Thousand Oaks Otters

Each meet requires a large number of parent volunteers in order to run the meet smoothly and on time. We need to fill a significant amount of volunteer shifts over the course of the season. In order to register, your family will sign up for a variety of jobs, with each family needing to earn 12 hours. The roles listed below are needed for meets. It is important that you are on time or early to your position to ensure a smooth meet. Should you be unable to fulfill your commitment, it is your responsibility to find your own replacement.

Parents work either the 1st and/or 2nd half of meets at a designated job (i.e. timer, concessions, scoring table, etc.). You will still be able to see your child swim. Workers change at the completion of the Backstroke event. Most of these jobs are fairly simple and you can be trained the night of the meet. 

Volunteer Positions

Easy to learn, minimum training involved and will be completed the day of the meet.

Across-the-Board Judge (Home and Away) Is seated at the finish of each race, perpendicular to the wall in order to see each lane's finish placement. The Judge is responsible for calling the lane number, to be noted by the visiting Recorder as each swimmer finishes.

Across-the-Board Recorder (Home) The home team Recorder will note the finishing order as called by the visiting team Judge on a provided form.

Back-Up Timer (Home) Stand behind the starting blocks and start two stopwatches at the signal of each heat. Will wait for a possible SOS call from timer with malfunctioning watch.

Bathroom/Trash Cleanup (Home) Empty garbage cans and ensure bathrooms are clean.

Clerk of the Course - (Home and Away)This person works with the swimmers to line them up in heats and to get them to the starting blocks for upcoming races. Our team plans to enlist three adults for this role each half-meet. You will also work with a Clerk of the Course from the other team. Notifies the Announcer/Starter of missing swimmers.

Concessions (Home) Assist the Concessions Team with serving food and accepting payment for concessions.

Event Counter Sign Duty (Home) Will be responsible for updating the Event Sign (via remote control) located adjacent to the north entrance to the pool deck. 

Heat Ribbons (Home) Delivers ribbon to all 8 & Under and 9-10 swimmers who win a heat without receiving a DQ.

Hospitality (Home) This role provides drinks (supplied by our concessions tent) to all volunteers and coaches during the meet. 

Heat Sheet Sales (Home) This role sells heat sheets (supplied by the team) during the first half of the meet.

Lane Timer (Home and Away) Stands at blocks. Starts stopwatch at the signal and stops the watch when swimmer touches the wall.

Meet Cleanup (Home) Trash collection. Equipment breakdown and storage. Restore pool to original configuration.

Meet Set-Up (Home) Must be able to arrive at approximately 3-3:30pm on meet days. Involves setting up staging area, Clerk of the Course, hospitality, and assisting with organization of lane time sheets.

Parking Lot Attendant (Home) Ensures that parking rules for the street and as cars arrive for the meet. This job begins at 3:30pm (setting out No Parking signs and cones, then supervising the streets as cars arrive for warm up). This position ends after the start of the meet.

Ribbon Worker (Home and Away- second half of meet only) Works with the Computer Official to attach stickers to the back of ribbons for the place finishers as the meet progresses and organizes them for the two teams to distribute.

Runner (Home only) Collects lane/timer sheets, Across the Board slips and DQ slips after each event and delivers to the Balloter.

Safety Marshall (Home only) Needs to be able to arrive by 4-4:15, as swimmers cannot enter the water until the Marshal is in place. Ensures that all safety standards are enforced on the pool deck- by swimmers and spectators. Makes sure that swimmers and spectators behave in a safe manner (no running, unruly behavior, etc). 

Certified Jobs

Requires training. Please inquire if interested in one of these. Our team is currently seeking parents interested in these roles. The more officials we have as a team, the more the roles can be shared throughout the season. Training is simple, but does require attending specific training events and a background check. Additionally, these roles give you the front row seat to see each race. Please e-mail the Board.

Computer Official (Home only) Computer worker requires special training and must be approved by the board prior to filling. This job involves entering the race results into the computer for final scoring. Computer worker works directly with the table workers.

Computer - Balloter (Home and Away) Reserved for the Computer Team. Receives lane/timer sheets, Across the Board slips and DQ's. Circles the middle time, checks ATB slips and compares with DQ slips. Must get DQ confirmed with Referee. Adjusts Across the Board for DQ's only.

Computer - Time Reader (Home and Away)Time Readers are the persons who assist the Computer Official to read swimmers' finish times for recording into the computer by the Official. Brief training will be provided prior to the meet.

Referee (Home) Has overall authority and control of the meet and ensures all rules are followed. Assigns positions to and instructs all officials. Makes all decisions relating to the conduct of the meet. Requires USA Swimming Certification.

Starter (Home) Assumes control of the swimmers from the Referee, directs them to their starting positions and gives the starting signal to start the event. Ensures the start of each event is fair. Requires USA Swimming Certification.

Stroke & Turn Judge (Home and Away) Evaluates swimmers for correct swimming technique, turn and finishes for each event. Makes and communicates a written report of any DQ observed. Requires USA Swimming Certification.