Team Parent Responsibilities
For both home and away meets, the job of the Team Parent is to keep all the swimmers organized together under their appropriate tent, calm and ready to swim until it is time to go to the ready bench.
This includes checking swimmers in, marking them correctly with their events they are swimming and watching over them during their entire shift.
The Team Parent is responsible for the safety and well-being of all the children in their tent. Absolutely no horseplay nor ‘active’ play (throwing a ball, throwing a frisbee, gymnastics, etc.) is allowed of the swimmers. Electronic games and devices are allowed, but if you see or hear any inappropriate content, take the device and return it to the swimmer when they are leaving the meet.
In order to ensure the safety of the child, a child 12 & younger cannot walk on their own to see their parent/family member. If they want to see their parent, then a team parent MUST escort them to their parent & the parent must escort them back. Also, if a child needs to go to the restroom, then a team parent MUST escort them to the restroom area (always ask if others need to go as well)
Team Parents arrive 15 minutes before swimmer check-in begins. It is imperative that you arrive on time. Please see "Incomplete Volunteer Requirements" under the Volunteer Policy for failure to arrive on-time.
PREPPING SWIMMERS FOR THE MEET
Check-In as a Team Parent with the Volunteer Coordinator:
Locate the Volunteer Check-In table and pick up the following supplies:
- Clipboard listing the swimmer roster for your age group
- Team Parent Volunteer Tag
- Pen/Pencil
- Sharpie
- Highlighter
Taking Attendance:
Each parent will check their child in with the Team Parent. When swimmers arrive, the team parent will highlight the child's name on the check-in/check-out sheet. If a child checks in who is NOT on listed on the roster, write their name in at the bottom and highlight. If a swimmer is absent at the time of warm up, please let one of the coaches know so they can possibly adjust relays. If you cannot find a coach, let the Volunteer Coordinator know.
How to Mark Your Swimmers:
The team parent will use a sharpie to write the swimmer’s LAST NAME on the upper-right shoulder AND their events on the inside right forearm.
One Team Parent should read aloud the swimmer’s number and event information to another Team Parent, who will write them on the swimmer in sharpie.
On their inner forearm create a “grid” with Event, Heat, Lane columns as below. Write all of the swimmer’s Event, Heat and Lane numbers including their position/stroke for relays. Swimmers can swim up to 5 individual events, plus 2 relays – this will vary based on age and skill level and is at the coach’s discretion.
Stroke Abbreviations: Freestyle=F, Breaststroke=BR, Backstroke=BK, Butterfly=FLY, Individual Medley=IM, Medley Relay=MR, Freestyle Relay=FR
Order of Medley Relay: Backstroke(1), Breaststroke(2), Butterfly(3), Freestyle(4)
*TIP* - Try to mark your swimmers BEFORE any sunscreen is applied
DURING THE MEET:
The Team Parent Lead will let you know when to start lining up your swimmers to take them to the ready bench area. Make sure to line the swimmers up in the order they will be swimming. (see lining up for relays and lining up for individual events).
For swimmers 12 and under, at least one team parent needs to wait with the swimmers once they finish swimming their event to escort them all back to their designated tent area.
**If a team parent has a child swimming in another age group, they may leave to watch their child swim the event & return to the team tent. Before leaving, they must let their co-team parent know they are leaving.**
Lining Up for Relays:
There are two sets of relays: at the beginning of the meet and at the end of the meet. For the youngest swimmers (6 & Under age group), start lining them up for their first relay event approximately 30 minutes prior to the start of the meet. For the older swimmers (7/8 and older), start lining up the swimmers approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the meet.
For both Medley and Freestyle Relays the 1st and 3rd swimmers will start from the timer side of the pool, while the 2nd and 4th swimmers will start on the opposite end of the pool. You will need to line them up in the tent area to match this.
- Create a single file line of 1st and 3rd position swimmers, starting with Heat 1 and the highest lane number, swimmer 1, then swimmer 3.The heat sheet below shows in red the order in which you will call out the names of the swimmers to form your lines.
- Next start a separate line of 2nd and 4th position swimmers and follow the same pattern as above, starting Heat 1 and highest number lane, swimmer 2, then swimmer 4.
- One tent parent lead the 1st and 3rd position swimmer line to the timer side of the pool, and have another parent lead 2nd and 4th swimmers line to opposite side of the pool. Make sure everyone stays in order!
For the 6 & Under and 7/8 swimmers: When the swimmers are ready to swim their relay event, a Tent Parent should stand at the end of the pool to help guide swimmers off the pool deck and back to their tent after they have completed their event. Older swimmers will not need this kind of guidance and can return to the tent on their own.
Lining Up for Individual Events
Sometimes the Announcer is difficult to hear due to proximity or noise in the tent, so be aware of the event numbers your age group will be swimming and periodically check the current event number at the display board near the pool. Be aware of the age group who swims before you and check to see when they leave their tent.
- The heat sheet below shows in red the order in which you will call out the names of the swimmers to form your lines. Start a single file line of swimmers by Heat they will be swimming in, with the highest lane number swimmer first. For example, (Heat 1, Lane 6); (Heat 1, Lane 5), (Heat 1, Lane 4), etc.
- Then behind those swimmers start with the next Heat and highest lane number. Ex. (Heat 2, Lane 6), (Heat 2, Lane 5), and so on.
- Continue until you have worked all the way through the heats. Then lead the line of swimmers in order over to the ready benches.
IF IN DOUBT, STAY CALM AND ASK FOR HELP. There will also be tent chairs in the tent area and a ready bench volunteer checking swimmers to ensure they are all in the correct places before they swim.
CHECKING OUT SWIMMERS/FINISHING SHIFT:
A parent MUST come and check-out their child. The child cannot leave the tent area and walk to the parents. This is a safety issue.
The parent checking out the child MUST sign their name next to their child’s name on the check-in/check-out sheet AND grab all their belongings.
Once all swimmers have left, pick-up any additional trash, take any belongings left behind to the lost & found, and return all team parent supplies AND the check-in/check-out sheet to the Volunteer Coordinator at the volunteer check-in table.
