Dominion Hills Swim Team

Your first swim meet can be a bewildering experience as you encounter a vast horde of adults dressed in blue and white. NVSL rules require white shirts and blue slacks, shorts or skirts (no team logos) as the color to be worn by all officials. As your swimmer competes in the pool, swimming is a unique sport in that it takes a huge corps of parent volunteers to run a meet and season. 

If your swimmer swims in a Monday (B - developmental meet) or Saturday (A - competition meet), parents will be expected to volunteer and support our swimmers and team. There are several positions behind the scenes and on the pool deck.

Some positions do require training but most do not! This year's officials schedule can be found here.  Note there is NOT a session at DH despite what this document says.  Many of the various volunteers and officials required to run a swim meet and their responsibilities are listed below.

TEAM REPRESENTATIVE (at minimum 3 year commitment)

Tamara McFarren, Sarah Shattuck and Maria Clinger

• Managing and coordinating all activities for the swim season
• Represent swim team in NVSL meetings (team rep meeting for planning begins in February)
• Recruit and coordinate hiring of coaching staff (begin in winter)
• Ensure that key volunteers are in place for all positions
• Logistical coordinator for team within NVSL divisions
• Coordinate and Attend all swim meets (including divisional relay carnival, divisionals)
• Coordinate with coaches and families for swimmers who qualify for all star relays and individual meets
• Sign official score sheets to certify acceptance of A meet final results.
• Make decisions as necessary to ensure the team runs efficiently.
• Team reps are the primary point of contact for the team.

DATA COORDINATOR (requires NVSL training)

Bill Schimmel and Matt Fahle

• Key position on the team - manages the process of organizing swimmer’s times so swimmers can track their progress and our coaches can make meet sheets.
• Collects, organizes and disseminates all meet results and times.
• Prints ribbon labels
• Works closely with team rep and coaches on data including creating meet sheets, ladder and all the behind the scenes magic for all meets
• Knowledge of NVSL Hytek software (requires NVSL training)

TREASURER

Cathy Ax

Tracks all income and expenditures for the swim team, some of which include registration fees, sportswear purchases, social and concession purchases and a million little items that no one else would ever notice. Turns around tons of reimbursements for team-related expenses quickly and accurately.

AWARDS COORDINATOR(S)

Jill Bentson and Carolyn LeNard

Swimmers earn ribbons at each meet and trophies and other awards are presented at the end of year banquet. These mementos are great positive reinforcement for the hard work and achievement of our swimmers.

The Awards Coordinator works with our Data coordinator and Coaches to coordinate all such awards.

• Ribbons for A and B meets: for B meets receive labels day after meet, place label on ribbons and file in family folders; A meets works at table and places labels on ribbons after each event.
• End of Season Awards: Order the last week of season for age group champions, age group most improved, team champions, coaches awards, team records, senior Jefferson cups
• Record Board: Update and order new stickers for record board as needed.

CONCESSIONS COORDINATOR(S)

Andrea Brunk and Courtney Desautels

• Oversees concessions for all home A and B meets.
• Directs Monday night and Saturday morning setup for concessions.
• Manages ordering of outside food for all home meets.
• Ensures that concession stand has adequate stock of coffee, beverages, and pre-packaged food, and provides shopping list to concessions shoppers.
• Communicates with Treasurer about needs for change.

SOCIAL COORDINATORS

Dasha Hermosilla and Kendra Ervin

Individual Social coordinators still needed

The Social Volunteer Coordinator oversees the organization and planning for team socials each weekend during the season.  Our coordinators provide guidance and support to each week's event lead.

• Held on Friday evenings or Saturday afternoons (Past seasons' socials have included fireworks, tie dying, slip and slide, potluck dinners, community service activities, and the annual lip sync)

SWIM TEAM BANQUET COORDINATOR(S)

Anne Marie Riha & Co-coordinator still needed

The capstone of our season is the swim team banquet where kids and parents dress up and celebrate the season with our awards banquet and end-of-the-season party all in one.  The banquet occurs on Saturday night after the Divisionals meet on the front lawn of the pool.

• Coordinates and oversees catering, table and tent rentals, decorations.
• Coordinates and leads set up and take down of the banquet.

SENIOR RECOGNITION

Jeanette McComis

Plans and purchases gifts for graduating seniors. Plans Senior Day (last Saturday home meet) with Team Reps and announcers. Coordinates senior bios with parents for publication in the Senior Day meet sheet.

FRIDAY MORNING BREAKFAST COORDINATOR

Dianna Rodriguez Marlowe and Allison Fesler

Coordinate with the dive team's breakfast coordinator to provide alternating weeks of breakfasts including donuts, bagels, cereal and the famous pancake breakfast on the last Friday of the season.

SPIRIT WEAR COORDINATOR

Meghan Fatouros

• Coordinate with dive to order spirit wear and delivery of spirit items during practices
• Distribute team t-shirts, caps and magnets during time trials and morning practices
• Distribute and organize pre purchased spirit gear.

TEAM PHOTOGRAPHER(S)

Renee Meyers, Randa Fakes LoGerfo, Thuy Dinh

• take pictures throughout the season, create end of year slideshow, pictures of senior for senior recognition

TEAM SLIDE SHOW/VIDEO COORDINATOR

Jessie Dinh

• Work with photographers to assemble season-ending slide show for the team banquet
• Collect photos from parents of seniors for inclusion in the slide show

MEET VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Every swim meet requires a LARGE number of volunteers. As a general rule of thumb, we ask that at least one member of your family volunteer at a meet if your children compete. The following volunteer positions are needed for every meet. Please select a position that you will be comfortable doing but don’t be afraid to try a new job when the opportunity arises!

OFFICIALS (requires NVSL certification)

If you would like to become an official or need to update your training contact us at [email protected] for more information on becoming certified as an official. Several training sessions will be available in May and June, schedule for 2023 can be found here.

OFFICIALS COORDINATOR(S)

George Ax

• Work with the Team Rep to communicate with the other teams prior to A meets and provide our slate of officials.
• Maintain schedules and availability of all officials, and ensure full coverage at each home and away meet.

STARTER (required NVSL training)

• Starters are required to complete NVSL training and, as the name implies, ensure all swimmers have a fair and equitable start to their race.
• We use a Colorado system consisting of a microphone, horn and strobe light. Only a Starter’s mistake will result in a race being recalled.
• Must wear a white shirt and blue shorts/skirt.

REFEREE (required NVSL training)

• The referee is the chief official of a meet, and has multiple seasons of officiating under his or her belt.
• They are responsible for the conduct of the meet and the final authority on the interpretation and enforcement of all swimming rules.
• Must wear a white shirt and blue shorts/skirt.

STROKE AND TURN JUDGE - (required NVSL training)

• If attention to detail and a commitment to fairness are important to you, consider getting certified as a Stroke and Turn judge. This is also an excellent job for parents who really want to know and understand the nuances of the events their kids are swimming.
• Each judge is responsible for ensuring that all swimmers in their section of the pool obey the rules of the stroke they are swimming, and when necessary, indicate to the Referee that a swimmer may have committed an infraction that could lead to a disqualification in that event. To be a stroke and turn judge you must know the rules and apply them fairly and consistently. Confidence can only be attained by studying the rules, attending training sessions and working regularly at meets. B meet judges work in two shifts, and each team needs to provide two judges per shift. A meets require two judges from each team.
• Require at least 4 per meet
• Must wear a white shirt and blue shorts/skirt.

Relay Take-off Judges 

• During relays, you’ll see four Relay Take-off Judges at each end of the pool (two per lane). Their job is to ensure that each swimmer touches the wall prior to the next swimmer in the relay leaving the pool deck. Each Judge notes on a slip of paper whether each swimmer in his lane left before or after the swimmer in the water touched the wall. Relay Take-off Judges do not raise their hands when they observe an early take-off because a disqualification occurs only if both Relay Take-off Judges observed an early takeoff.

ANNOUNCER

Do you have a voice made for radio? This role required a detailed understanding of how meets are run. Public speaking skills are a must. Experience required.

• Must wear a white shirt and blue shorts/skirt.

CHIEF TIMER (NVSL training is available)

The chief timer is in charge of all timing and recording of swimmers. The swimmers depend on the Chief Timer to ensure the timers provide an accurate record of their performance. Experience required.

• Must wear a white shirt and blue shorts/skirt.

TIMERS

• Great position for new swim parents, and a job many veteran parents love! If you can hold a stopwatch, you can time. Timers start their watches at the strobe light and stop when the swimmer touches the wall.
• Each lane has three timers, so 9 timers are needed for each of two shifts at all B meets.
• 9 times are needed for the single shift at each A meet.
• Head Timers do need to complete NVSL training and are responsible for collecting the recorded times from each lane and ensuring their delivery to the table workers. Each meet requires one Head Timer.
• Must wear a white shirt and blue shorts/skirts.

CLERK OF COURSE

• Is herding cats among your skill sets? This is the role for you, making sure all kids are lined up and on time for their events.
• 3 Clerks are needed for each B meet, 2 for each A meet.
• The Clerk of Course organizes the swimmers for each event, seating them in order and dividing out swimmers into heats, if necessary. Both home and away teams provide clerks. Clerks help the meet run smoothly and without delay. It is important to be supportive and encouraging to our swimmers while clerking, but also remain in control and alert. We may need as many as three clerks for the duration of the meet.
• Experience is encouraged, but not necessary. Must wear a white shirt and blue shorts/skirt for A meets.

RUNNER

• Want to get your steps in and still watch your kids swim? Volunteer as a runner to deliver time slips from the deck to the table workers.
• B meets need one runner per shift. A meets needs a single runner.

MARSHALLS (NVSL Training is available)

Marshalls are responsible for ensuring that warm-ups and the meet are conducted safely and that order is maintained during the meet.

• Marshalls must be on deck before warm-ups can begin.
• All about crowd control, and we give you a nifty orange vest! Marshalls help with crowd control, keeping kids on deck and spectators off, directing swimmers to the appropriate place on the pool deck, reminding all in attendance to be quiet at the start of each race.
• 3-4 volunteers needed per shift.
• NVSL Training is available but not mandatory.

DATA TABLE COORDINATOR (NVSL Training is available)

• Coordinates and oversees all data input at A and B meets is verified and accurate.
• Support and help the Data Coordinator collect and report racing results. Experience preferred.
• Must wear a white shirt and blue shorts/skirt for A meets.
• NVSL training is available but not mandatory.

DATA ENTRY / TIME RECORDER (NVSL training is available)

Table Workers perform a critical part of the swim meet by sorting time cards, verifying times, and (At A meets) preparing ribbons. They work closely with the Data table coordinator to manage all the information coming in from each event. Experience preferred.

• During meets enters swimmer’s time in Hytek software
• Verifies swimmer’s time on time card & places in correct time order.
• B meets 2 shifts; A meets one shit
• Must wear a white shirt and blue shorts/skirt to A meets.

SET UP / TAKE DOWN

After home meets we need everyone to help reset the pool to open for normal use.

This is an “all-hands-on-deck” job. Volunteers move deck furniture, set up/take down tents, hang/remove signage and prepare the pool area for the meet.

For Saturday home meets: The preliminary set-up is on Friday night or Saturday morning immediately before the warm-ups.

For Monday night home meets set-up is between 4:00 - 5:00 pm before warm-ups. Take-down is done immediately following the last race. No experience required.

CONCESSIONS

Concession Workers

• During the meets selling concessions and assists the coordinator with setting up and taking down concessions

Concession Shoppers

• Purchases drinks, snacks, candy usually day before meet.
• On the day of meet purchase ice, and pick up of any meal items.
• Submit all receipts for reimbursement to concessions coordinator.