It Takes A Team Effort!

A variety of volunteer workers are needed for each meet to ensure a successful and fun meet for everyone!  For our home meets, we need approximately 40-45 volunteers.  For the meets away, we are expected to provide a number of volunteers to ensure proper and timely facilitation of the meet.  If you are new to the Betta family, please do not be intimidated by the prospect of volunteering to work at a swim meet!  We were all "newbies" at one point but soon discovered how much more fun and rewarding a meet can be when we pitch in!  

Overview of a Swim Meet & Volunteering

• The Lenoir City Swim Team is privileged to have a Volunteer Coordinator.  This person is responsible for ensuring all meet positions and tasks are filled by members of our Betta family.  This person is introduced at our pre-season meeting.

• A family member or friend of each swimming Betta is required to work a minimum of one shift (aka ½ of the meet) for each of our Home meets.  Additionally, we expect each Betta's family to provide at least one volunteer for a single away meet. 

• The first half of a meet consists of Events 1-40 and the second half consists of Events 41-70.  First half workers are asked to arrive early to help set up their area, and second half workers are responsible for helping with take-down and cleaning.  

• Volunteer commitments are made online and at the same time one signs-up a swimmer for a meet (see Schedule). 

• All volunteers are required to attend the Pre-Meet Workers meeting that is called by the Head Referee approximately 20 minutes before a meet starts. A reminder will be given that 2nd half volunteers are called to report to their stations approximately halfway through the meet (end of Event 40).  Please listen for this announcement and go to your station to ensure no delays in the meet!

• We are required to provide volunteers for the Smoky Mountain Invitational (SMI) and the GKAISA City Meets. The positions are assigned by the respective meet organizers and failure to honor these obligations will result in penalties to our team.  Typically, we have been asked to provide Finish and Relay Judges as well as Timers and Clerk of Course helpers.

• There are 2 types of meet volunteers, GKAISA Certified Official and Standard positions.  Each is described below.  For more details about these jobs and their requirements, please see the printable document at the bottom of this page.

GKIASA Certified Officials

There are a few positions, known as "Officials," that require specialized training and/or completion of a certification process.  Training Clinics for these positions are held at numerous times at various GKAISA team sites before the summer season begins.  Please let our Volunteer Coordinator know if you wish to pursue any of the following positions! 

1. MEET DIRECTOR:   The primary function of a meet director is to host a well organized and efficiently run meet. 
2. HEAD REFEREE:   The Head Referee interprets and enforces the GKAISA rules during the meet.
3. DECK REFEREE:   The primary responsibility of this position is to keep the meet running smoothly. Works closely with the Head Timer and the Starter to ensure a fair start to each Event/Heat. 
4. STARTER:   The Starter announces and starts each Event/Heat over the starting sound system equipment.
5. STROKE & TURN JUDGE:   Walks poolside during a meet and calls infractions of the GKAISA Stroke & Turn rules.    

Standard Positions

1. LANE TIMER:   Times each event with a stopwatch and records the time on the Event Time Card.
2. HEAD TIMER (Experience as a timer required):   Is responsible for overseeing the timers during the meet. 
3. RUNNER:   Collects Event Time Cards, DQ slips, Finish and Overcall Judge slips after each race and "runs" these to the Scorer's Table.                                                  
4. CLERK OF COURSE:   Calls for upcoming Events/Heats,ensuring that 3 Events/Heats are seated in the bull pen area. 
5. CLERK OF COURSE ASSISTANTS:   Hand out Event Time Cards to swimmers as they report to the Bull Pan, and direct them to the appropriate chairs. 
6. CLERK OF COURSE RUNNER:   Takes Event Time Cards for 25 yard events to the timers.
7. FINISH JUDGE:   Records the order of finish of each race on a Finish Judge slip.
8. RELAY TAKE-OFF (JUMP) JUDGE:   Monitors take-off of each leg of a relay.
9. OVERCALL JUDGE:   Notes the order of finish for each Event/Heat. This ballot is used to resolve any discrepancies between the 2 Finish Judges. 
10. SCORER:   A scorer from each team compiles race results and logs data on their team's GKAISA master score sheet. 
11. SORTER:   Receives Event Time Cards, DQ, Finish, Overcall and Relay Judge slips from the Runners and sorts these in order of finish..                                                           
12. RIBBON PULLER:   Receives the Event Time Cards from a Scorer and clips the appropriate ribbon to the card. 
13. CONCESSION SALES:   Sells food/snacks at home meets.
14. MARSHALLS:   Greet and direct Visiting Team to their area. Monitors locker room activity.
15. MEET SET-UP:   Sees that all needed equipment is on the pool deck.
16. MEET TAKE-DOWN:   Returns equipment to its storage area. Pulls trash from the outside patio and hauls the bags to the parking lot dumpster.