Cherry Knolls Swim Team

Cherry Knolls Swim Team is a summertime tradition and would not continue to exist without parent volunteers. Thank you!!! To continue with this great tradition, parents from each swim team family are required to volunteer for: 

• One shift at EVERY HOME swim meet your child(ren) swims in; 

AND 

• Social and/or Fundraising Events (Please see above in the section about costs for information about the volunteer deposits.) 

• If you are not able to meet a volunteer shift obligation for which you are signed up, either at a meet or at a fundraising/social event, you must contact the volunteer coordinator about finding a sub. Failure to find a substitute for your fundraising/social shift will result in a volunteer deposit check being cashed. All of Cherry Knolls Swim Team events and meets are run solely by volunteer help.

Swim Meet Volunteering Requirements 

It takes 75 ­- 80 adults to run a home meet. If you have more than one child swimming in a meet, you might be asked to fill more than one shift. If a parent does not fulfill a shift in a meet, your child will not be allowed to swim in the next meet. If you are volunteering for the first shift of the day, it is important that you are at your position prior to the start of the meet. Check in with the Volunteer Coordinator prior to taking your position. The jobs require minimal explanation. Stroke Judges and Starter/Referee are the only positions requiring clinic attendance ahead of the start of the season. 

Meet Volunteer Shift Times (unless otherwise stated)

Please check in for your shift with the Volunteer Coordinator at least 10 minutes prior to your shift time or at the beginning of the meet to grab your sticker and ask any questions about your job.

First Shift: Event 1 – 45 Second Shift: Event 46 - End

Concessions: 

We have a concession stand only at home meets. Several volunteers are needed to sell items from the concession area, keep the water coolers for the volunteers full, serve water, and help clean up the concession area. Concession volunteers check in with the Concession Chair for their specific duties. Concession duties are described in more detail below. Included in your registration fees is a $10.00 per family, per home meet concession donation. The Chairperson for the concession stand does all the purchasing and setting up prior to the meets. For safety reasons, small children and infants are not permitted in the concession area during a volunteer’s shift.

Concession Volunteer Positions 

Concessions Set Up - Calling early birds! Report to the pool at 6:30 and check in with the Concessions Chair. You will be responsible for ensuring the concessions area is stocked, set up and ready to roll for the meet! 

Concessions - Donuts and Ice/Set Up: On the morning of the meet, you will handle the pickup of fresh donuts and bulk ice from our designated vendors, ensuring these essentials arrive at the pool deck no later than 6:45 AM. Your punctuality is the key to a successful start, as these items are the foundation of the morning rush. Once on-site, you will transition to being a part of the set up team. Working alongside the Concessions Chair, you’ll help ensure the concession area is set and ready to go for the meet. Your shift ends at 7:30 AM. 

Concessions - Burritos: On the morning of the meet, you will handle the pickup of breakfast burritos from the designated vendor, ensuring to arrive at the pool deck no later than 6:45 AM. Your punctuality is the key to a successful start. Once on-site, you will transition to help with setup. Working alongside the Concessions Chair, you’ll help ensure the concession area is set and ready to go for the meet. Your shift ends at 7:30 AM. 

Concessions Assistants: Check in with and assist the Concession Chair in manning the concession stand before and during the meet. Responsibilities may include preparing food, ensuring stock is maintained, selling concessions, and cleaning up the concession area.

Concessions - Hospitality: As Hospitality & Deck Support, you are the "behind-the-scenes" hero who ensures the meet runs smoothly by taking care of the people who make it happen. Check in with Concession Chair at beginning of your shift where you have 3 main responsibilities:

1. Volunteer Hydration: You will be responsible to monitor the swim deck to make sure all volunteers have water throughout their shifts, and monitor the water level in the water jug and refills as needed.
2. Lunch Liaison: Collect lunch orders (grab free meal tickets from the Parent Reps) from the Clerk of Course, Starter, Ref, Scribe, Meet Managers, and MC. Deliver completed orders to them.
3. Facility Excellence: You will perform "sweep-throughs" of the restrooms to monitor trash levels and ensure the restrooms remain clean and stocked. By staying ahead of the mess, you help maintain a professional and comfortable atmosphere for everyone.

Concessions - Grill:

As a Griller, you are the heartbeat of the lunchtime rush. Whether you are the "Early Prep" specialist or the "Closing Chef," your role is essential to a successful concessions operation. Check in at the beginning of your shift with the Concessions Chair.

The Setup & Sizzle (First Shift: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM) - Prepare and set up! Start the grills and organize your workspace, ensuring all utensils, platters, and prep surfaces are sanitized and ready. Manage the initial high-volume grilling of meats, keeping a steady flow of fresh food moving from the grates to the serving trays.

The Main Event & Breakdown (Second Shift: 11:30 AM – Meet Conclusion) -Maintain the grilling momentum, ensuring no swimmer or spectator goes hungry. Once the final orders are filled, you’ll handle the shutdown process— shut down the grill and clean and wipe down the grills, and secure all equipment; Return all platters and utensils to their proper storage and ensure the grills are covered and stowed safely for the next meet. 

Concession Clean up: Check in with and assist Concession chair(s) to breakdown the concession stand. Shift is after a HOME meet concludes. Duties may include breaking down tables, taking down stanchions, putting away chairs for guards, picking up trash around the grounds, lowering diving board (requires multiple ADULTS!) and returning all meet items to storage in designated locations.

Meet Volunteer Positions:

HOME MEET Set Up: As a member of the Night-Before Setup Crew, you will transform the pool deck to ensure the meet is ready to flow the next morning. Starting at 6:30 PM, you will handle the essential "heavy lifting," including the installation of lane ropes, flags, tents and tables. This is the ideal role for those who want to complete their volunteer commitment before the meet even begins.

Team Tent Management for AWAY MEETS: When you take on tent management, you provide the "home base" for our athletes and our coaches when we travel. This role is essential for maintaining team unity and athlete wellness during away meets.

Friday:

1. Pick up the team tent no later than pool closing on Friday night, as you will not have access outside of pool hours.
2. The team tent is a heavy-duty commercial tent, and the coach tent is a standard 10x10. It is recommended that you will have a large SUV, truck, or van for transport. You can use/bring the team hand truck as well to help move the gear across parking lots and decks. 

Saturday:

1. AM: Arrive at the away meet location by 6:30 AM. Deliver and assist in the setup of the two tents (team tent and coach tent) The giant Team tent is a multi-person job (4-6 adults); grab some parents to help with the "popping" of the tent frames.  It requires one person per leg.
2. PM: Once the final event is complete, assist in the teardown and packing of the tents. You will have help from the “meet clean up” crew to break the tent down. Transport the tents and the hand truck back to the Cherry Knolls Pool upper storage room, ensuring everything is stored securely for the next event.

Master of Ceremonies: As the Meet MC, you are the heartbeat of the event. You are responsible for setting the tone, building excitement, and providing the essential "soundtrack" that keeps the swimmers, officials, and spectators informed and energized. Your voice provides the structure that moves the meet forward and the spirit that makes it a celebration. 

MC Assistant: (“the event flipper”) You will assist the MC by flipping the event and heat chart, ensuring that all spectators know when to send their swimmer to the heating area. You will also ensure the MC can have a break or two and you will “man the station”. You'll have a primo spot on the top deck!

Meet Manager: As the Meet Manager, you are the "brains" of the operation. While the action happens in the water, you manage the digital flow behind the scenes, ensuring that every split second is captured, every official decision is recorded, and every swimmer’s hard work is accurately reflected in the final results. You are the guardian of the meet’s integrity and data. You ensure the meet management software (SwimTopia) is perfectly synced with the Dolphin wireless timers. When a Scribe enters a disqualification (DQ) or a judge notes an infraction, you ensure that data is correctly mapped to the right heat and lane. The Meet Manager is required to complete RMSL training and is appointed by the Parent Reps.

Scribe: As the Scribe, you serve as the critical link between the deck officials and the Meet Managers, ensuring every race result and technical decision is accurately recorded. Stationed directly on the deck, you are responsible for documenting the "official story" of each heat as it happens. You will assist the Referee in recording DQs both on the paper heat sheets and electronically throughout the meet. Recommend a seasoned swim parent.

Timer: As a Timer, you have the best seat in the house. Your main responsibility is to accurately record the time for each swimmer in your lane using the Dolphin wireless stopwatch. Your attention is critical—you must watch for the touch on the wall to ensure the most accurate data possible! First shift timers are required to attend the timers meeting at 7:30. 

Stager: As a Stager, you are the link between the team tent and the starting blocks. Grab the megaphone! Your primary mission is to gather athletes for their upcoming events and ensure they move to the heating area in an organized and timely fashion. You will monitor the meet’s progress and use the heat sheet to call swimmers to the heating area three to five events ahead of their race.

Heater: Your role is to ensure that the excitement of the meet doesn't turn into chaos behind the blocks. You will organize swimmers by their assigned heat and lane, you ensure the Starter can stay on schedule and every athlete gets their chance to race!

Stroke Judge: Responsible for ensuring that all swimmers compete fairly by adhering to the specific technical rules governing each swimming stroke. This role requires a keen eye, and the ability to make objective decisions. Beginner Stroke Judges must attend a mandatory RMSL clinic prior to swim season. Beginner and returning Stroke Judges are required to view videos online and complete a quiz (paid for by CKST). All Stroke Judges must attend a 7:30 a.m. meeting prior to the swim meet regardless of the shift they are working that day. Contact Parent Reps if you're interested!

Clerk of the Course: This is the “air traffic controller” of a swim meet. This role is essential for maintaining the flow of the competition by ensuring swimmers are organized, checked in, and behind the blocks at the correct time. The Clerk of Course serves as the primary link between the registration desk and the starting blocks, managing the logistics of the athletes so the Referee and Starter can focus on the race. Recommend a seasoned swim parent.

Referee: The Referee is the ultimate authority on the deck, overseeing the entire officiating team to ensure rules are applied consistently across all lanes. You will manage and coordinate the Stroke & Turn Judges, ensuring they are in position and observing their designated zones. You will work closely with the Starter to ensure the deck is clear and officials are ready before the next heat begins. Finally, you serve as the final decision-maker for any disqualifications or technical protests, ensuring that the RMSL rulebook is followed to the letter. This job is only needed at home meets. The Referee is required to complete RMSL training and is appointed by the Parent Reps. 

Starter: As the Starter, you control the beginning of every race. Your primary goal is to ensure all swimmers receive a fair and consistent start. You will announce each event and heat, bringing the swimmers to the blocks, and giving the "take your marks" command. You operate the starting system (horn/strobe) to signal the beginning of the race. Finally, you maintain a keen eye for any "false starts" or movement on the blocks. You are responsible for noting any infractions that occur from the moment the swimmers step onto the blocks until they leave the wall. This is only needed for home meets. The Starter is required to complete RMSL training and is appointed by the Parent Reps.

Floater: This role is the ultimate team player - you provide the flexibility and support needed to handle any challenge that arises during the competition and will be used in whatever capacity is needed. Whether filling a sudden vacancy on the deck or bolstering a busy station during a rush, your presence ensures the meet never misses a beat.

Fastest Fish:  Your role is to capture the excitement of the "Fastest Fish" in every heat for 10 & under, ensuring that every winner is recognized and rewarded immediately after their race. You provide that "victory moment" that makes summer swim meets so memorable for the athletes. First - identify the winner, then ensure they receive their prize! Two volunteers - on at the prize table & one handing out ticket to event winners at the end of each race.

Ribbons & Speeding Tickets: (to be updated 2025)

Coaches Cooler:  As the Coaches Cooler Volunteer for the week, you will keep our coaching staff fueled, hydrated, and energized throughout the heat of the meet. Our coaches spend the entire day on their feet, focusing on the kids—your role ensures they stay at their best so they can provide the best support for our athletes.

• You may pick up the official Team Cooler from the back pool storage room or choose to use your own. Your goal is to create a "mobile fueling station" that is easily accessible to the coaches on the deck.
• You have a $50 budget (reimbursable) to stock the cooler with high-quality refreshments. Coaches typically love a mix of:
  • Hydration: Gatorade, Poppi, or sparkling water.
  • Fresh Energy: Sliced fruit (grapes, berries, or melon) and chilled snacks.
  • Quick Fuel: Protein bars, nuts, or healthy grab-and-go items.
  • FUN: candy, popcorn...

At the end of the meet, please return the team cooler to the pool. Make sure to dry it out before leaving it in the back storage room. To ensure nothing goes to waste, any leftover food or beverages should be moved to the Coaches Fridge in the Snack Shack—this provides a great treat for the coaches during weekday practices!