Forest Park Swim Team

A critical job at every meet. Timers 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: 15 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

This role sits with the head timer, and ensures that timers get short (5-10 minute) breaks during the meet. It requires constant movement to cover breaks, making it a full-time job during the event. If a timer no-shows, the relief timer will fill in a Lane Timer role.

• Start Time: 10 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Phsyical Requirements: As Needed
• Advantages: No set position.
• Disadvantages: No defined role. Must be willing to jump into any job as needed. Must check in regularly with timers to ensure they get breaks as needed.

The head timer manages two additional stopwatches as backup to the lane timers, in case of missed starts or stopwatch failures. This role coordinates all timers and recorders, distributes timing devices, and conducts a time check with the starter to verify accuracy.

• Start Time: 15 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. Must be on top of extra stop watch starts.

Setup and take-down is split into two roles. Setup includes preparing the Pool (Flags, Blocks, Lane Ropes, etc), Arranging Tables and Chairs, Removing and Replacing the Diving Board, Posting necessary signs. Take down crew is responsible for taking down after the meet and ensuring all equipment is stored securely and in it's proper place. Take down crew generally starts during final relays.

• Set Up: 1.5 hours before meet starts
• Take Down:  30 minutes before meet ends, and up to 1 hour after.
• Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting
• Advantages: Be free during the entire meet to socialize.
• Disadvantages: You must arrive 1-1.5 hours before or stay 30-45 minutes after

Click Here for Setup and Take Down Manual

At each meet, 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.

This is an active job that requires close attention to the meet flow and Stroke and Turn officials.  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.  The runner sits with the relief timer and head timer.

• 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.

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

There are two options for this position: Opener and Closer. This is a Home Meet only role that assists with snack shack setup, serves snacks and food, and cleans up.

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

Run the Shaved Ice station.

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

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.

This position helps out the Jobs Director, providing help with Check In volunteers for roles, and assisting with finding substitutes during the meet. Must be able to check in the Clean-Up crew at the end of the meet.

• Start Time: 30 mins before meet
• End Time Meet End
• Physical Requirements: Sitting, Standing, Walking
• Advantages: Most requirements performed before meet start, allowing time to watch the meet.
• Disadvantages: Must arrive early and stay longer than regular shifts to ensure all volunteers are checked in to get credit for their job.

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.

Helps out with the pre-invitational "carb load" event for swimmers and families, arriving early to set-up, serving, and cleaning up after. There are 2 "carb-load" feeds during the 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 - OPEN
• 7-8 - OPEN
• 9-10  - OPEN
• 11-12 - OPEN
• 13 and Up - OPEN

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: