RAT Family Participation
The Rats can not operate without parent participation. Make sure to come to the team Open House to sign up for a team job and meet assignments. A list of team jobs and meet assignments will be set out on tables. It's first come, first served, so make sure you have your summer calendar handy, and be prepared to show up early if you're interested in specific tasks. These jobs are required for all families with an age-group swimmer between 6&U and 13-14.
Team Jobs
– One (1) required.Family team jobs are many and varied. Some of them involve organizing one of the many events that occur during the season such as Age Group Socials, Pasta Feeds, or sign-ups for meet assignments at special meets. Others involve a less intense task that can persist throughout the season such as age-group photographer, supplying the Snack Shack with a specific item such as ice or bagels, or organizing the Coach's lunch program. Details on all of the team jobs will be available during the Open House, and there is usually someone around who has done the job before that can provide guidance.
Meet Assignments
– Seven (7) required, at least one in the Snack Shack.The following is a brief description of the intra-squad / dual meet work assignments and how long before the start of the meet each position should report to the Meet Director.
Training required:
- Meet Director:
The Meet Director is in charge of the meet, home or away, for our team. The Meet Directors for each team are the final authority for all decisions relating to the meet, including but not limited to participation, safety, and length of meet. All meet assignment workers must check in with the Meet Director between 30 and 60 minutes prior to the start of the meet. More detail is available in the Meet Director Job Description. This job will be performed by a Board designated individual. - Announcer: T-30 minutes (home meets only)
The Announcer coordinates very closely with the Desk to announce each event and heat, indicating to the Starter that the next race should begin. Event/heat announcements also help swimmers monitor the progress of the meet and report on time to their next event. The occasional announcement regarding meet highlights or upcoming team events may also be called. A good Announcer is critical to the timely progression of the meet. Those interested in the Announcer position that do not have any experience must sign up for an extra job to be an "Assistant" Announcer in order to be properly familiarized with the role. - Starter: T-30 (home meets only)
The Starter coordinates with the Announcer and Desk to ensure the timely progression of the meet. The starter, in addition to starting each race and signaling false starts, is responsible for conducting a equipment check prior to the start of the meet. Those interested in the Starter position that do not have any experience must sign up for an extra job to be an "Assistant" Starter in order to be properly familiarized with the role. - Stroke & Turn: T-30
Conference sponsored training is required for Stroke & Turn officials on how to identify variations on swimming technique that merit disqualification. There is always a shortage of qualified Stroke & Turn officials, so anyone with competitive swimming experience or who is interested in watching the occasional meet up close is encouraged to sign up for Stroke & Turn training. If you are interested, please contact the President or Conference Representative to find out when the next training will be held.
For 2010, Stroke & Turn training is scheduled for 18 May from 7 – 9 PM at the Civic Park Community Center. - Head Timer: T-60 (home meets only)
The Head Timer runs two stopwatches at the same time for every race. In the event that a timer misses a start, stops their watch early, or a watch malfunctions, the Head Timer will exchange one of their watches for the one in error. This job requires significant attention to detail and a good understanding of the normal flow of a meet. Some experience with timing at a competitive swim meet is required prior to signing up for the Head Timer position. The Head Timer is also responsible, along with Runners, for the setup the timer area, including sun shades and chairs. - CTS/Starting/PA Setup & Takedown: T-60 (home meets only)
A team of at least two is required for setup and takedown of the Colorado Timing System, Starting System, and Public Address System. Equipment setup starts one hour prior to the start of the meet so that it is available for announcements that begin 30 minutes prior to the start of the meet and timing checks 15 minutes prior. At the end of the meet, the equipment must be taken down and properly stored. Those interested in the this position that do not have any experience must sign up for an extra job to be an "Assistant" in order to be properly familiarized with the role. - Lead Shepherd: T-45
This position requires familiarity with the 8 & Under swimmers and the meet format, and should only be filled by someone who has previous experience Shepherding. This position may be filled by the Shepherd Coordinator, but can also be filled by another experienced individual with approval of the Coordinator. The Lead Shepherd is responsible for managing the Shepherding process during the meet and coordinating with the Meet Director to address any issues related to 8&Under events.
No Training Required:
- Timer: T-30
Timers are each assigned to a lane and time each race in that lane. For home meets there are three timers at each lane. One of the three operates the CTS timing button only, one operates a CTS button and a manual timer, and one operates a CTS button and records the swimmer name and manual time on a slip of paper that the Runner collects. Verification of the swimmer name for each heat is critical to ensure the accuracy of results. At away meets the process may differ based on the available equipment, and timers will receive a stopwatch from the Meet Director if required.
For home meets, when the meet is concluded, Timers are responsible for cleaning up the timer area, including stacking of chairs, collapsing and stowing of sun shades, and general tidiness. - Runner: T-60 (home meets only)
Runners pick up lane slips from the Recorders in each lane and give them to the Desk. Runners are also responsible, along with the Head Timer, for the setup of the timer area, including sun shades and chairs, and so must report to the Meet Director an hour before meet start. Runners then report to the Desk Coordinator 15 minutes before the start of the meet. - Floater: T-30
Floaters most commonly relieve other workers or fill in for no-shows, but should be available and responsive to the needs of the Meet Director. For home meets, Floaters are also responsible for cleanup at the end of the meet. This includes helping with the take down of sun shades, straightening pool furniture, and doing a final sweep of the pool, lawn, and bathroom areas for general tidiness. For away meets, Floaters may be asked to perform other small tasks by the Meet Director at the end of a meet. Floaters should report to the Meet Director 30 minutes prior to the start of the meet and must be available for the entire meet. - Gate/Parking Monitor: T-60 (home meets only)
The Gate Monitor is first responsible for monitoring the parking area and side streets in the hour prior to the meet to ensure that cars do not park in driveways or in locations that block access. When the meet begins, the Gate monitor is then responsible for ensuring that the main gate remains closed when people are not actively entering or exiting (this includes preventing kids from playing with the gate). This position was established at the request of the Rudgear Estates Homeowners Association and is important for maintaining good relations with REHA. - Facilities Monitor: T-30 (home meets only)
The Facilities Monitor is responsible for the following tasks:- Emptying any full garbage cans into the dumpster and replacing the liner. All garbage cans should be emptied at the end of the meet.
- Keeping the bathrooms clean and stocked, checking at the end of the meet to ensure supplies are not depleted.
- Keeping people (children) from using the baby pool, which is closed during swim meets.
- Keeping people (children) from walking on or through the landscaped borders of the pool and lawn areas.
- 8 & Under Shepherd: T-30
While previous experience is helpful, special training is not required as the relevant tasks for a Shepherd can be learned from working with a Shepherd Coordinator "on the job". For each event the Shepherds line the swimmers up for their races in the Shepherd area and walk them to their lanes. The Shepherds stay at the lanes with the swimmers until all the 6 & Under and 7–8 races are over. The Shepherd must make sure that the swimmers know what stroke they are to swim, are in the correct heat, and do not dive in too soon. If you need a sub, you must switch with another 8 & Under Shepherd, and notify the Shepherd Coordinator. After checking in with the Meet Director, Shepherds must report to the Shepherd Coordinator.
The Desk:
T-60The Desk is ultimately in control of meet operations and is therefore largely responsible for the success of each meet. The Desk team operates the Colorado Timing System, records results into meet management software, posts results and scores during the meet, and prepares ribbons and other awards. The Desk provides a unique and exciting perspective of the inner workings of a swim meet, and those who are comfortable working with computers are particularly well suited for the Desk team. The Desk Coordinator typically hand-picks the Desk team prior to job sign-ups, so families interested in working at the Desk should contact the Desk Coordinator or other board member and let their interest be known.
Snack Shack:
T-45Snack Shack is the fuel of the team, both food and fundraising, so it is critical that everyone pitch in to ensure the success of the Snack Shack Therefore, each family is required to work at least one Snack Shack assignment per season. If you cannot work at your scheduled time, you must find an adult replacement.
For 2010, the Snack Shack is being coordinated by a catering service, so specific roles will be assigned by the Snack Shack coordinator as required. Typical roles will be cashier and order delivery, but may include such activities as grilling or running the snow cone machine. Snack Shack workers are also expected to help clean up and stow equipment as the meet is winding down and after the conclusion of the meet.
Special Meets
Parents of swimmers participating in City, Conference Championship, and County meets will be required to sign up for a job at those meets. This is in addition to your dual-meet assignments. Sign-up for special meets will be announced and occur during the season in the weeks leading up to the meet.
Substitutes
A Substitute List for meet assignments (substitues are not allowed for team jobs) will be compiled and available to all families. Any adult or responsible sibling, 14 years or older, that would like to be included on the Substitute List should notify the Board President. Remember that Desk and 8&U Shepherd assignments can only be traded between families with like assignments and a Snack Shack substitue must be an adult. The price you pay your substitute is between you and your substitute. A suggested range is $25 to $30 per meet assignment.
Fines
Parents are responsible for working their meet assignments or obtaining a reliable substitute. If a meet assignment is not fulfilled as scheduled, the parent originally assigned is assessed $50.00 per missed assignment. The Meet Director will notify the Treasurer of no-shows and a fine notice will be sent. The fine is payable immediately. This applies to home, away, and special meets.
Families that fail to fulfill their assigned team job are subject to a fine of $150. If you feel you are not able to fulfill your team job duties for any reason, please contact a board member immediately.