TEAM MEDIA
SURVIVAL GUIDE
We have put together a Survival Guide that contains some very important information for our swimmers and their families. This Survival Guide is contained in the following pages but can be also be printed. This Survival Guide has everything you ever wanted to know about how to swim, swimming for a swim team, swim meets and being a parent volunteer. Please take the time to review this Survival Guide, even if you are a seasoned swimmer or parent and browse the following web pages. You may learn something you didn’t know!
COACHES
Glenn Carr - Head Coach
BOARD MEMBERS
President: Tonya Kirkham
Vice President: David Kelley
Secretary: Robin Clark
Treasurer: John Wargo
Web Master: Heidi Simmons
COMMITTEE HEADS
End of Season Party
Tornado-Thon
T-Shirts
STROKES
Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly
EVENTS
Dual Meet events are swum in the following order, youngest to oldest, girls before boys:
Medley Relays (Comprised of all 4 strokes in one relay team)
Freestyle (including Freestyle exhibition) (“Free”)
Breaststroke (“Breast”)
Mixed Relays(2 girls and 2 boys on each relay; they swim Freestyle)
Backstroke (“Back”)
Butterfly (“Fly”)
Freestyle Relays
VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
There are many volunteer opportunities during the season. By being a volunteer, you show support for our team and also have fun. Each family is required to work a minimum of one meet per season. If you do not meet your expectations of working at least one meet you will be required to work City Meet. We will have a chart posted on the board outside the lifeguards station to show who has worked. We encourage all families to be a timer during your volunteer season. Below is an explanation of each volunteer position that we need to fill for every meet.
JOBS
Place Judge – The place judges for each meet only judge the main event heats. The judges determine the 1st through 6th place swimmers and handle any disputes about how the swimmers place. Each team provides one place judges per meet.
Scribe- An assistant who works with the Place Judge. They will write down the finish race order as the Place Judge calls out the order of finish.
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Timers - Records the swimmer’s time. Each timer is provided a stopwatch and assigned a lane. All times are recorded. This job gives you the best view of the pool and the swimmers during their races.
Head Timer - Organizes and briefs the Lane Timers on their duties prior to the meet and is in charge of the lane timers throughout the meet. The head timer has the authority to remove and replace any lane timer, with the approval of the home meet director. Previous experience required for this position.
Runner - Responsible for obtaining the completed event cards and DQ forms for each race from the timers and judges. The cards and DQ forms are delivered to the scoring table. The job title is very descriptive. Runners should have good tennis shoes that work well on slippery wet surfaces. This job keeps you moving around at the poolside and the time passes quickly.
Computer Operator – Sets up the home meet entries and prints off labels for the pink/ blue cards used during the meet. The computer operator enters in all swimmers times into the Hytek computer software during the meet, as well as working with the Scorer during the meet. They also print off ribbon labels to be given to the ribbon volunteer during the meet.
Scorer - Marks the official time for each swimmer, records the order of finishes and verifies the computer results. Assigned to work for one half of the meet. With this job, you see the race results before anyone else.
Bull Pen - Involves chaperoning a specific age group at the meets and getting those swimmers in the proper order and lined-up to in time for their event. Responsible for distributing time cards to timers before assigned age group race.
Ribbons - Places labels on ribbons; sorts and files ribbons by swimmer.
Event Counter- An event counter will work during the home meets only. They are responsible for keeping up with the events and heats as the occur during the meet. (They even get the best seat in the house)
CERTIFICATIONS
RCSL relies on parents to assist with running the swim meets. This includes meet officials and stroke and turn judges. Please consider volunteering to become a meet official! It's easy to do and is critical to your team. Two certifications can be obtained through RCSL and can be found on the www.swimrcsl.org website.
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Stroke and Turn Judge - The judges watch the swimmers and determine if they are properly swimming each stroke. The judges are required to attend an annual Stroke and Turn Clinic. Each team will provide two stroke and turn judge per meet. This individual must be trained for this position.
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Referee (USA Swim Qualified)- The Referee is the chief official for each swim meet. He/she is responsible for the conduct of the meets and is the final authority on the interpretation and enforcement of all swimming rules. Prior to the start of each race, the Referee sounds four short whistles to advise the participants to get ready. After an event is announced by the Starter, the Referee sounds one long blast as a signal for swimmers to get into position for the start or to jump feet first into the water for a backstroke event. For Backstroke events, a second long blast is given to bring the swimmers to the wall for the start. When the Referee sees that all the swimmers are ready, he extends his arm pointing towards the starter. At this point, the Starter takes control. This individual must be trained for this position.
Starter - Starts each event with the announcement of the age and stroke and the words "SWIMMERS TAKE YOUR MARK", pauses to make sure that all swimmers are motionless, and then gives an electronic sound or a blast of a whistle. He/She shall be the sole judge of FALSE STARTS and all false starts shall be restarted. This individual must be trained for this position.
DONATIONS
Sharon Johnston Swim Team is a nonprofit organization. The people that make this organization a success, do so as volunteers or with minimal salary (as in the case of the coaches). Throughout the course of the year, the team finds that they may need certain items that can’t be afforded due to lack of budgeting. We have put together a wish list of items that are needed. If any of our parents would like to donate any of these items, please contact the board President prior to donating items.