the Photo Booth at all home meets and away meets when available. The Photo Booth monitor will be responsible for setting up the booth, keeping track of all photo props provided by the Cedar Park Typhoons Board, and assisting swimmers with photos.

Position: Targeted Flex Volunteer

Shift: Varies

Training: Varies

The Flex Volunteer position will be assigned the day of the meet in any volunteer role that needs to be filled for the meet. If no volunteer positions are available, Flex Volunteer sign up is required. 

Updated: 2024