Meets & Volunteering

• This is a great job for anyone who wants to be close to the action! No experience necessary.
• 20 timers are needed for home and away meets because we split the timing into two shifts per meet. The first group of timers will time for approximately the first 30 races. The second group of timers will time for the last 30 races.
• There will be three timers per lane in addition to one back up timer. The head timer will write down all three of the swimmer’s times on the Timers’ Sheet and if the swimmer is disqualified, will write the reason.
• A timer’s meeting will be held 15 minutes prior to the start of the meet to go over working the stopwatch, etc.
• Note, timers are not allowed to catch the head of a backstroke swimmer per League rules.

• This is a fast paced but fun volunteer opportunity. No experience necessary.
• 2 runners are needed per home meet.
• The runner’s job is to collect the Timers’ Sheets when they are completed and bring them to the scoring table.
• Sneakers or comfortable shoes are recommended for this role!

• In this job, you typically have a good view of the races and have the chance to get to know all the swimmers.
• 2 bullpen organizers are needed per home and away meets. This role is split into two shifts.
• These volunteers organize the swimmers in a designated area where swimmers sit when the event that they are swimming in is approaching.

• This person sets the pace of the meet and begins each race.
• 1 starter is needed per home meet.
• The starter must have a consistent tone and pace to allow for smooth starts and will use the starter system.

• The scorers sit under the canopy with the best view of the races!
• 2 scorers per home meet to enter times in the HYTEK swim software.
• Basic training in HYTEK is required.

• Ribbon writers have a great view of the races! No experience necessary.
• Ribbon writers sit under the canopy at the scorer’s table, and stick printed labels onto ribbons for both teams.
• 4 ribbon writers are needed per home meet. Ribbon writers are also needed for large events, such as Colonial Classics and Championships.
• At home meets, we split the ribbon writing into two shifts per meet. The first group will ribbon-write for approximately the first 30 races. The second group will write ribbons for the last 30 races.

• The Stroke & Turn judge walks up and down the side of the pool watching each swimmer’s stroke technique. The Judge lets the swimmer and coach know of any disqualification and the reason.
• 2 judges are needed per home and away meet.
• Knowledge of proper and “legal” technique of all four strokes, turns and starts required
• No experience? No problem! Before the season begins, there’s a Stroke & Turn pre-season clinic for parents or caregivers who’d like to learn. Please consider attending the clinic – it’s a great way to meet other Wedgewood parents.

Colonial League teams are divided into East and West, based upon the teams’ finishing places in the 2016 Championships Finals. Coaches meet a few days prior to the meets to determine which swimmers will be chosen as All-Stars, based on the current year’s performance. All participants must have performed in at least one official meet of the current season. Swimmers are eligible to participate in 3 events: 2 individual events and one relay. For relays, there must be at least one swimmer from each of the three teams. All participants receive an All-Star t-shirt. Ribbons are awarded for places 1-6.

The Colonial League Classic is open to all swimmers in the League who did not participate in the All-Star meet. This is a fun event. It is less competitive than other swim meets; swimmers are not disqualified for any reason; lots of ribbons are won and self-esteem is promoted.

There are six lanes in the pool. Many races have more than six swimmers competing. Therefore, there may be more than one heat in any given race.

The bullpen is a specially designated area where swimmers sit when the event that they are swimming in is approaching, usually 5 or 6 races ahead of time. At Wedgewood, benches are lined up in the area behind the diving blocks, at the deep end of the pool. Swimmers sit on the benches, organized by heat and are directed to the blocks when their race is next. At home meets, the events will be posted on the fence near the bullpen; check the sheet to find your child’s events. You may write the race and heat #s on your child’s hand with a sharpie pen. Listen as events are called to the bullpen – it is your swimmer’s responsibility to get to the bullpen in a timely manner. At away meets, always locate the bullpen when you get there and then listen as events are called to the bullpen.

Swimmers can be placed in a race in an “unofficial” category. This is because there is only one “official” heat for each race with three swimmers from each team in the official heat. “Unofficial” swimmers cannot place or score in an event, but they will have their time officially recorded and their unofficial time can be used to select them for All Stars.

Each team scores points as follows: Swimming events, except relays, score 6 points for first place, 4 points for second place, 3 points for third place, 2 points for fourth place and 1 point for fifth place. Relays score 7 points for first place and 3 points for second. Diving events score 5 points for first place, 3 points for second place and 1 point for third place.

The age group in which a swimmer or diver competes for the entire season is determined by the swimmer’s age on June 30th (swimmers/divers can compete in any higher age group).

If a Stroke and Turn judge disqualifies a swimmer, that official shall inform the swimmer and head timer for that swimmer’s lane of the reason for the disqualification. The official shall also record the reason for the disqualification on the timer’s sheet.

If a Stroke and Turn judge disqualifies a swimmer, that official shall inform the swimmer and head timer for that swimmer’s lane of the reason for the disqualification. The official shall also record the reason for the disqualification on the timer’s sheet.

Colonial League teams are divided into East and West, based upon the teams’ finishing places in the 2016 Championships Finals. Coaches meet a few days prior to the meets to determine which swimmers will be chosen as All-Stars, based on the current year’s performance. All participants must have performed in at least one official meet of the current season. Swimmers are eligible to participate in 3 events: 2 individual events and one relay. For relays, there must be at least one swimmer from each of the three teams. All participants receive an All-Star t-shirt. Ribbons are awarded for places 1-6.

The Colonial League Classic is open to all swimmers in the League who did not participate in the All-Star meet. This is a fun event. It is less competitive than other swim meets; swimmers are not disqualified for any reason; lots of ribbons are won and self-esteem is promoted.

A swimmer must have competed in at least two official meets during the regular season as a swimmer. A diver must have competed in two meets (dual and/or diving) as a diver.

• Divers competing in the 10 and under category need to have 3 dives:
  • a forward dive
  • 2 optional dives
• Divers competing in the 12 and under category need to have 4 dives:
  • a forward dive
  • a back dive
  • 2 optional dives
• Divers competing in the 14 and under category need to have 5 dives:
  • a forward dive
  • a back dive
  • an inward dive
  • 2 optional dives
• Divers competing in the 17 and under category need to have 6 dives:
  • a forward dive
  • a back dive
  • an inward dive
  • a reverse dive
  • 2 optional dives