Marlboro Marlins Swim Team

Upon Arrival:

Please have swimmers check in with their coaches. Volunteers, please check in with the Marlins meet director. This is the same for all meets, whether home or away.

It is helpful to bring a Sharpie marker for writing your swimmer’s event/heat/lane on the back of their hand.

During the Meet:

Please encourage your child to stay with the team during swim meets. This helps coaches to locate swimmers quickly so they won't miss races and also promotes bonding and friendship!

Recording of any kind from behind the blocks is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. This is a Safe Sport issue and is taken very seriously.

Volunteering:

The meets can’t run without your help. Many of our volunteering opportunities will give you the best vantage point to watch your swimmer’s events. Here is a quick description of volunteer opportunities.

• Timer: This position has one person from each team working each lane. Using a stopwatch provided by the team, the timer starts the watch when the strobe light flashes from the starting machine as the starting signal. Check your stopwatch after the start to make sure it is functioning. If the stopwatch malfunctions, raise your hand and call for the Backup Timer. Stop the watch when any part of the swimmer touches the wall. You will then record the final time.

• Backup Timer: Start the stopwatch at the beginning of the race and help any timer whose stopwatch didn’t start correctly.

• Alternate Timer: When a timer is absent at the last minute, the alternate timer fills in. (You can only sign up for this job once during the season.)

• Across the Board: One person from each team stands at the finish line and writes down who finishes in what place for heat 1 only.

• Runner: Collect the 2 Across the Board sheets, 6 time cards (one from each lane), and any DQ sheets from the officials after each event and bring them to the recording table.

• Recorder/Data Entry: Enter times into the computer system (Meet Maestro) to keep track and score the meet.

• Alternate Recorder: When a recorder is absent at the last minute, the alternate recorder fills in. (You can only sign up for this job once during the season.)

• Marshaller: Help bring the younger swimmers from the team area to the lanes for their events, especially the 8/Unders and 9/10’s.
• Event Turner: This person is responsible for turning the event numbers manually, for the judges, lane timers and swimmers to know which event is up. Home meets only.

• Heat Winner Ribbons: Hand a ribbon to the winner of each heat. This is whoever you see touch the wall first. If it is “too close to call” you may give a ribbon to both. Home meets only.

• Hospitality: Hand out bottles of water to volunteers and officials. Home meets only.

Lingo:

"Events" are the different strokes/age divisions/gender divisions (ex. Girls 8 and Under 25 Backstroke)

"Heats" are the individual races within each event.

"Lane" is the actual lane (or row) of the pool in which your swimmer will be swimming.