Brook Highland Racquet Club

Meet workers are VITAL for every meet. It takes at least 30-40 parents to run each meet plus another 20 or so relay helpers to assist with getting young relays behind the blocks. Plan to help at EVERY MEET in some way. Swimming is NOT a spectator sport - so plan to be on deck and help make the meet happen! We will work together train new parents to help in all positions so please consider which spot is a good fit for you... This year each meet is posted online with a list of roles that need to be filled for each meet, so sign up there to help.

MEET VOLUNTEERING IS REQUIRED - EVERY FAMILY MUST VOLUNTEER IN SOME FORM AT ALL HOME MEETS - we also need help at away meets!!! Without volunteers in all positions we CANNOT HOLD A MEET. I will forfeit a meet before I try to put on a meet without the required positions filled. It does not sit well with me to be unprepared! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE: 

• Starter - this person needs at least one season of stroke and turn service prior to becoming starter. They are in charge of ensuring a fair start at the beginning of every race and are "in control of the meet" between the referee's whistle and the start of each race.

• Referee - this person needs at least one season of stroke and turn experience prior to becoming referee. This is the head stroke and turn official and the person ultimately in charge of the entire meet running fairly and in a timely manner.

• Stroke judges - these officials watch their assigned zone and ensure swimmers are competing fairly and swimming the designated stroke in accordance with the rules. YES they will disqualify your cute 5 year old if they don't swim legally. It is unfair to others as well as to the cute 5 year old to not teach and expect legal strokes from the beginning

^^^TRAINING IS REQUIRED FOR EACH OF THE ABOVE ASTERISKED POSITIONS - several training sessions are available.  BHRC/MCAL and St Vincent's One Nineteen are hosing a clinic JUNE 3 at 6pm. Sign up to attend on the "EVENTS" tab

• Place Judges - this team works together to write the order of finish by lane for each race. This pair is a backup for the timers in case of a timing error or if there is a close race. FRONT ROW SEAT for every finish!!!

• Timers - use a stopwatch and/or the Time Drops button at the touch/finish of each race to collect a time for each swimmer.  Write the times from stopwatches on the timer sheet as backup to the time drops system. GREAT WAY to get to know the swimmers and be involved in the meet!

• Scorers -work to verify and enter results at the completion of each race, clear up any swimmers in incorrect lanes and input DQs and notice any outliers to ensure fair results. Print ribbon labels for the ribbons helpers so awards can be given out quickly at the completion of the meet. Tech-savvy people WE NEED YOU HERE! Having a couple parents here allows for double checking and speedy results plus breaks so you can watch your swimmers race. Shaded front row seat!!!

• Clerk of course - excellent way to get to know the kids - if you thrive on the energy of the kids this is your place! Line the kids up on benches and ensure they get to the proper lanes for each race

• Runner - pick up paper results from timers, place judges and stroke and turn officials and deliver to the referee and/or scorers at the end of each EVENT

• Heat winner - hand heat winner awards to with first person who touches the wall in each heat! Every swimmer loves the person handing them an award!

• Ribbons- these helpers show up at the scorer tent at the end of each stroke to label ribbons. off and on work so a good job if you can't arrive early or have younger children that may need assistance during the meet. Need to stay until the very end! Teenagers who have aged out or do not swim for other reasons can easily do this job for community service hours.  SUPER EASY/FLEXIBLE

• Relays - parents, older siblings, aunts, uncles, spare parents - if you aren't actively volunteering when I start to call out relays come to the relay line up area and help one of the younger relays get to where they are supposed to be FUN!!!! MANY HANDS NEEDED - does not take much time - fun and EASY

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WILL MISS ANY TUESDAY MEETS IN WRITING NO LATER THAN THE FRIDAY PRIOR!!!!!! This NEW WEB BASED SYSTEM allows you to say you will or will not attend each meet - PLEASE GO AHEAD AND MARK YOURSELF IN/OUT of any/all meets you know you will/will not attend NOW. I have the system set up that any one who does not opt out will be entered but they will be marked as "undelcared" which is kinda non-committal... it's for sure better if I know one way or the other. This website makes that EASY.
I try to make as many relays as I can and allow ALL SWIMMERS to participate each week. I cannot make this happen if I do not know who will be there! THIS SAID there is a new rule pushed through by some of the larger teams last spring that there will only be ONE HEAT of relays per age group unless it is agreed to have more by both teams. I am very against this rule and will try to push to allow maximum participation at all meets, but at the end of the day, if another team does not agree to multiple heats of relays we will be at the mercy of the rule. I also am also now limited by the meet setup posted to the online site so I am not sure if I will be able to skirt around this rule as I did last summer.  I will do whatever I can and get creative to let the kids participate in relays!