Volunteer Cheat Sheet

Curtis Park Seahawks 2026

Volunteer Cheat Sheet

Did you know?? A swim meet is entirely volunteer run and can take 60+ 

individuals to make a meet run smoothly!! 

Volunteer requirements are per family, not per registered swimmer.  Each family must complete a total of 4 untrained shifts or 3 trained shifts. 

CPST registration requires a member of the family to get trained in one role (in order to provide backup if necessary), regardless of which option you choose to fulfill your volunteer obligations.

For the most up-to-date information on trainings, and to submit any documentation from completed trainings, please visit: https://rsl.swimtopia.com/training

Sign-ups for volunteer roles occur through the SwimTopia app.

Volunteer slot signups will open at 7am five days before a meet 

and close at 5pm two days before. Please reach out to the Board 

if you have any problems logging in or signing up!

Option 1 (online training required)

Complete 3 shifts of any of the following volunteer roles:

Referee*

Clerk of Course

Starter

Head Timer

Stroke & Turn

Scoring

*Also requires synchronous Zoom training, date TBD.

Option 2 (no trained required)

Complete 4 shifts of any of the following volunteer roles:

Time Drops Operator

Set-Up/Take Down

Timer

Clerk of Course Assistant

Concessions

Announcer

Ribbons

Runner

Heat Winner Awards

Water to Volunteers

Safety Marshall**

**NOT a trained position, but USA SafeSport course must be completed since you will be on deck as a volunteer. All volunteers are encouraged to complete this 10 minute course, but safety marshall is the only one that is required to do so! Instructions on how to complete it are available here: https://d1nmxxg9d5tdo.cloudfront.net/857/files/SafeSport_HowTo.pdf?1708624666

Championships

Each family that has a swimmer registered for championships must volunteer for at least one volunteer session. If your family has not completed the volunteer requirements during the regular season, your swimmers will not be eligible to register for Championships. 

TRAINED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES/ROLES

Referee

The calm, experienced official who keeps everything fair and flowing. Referees confirm disqualifications and decide when each heat is ready to start at home meets.

✔️ Training required (two parts)

🏠 Home team role

Starter

The voice that gets every race underway! Starters announce events and signal the official start of each race at home meets.

✔️ Online training + shadowing recommended

🏠 Home team role

Stroke & Turn Judge

The rule-watchers on deck! Stroke & Turn Judges make sure swimmers’ strokes and turns follow USA Swimming rules.

✔️ Online training + shadowing recommended

🏠 Home & Away meets (both teams help)

Clerk of Course

The organizer-in-chief! The Clerk of Course lines swimmers up in the correct heat and lane and hands out deck cards so everything runs on time.

✔️ Online training required

🏠 Home & Away meets

Scorekeeper / Computer Operator

The numbers expert! Scorekeepers review the three timer results for each swimmer and determine the official time.

✔️ Online training required

🏠 Home & Away meets (both teams)

Head Timer

Head Timers coordinate lane timers, distribute stopwatches, run backup watches, and jump in when help is needed.

✔️ Online training required

🏠 Home & Away meets

UNTRAINED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES/ROLES

Time Drops Operator

Works next to the Starter, Referee, or Head Timer to manage the electronic timing system. Helps keep events synced and alerts scorers to any issues.

🏠 Home meets only

Set-up/Take down

Set-Up: Arrive early to help set up tables, ropes, speakers, benches, and equipment

Take-Down: Stay after the meet to put everything away

🏠 Home meets only

⚠️ No overlapping jobs during the same timeframe

Timer

One of the most important (and plentiful!) roles. Timers record each swimmer’s time using a stopwatch and clipboard.

✔️ Short timer meeting before the meet

🏠 Home & Away meets

Clerk of Course Assistant

Assistants help line swimmers up and direct them to the correct lanes, keeping the meet moving quickly.

🏠 Home & Away meets

Concessions

Help fuel the meet! Set up the concessions table, sell food and drinks, and work with the Treasurer.

🏠 Home meets only

✔️ This role has unique timing. Please check with the volunteer coordinator to confirm timing.

Announcer

The voice of the meet! Announcers help start the meet, play music, call swimmers to the Clerk of Course, and share announcements.

🏠 Home meets only

Ribbons

Organize and label awards ribbons.  This is a second shift position that is highly flexible but does require you to stay until all scoring is completed at the end of the meet.  

🏠 Home & Away meets

⏳ Stay until all ribbons are complete

Runner

Runners collect completed heat sheets and DQ slips from the Referees and timers and deliver them to the scorers.

🏠 Home meets only

Heat Winner Awards

Watch each heat finish and award a ribbon to the fastest swimmer as they exit the pool.

🏠 Home meets only

Water to Volunteers

Deliver cold water to volunteers working the meet, greatly appreciated on hot summer days.

🏠 Home meets only

Safety Marshall 

Keeps an eye on the pool deck and surrounding areas to make sure everyone stays safe.  You must register for a free account with USA swimming and complete the Safesport Training for Volunteers.  It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

✔️ SafeSport training required (NEW! RSL rule for 2026)