Volunteer Policy

The GSCY swim team will host invitational meets. In order to run these meets we need parents to volunteer. By parents volunteering their time, GSCY will be able to effectively staff GSCY hosted invitational meets. Our hosted meets require over 100 volunteers per meet (not including officials).


At the beginning of each season (SCY or LC), the GSCY leadership team will set a minimum number of points to be earned by each family. The number of points earned by each family will be tracked and credited appropriately by leveraging a volunteer point tracking system.


Once a family earns their minimum amount of points, it should not be viewed as a reason to no longer volunteer for GSCY hosted meets. Meeting the minimum point requirement does not exempt a family from having to volunteer at swim meets or swim team functions in which their child/children is/are participating. All families whose children are swimming during GSCY hosted meets are expected to work upon request, regardless of point status.


Failure to earn your required points and/or satisfy any fines will result in your swimmer(s) not being able to participate in their championship meet (Silvers, States, JOs, Nationals, etc.). Any outstanding fines will also preclude registration in the upcoming swim season.

Volunteer Points Required
2024-2025 SC Season

Each single swimmer family will be required to earn 3 points during the season.  Each multi swimmer family will be required to earn 5 points during the season.


Please read all of the details below on volunteer requirements for the 2024/2025 Short Course season. To be able to run meets, it is imperative we have the proper number of volunteers. As part of the GSCY community and with signing the team handbook, the expectation is everyone volunteers their fair share. The mindset should be that if you have a swimmer participating in a meet then you should try to volunteer. We are trying to create a culture on this team where it is less about points and more about every family volunteering their fair share throughout the season.


With this in mind, we have lowered the points requirement from the last Short Course season and will continue to offer ample opportunities to earn points this season via dual meets and points awarded for all jobs worked (non-GSCY hosted meets, team parents, etc.). We will also open the job portal for all GSCY-hosted meets on Thursday October 10th for the entire season; the intent is to make it easier for parents to volunteer for meets they know they will be attending and plan out their season accordingly. Lastly, the expectation is that regardless of the points requirement, if jobs are required for a meet, parents should step up to fill open jobs. If jobs remain open in the week leading up to a meet, the volunteer coordinator will look at which families have worked the least and then assign jobs accordingly. If you are assigned a job, you must work that job or find a replacement on your own.


To summarize the points requirement:

  • Each single-swimmer family will be required to earn 3 points during the season.
  • Each multi-swimmer family will be required to earn 5 points during the season.
  • All jobs worked will be worth 1 point with the exception of officials and table jobs, which are worth 2 points.
  • Practice Group Parents will earn 2 points for fulfilling team parent requirements.
  • Dual Team Parents will fulfill their points obligation by fulfilling the requirements of this volunteer position.
  • All jobs worked at non-GSCY hosted meets (invitationals) will be counted towards the point requirement
  • Timer, Head Timer, and Waves/Thunder marshals will earn a point for working at these “away” meets
  • For “prelim, final format” meets, parents who time in finals do not earn a point (the reward of your swimmer making finals requires parents to time)
  • The job portal will be used for GSCY-hosted meets AND invitational meets to properly track achievement of points throughout the season. ALL GSCY-hosted meets will be available for sign up on October 10th. For all other meets, the portal will open when we receive timer assignments from the host team (usually a few days before the meet).
  • Dual Team Parents will coordinate and send signups for dual meets.
  • A failure to meet your points obligation for the season will result in a fine of $75 per point.
  • NEW THIS SEASON: In addition to the financial penalty, swimmers will be ineligible for end-of-season championship meets (States, Bronze/Silver Championships, etc.) if their family has earned 0 pts by the time these meets come around.


Please reach out to gscystormvolunteers@gmail.com with any questions.

​How the Points Work

  • Each family is required to earn a minimum number of volunteer points. 
  • Each volunteer job will have a point value. Depending on the type of job, some might be worth more than others.
  • Points can be earned in a number of ways:
  • ​Volunteering at GSCY-hosted meets
  • Volunteering at dual meets
  • Volunteering at non-GSCY invitational meets
  • Volunteering for other team volunteer roles:
  • Practice Group Parent (points as communicated)
  • Dual Meet Team Parent (points as communicated)
  • Parent Committee Lead (will fulfill entire points requirement for the season)
  • Families will receive advance notice of when and at what time the volunteer sign up portals will open.
  • In cases when we do not have enough volunteers to run the meet and your child/children is swimming, the GSCY volunteer coordinator will assign open jobs to those families that did not sign up when the volunteer portal opened.

Penalties

  • If a volunteer signs up (is assigned) and is a NO SHOW, the penalty will be a fine of $100 for the first offense, $150 for the second and $200 for the third. The fine will be charged to the credit card on file after notification. If you can’t fulfill your commitment, you will need to find a replacement.
  • If families do not satisfy their volunteer point requirement by the end of the season, there will be a $75 penalty per unworked volunteer point.
  • NEW THIS SEASON: In addition to the financial penalty, swimmers will be ineligible for end-of-season championship meets (States, Bronze/Silver Championships, etc.) if their family has earned 0 pts by the time these meets come around.

Important Reminders

  1. Once volunteer assignments have been finalized and you are unable to volunteer your time, you must find your own replacement and email gscystormvolunteers@gmail.com no later than 10pm on the day before the meet. 
  2. There may not be volunteer positions available in the sessions your child is swimming. You may have to work a session that your child (children) is (are) not swimming. You are encourage to sign up as soon as the volunteer portal opens. 

Volunteer Job Descriptions

*Indicates a skilled position that requires prior training

Note: the list below is not all inclusive. Jobs may be added and points values may change based on needs of specific meets. Please refer to the job portal for the most up-to-date information.


Position Points Description
Set Up 1.0 This position involves helping set up the meet operations table, as well as placing timing pads in the pool. It involves some heavy lifting and bending. Depending on the timing of the meet, this job may take place the night before the meet or well in advance of warm ups. You may also be required to place “Meet Parking” signs in the parking lot.
Volunteer Check-In 1.0 This position takes place at entrance to the building and is responsible for checking in all volunteers. You will also be required to direct volunteers to their positions. This job takes place from before warm ups to the end of the session with the majority of work ending once the meet has started.
Meet Manager/Colorado* 2.0 Please reach out to Marissa Forget at mjadrosichforget@gmail.com for more information on description/requirements.
Officials 2.0 This job requires certification as a YMCA or USA Swimming official. Meet packet will designate the particular certification required. Please reach out to Asya Dvorkin at asya.dvorkin@gmail.com for more information on description/requirements.
Security 1.0 This job takes place at various locations depending on the meet. Some volunteers may be assigned to the entrance to the pool deck, in front of spectator bathrooms or other areas deemed necessary.
Timer 1.0 This person uses a stopwatch and/or plunger to record swimmers’ times. Recording times on a clipboard may also be required. All timers must attend the timers’ meeting approximately 30 minutes before the session starts. Watches will be provided.
Backup Timer 1.0 This job takes place on the pool deck. Backup timers time every event as a “backup” to a lane timer error. All backup timers must attend the timers’ meeting approximately 30 minutes before the meet starts. Watches will be provided.
Floater 1.0 This volunteer will be asked to step in and cover any non-skilled job as per the meet requires. For example, this volunteer is to relief security for bathroom breaks, etc.
Runner 1.0 This job takes place on the pool deck. It requires gathering timing sheets from lane timers and “running” to the meet operations table as well as hanging heat sheets and results.
Head Marshall 1.0 Assist the coaches in getting swimmers ready and on deck when their heat is called. The head marshal will have the responsibility of announcing swimmers and organizing the positions of the other marshals (pool, bleachers, walking the swimmers on to the pool deck, etc.). Responsible for ensuring swimmers are in place to go to the pool deck.
Marshal 1.0 Assist the coaches in getting swimmers ready and on deck when their heat is called.
Hospitality 1.0 This person will work in the hospitality room where refreshments are provided for coaches and officials. You will also be responsible for taking drinks on deck for coaches and officials.