GCSL Weather Policy
It is likely that we will have a meet interrupted this summer by a thunderstorm. If this happens, please do not go home. Many times the meet will resume where it left off after the storm passes. If the weather gets bad (see below), please take your swimmer(s) and wait in your car until the storm passes. If the meet is halted, we will turn off the spotlights around the slide pool. You will know it’s time to resume the meet when the spotlights are turned on again. We will also alert WTTE members through texts and Facebook. If the meet does not resume, you will be notified and we will schedule a make up date for the meet. Per Gwinnett County guidelines, we will adhere to the following: 1.Adhere to the 30/30 rule. This states that when you see lightning, count the time until you hear the thunder. If this time is 30 seconds or less, go immediately to a safer place (see above instructions for “safer place”). If you can’t see the lightning, just hearing the thunder means lightning is likely within striking range. After the storm has apparently dissipated, wait 30 minutes or more after hearing the last thunder before resuming the meet. 2.The 30/30 rule says to shut down when lightning is six miles away. Use a “flash to bang” (lightning to thunder) count of five seconds equals one mile. When you observe lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five to get the distance (in miles) the lightning is away from you (i.e. if thunder occurs 30 seconds after a flash, it is 6 miles away). It is recommended that you begin to seek shelter if the time between the lightning flash and the rumble of thunder is 30 seconds or less. 3.We will appoint a “weather official” for each meet to keep an eye on the sky as well as local radar. 4.If an injury occurs, call 911 immediately. Start CRP or mouth-to-mouth ASAP. It is a myth that strike victims retain electrical charge. There is no hazard posed to a caregiver.
Volunteer Info
For new families and returning families ..... In order to successfully run swim meets, we require that one adult parent/guardian is available to volunteer for each meet in which the family has a swimmer. This is a commitment of 2 1/2 to 3 hours per meet, since you will be assigned to either first OR second half of the meet. On the job training is provided! Failure to volunteer may result in your child not swimming individual or relay events at a meet!
Open Volunteer Jobs
Concessions – Everyone loves the concession stand! Workers help prepare and sell all the sweets and treats. Keeps you out of the sun and the rain too!
Grill – Starts the grill and grills hamburgers & hot dogs during warmup and for the first shift. It is truly the HOTTEST job there is!
Bullpen – Way easier than herding cats! Instead you're wrangling swimmers. You'll hang out in one of the age group bullpens, which is where the swimmers stay when they are not swimming. You will help call them out and line them up for events, mediate the occasional Skittles controversy, solve swim cap crises, and praise the kids as they clean up after themselves at the end of the night.
Runners for Timers – Super easy job where you're in the middle of the action. Great if you like to be on your feet and on the move. You'll take time sheets from timers and bring them to scoring, and communicate messages between scoring and head timer. This position is for home meets only.
Runners for Swimmers – The Pied Piper of the swim meet. Guide swimmers from the bullpen area to the staging area. Super easy. Just requires time on your feet.
Heat Winner Ribbons – Professional Congratulator! Watch the finish and award heat winner ribbons to the winner of each heat. This position is available at home meets only.
Timer - We need 5 per shift at each home meet, and more at away meets (depending on the number of lanes at the host pool). Start/stop a stopwatch for each heat and record the times for swimmers on the time cards. Puts you right up close to all the action!
The following positions require additional training or experience - Please see the volunteer coordinator for more info.
Scorer – work with head scorer to accurately enter result times from time cards into the computer and/or verify entered times to the time sheets. Requires great attention to detail and a bit of patience, but you do get to be inside the clubhouse.
Staging – This person combines swimmers from each team into the correct order in each heat at the staging end of the pool and is crucial to keeping the meeting running well. The stager directs the swimmers to the lane staging chairs at the appropriate time. You'll need to be able to read the names on the heat sheet and will be on your feet during your shift.
Clerk of Course – The head of staging, this person stands in the lineup queues to the blocks and ensures swimmers are staged correctly in lanes. This person is responsible for making sure the pool deck staging area stays clear of observers and non-essential volunteers (non competing swimmers, parents, etc). You need to be able to read the heat sheet to verify swimmer's name and lane and keep up with the action behind the blocks.
Ribbons – Works in the scorer’s room (clubhouse) and affixes place stickers on the place ribbons. You must be able to work until scoring is completed (which is after the meet is over - a few minutes or a while, depending on the efficiency of the home team), but you don't need to start until we are into the second half.
Head Timer – Accurate timing is crucial to a meet's success. As head timer, you will make sure timers have the tools and information they need, and are accurately timing and recording for the swimmers in their lane. The head timer at a home meet will give provided instructions to the timers from both teams, and whether home or away, will serve as a backup timer.
Head Bullpen Manager – This person ensures all bullpens are running smoothly and that each bullpen parent volunteer is lining up their swimmers for staging in a timely manner. This person also lines up the swimmers in a staging format for relays.
Check In – checks in parent volunteers, and swimmers from arrival time to the start of the meet, and then verifies second shift volunteers are in place at the start of the second half. Makes sure coaches, volunteer coordinator, clerk of course and head bullpen have accurate lists of absences by 5:45 before meet.
The following positions require GCSL training. If you are interested in any of these positions, please talk with the volunteer coordinator BEFORE the end of March so you can sign up for training. Training is usually scheduled in March, April and early May.
Head Computer/Scorer – must be trained and proficient in GCSL software operation (Swimtopia). In charge of entering all result times for each meet and works with several other volunteers in data entry. Transmits team and meet results to county systems in a timely manner. Produces reports for board and coaches. Produces swimmer's improvement reports sometime between meet completion and the next practice (about a 10 hour time window). Must be very available in the days leading up to submission of County entries. Computer, printer and supplies provided.
Starter – Instructs swimmers to the blocks, and starts each heat/event using the buzzer. Keeps the meet moving smoothly and efficiently. Makes announcements during the meet. Must have taken a class with GCSL.
Stroke and Turn Judge – trained and certified by GCSL Swim league to judge swimmers against the USA Swimming stroke rules and regulations. This person must watch and judge every swimmer in 2-3 assigned lanes for every event, and disqualify swimmers if necessary, noting reason for disqualification. This is not for the faint of heart. You must understand that disqualifying a swimmer is necessary for their improvement and growth, and for the integrity of the meet. You will stand for the entire shift, and are required by the league to wear dark shorts/skirt/pants and a white shirt.
