

Every year we call on volunteers to help run the County Swimming Competitions. Without
you, these events not run safely and effectively.
Every year we are pleased to see volunteers return. We are always extremely grateful to
welcome new volunteers. They are willing to offer a little of their time to support the competitions
and the swimmers who compete.
If you are considering volunteering, here is a brief overview of what roles there are.
You will also learn what you will be expected to do.
Whatever role you choose, you can be assured of a friendly, inter-club community, and:
- free drinks and snacks throughout your session;
- free lunch if you’re volunteering all day; and
- The best seat in the house to watch your child swim. We always make sure you can leave your post when your child is racing!
ALL ROLES – PLEASE SIGN-IN WITH THE VOLUNTEERS COORDINATOR
FRONT OF HOUSE/DOORS: Reporting Time: 35 minutes before Warm-Up. On the front
desk you will be meeting and greeting spectators as they arrive at the complex. The desks are
in the lobby to help with safeguarding. This guarantees access is only to those visitors who are
there to support swimmers. As well as safeguarding our swimmers, the role includes receiving
money. It also involves taking online payments from spectators for their daily or weekend pass. It also includes issuing a wrist band. Additionally, it involves tracking how many types of spectator wristbands are sold to ensure we don’t exceed venue capacity. A great job that sets the scene of the event for all those who visit.
You will be good in this role if you love meeting people and are super helpful! Please report
to the Volunteers Coordinator (by the front desk) where you will receive a briefing.
WARM UP MARSHAL: Reporting Time: 15 minutes before Warm-Up. Required for warm-
up sessions and move onto another role afterwards. Working with the announcer and
club coaches, you ensure swimmers abide by the rules & procedures of the warm-up. It is
important that you have read the Warm-up Rules and Procedures document. Listen out for the
announcements made. Direct the swimmers accordingly. The role is suitable for those
who may not be available for the whole session. Please bring shoes for the poolside and be
prepared to get a little wet! Please report to the Volunteers Coordinator (by the front desk). You will receive a briefing. You will also be issued a high visibility jacket to wear on poolside.
POOLSIDE MARSHALS: Reporting Time: 15 minutes before 1st Race. Working on
poolside, this role involves checking the swimmers in for their events. You will organize them into
heats and lanes as they progress towards the blocks. A busy but rewarding job with lots of
interaction with the swimmers. Please bring shoes for the poolside and be prepared to get a
little wet! Please report to the Volunteers Coordinator (by the front desk). You will receive a briefing. You will also be issued a high visibility jacket to wear on poolside. You will also get heat sheets and a clipboard and pen.
MEDALS DESK: Reporting Time: 10 minutes before 1st Race. You will be on the medals
desk handing out Gold, Silver & Bronze medals to our Age Group winners. You will be given
two-full sets of results following each event, one copy is for you to display on the wall and the
other is to make a note of the medals collected by swimmers. A very rewarding job, hectic at
times! Helps to be organised. Please report to the Volunteers Coordinator (by the front
desk) where you will receive a briefing. All equipment required will already be at the
medals desk.
TROPHIES MANAGER: Reporting Time: 10 minutes before 1st Race. You will be on the
trophies desk preparing the awards for our new Junior and Senior County Champions and
organising the podium presentations. You will support the Meet Manager (or other VIP) with
the Podium Presentations by handing out the Awards, Silver and Bronze medals and taking
photographs. Please report to the Volunteers Coordinator (by the front desk) where you
will receive a briefing. All equipment required will already be at the desk.
RUNNER: Reporting Time: 10 minutes before 1st Race. You will be working with the Meet
Management Team, taking the heat sheets to clubs, the results to the medals desk, passing
any messages to Officials, other volunteers, the Official’s caterer and also walking around with
sweets/water to keep everyone going! You’ll be sat with the recording and announcing team
so a great seat! Please report to the Meet Manager (the control desk on the far left of the
venue) where you will receive a briefing.
STANDBY: Reporting Time: 15 minutes before 1st Race. You will need to be ready to stand
in for anyone who is unable to fulfil the role they volunteered for. This can be a varied role (or
a very boring role!) and you get to watch from the volunteer seating area. Please report to
the Volunteers Coordinator (by the front desk) where you will receive a briefing.
REFRESHMENTS: Reporting Time: 10 minutes before 1st Race. This is a new role
designed to support our Caterer with organising the Official’s refreshments area. This role
involves laying out food, topping up the boiler and milk, clearing tables etc. and is a sociable
role as you’ll be amongst the officials and other pool shelf volunteers. Please report to the
Volunteers Coordinator (by the front desk) where you will receive a briefing.
The Meet Management Team – the team behind the results, keeping the meet running
to time and looking after our poolside Officials and Volunteers.
MEET MANAGER: Reporting Time: 60 minutes before Warm-Up. The person in overall
control of the meet with regards to the running of the event and everything not on the pool
deck! This role will be filled by Kelly Podbury (Burnham-on-Sea) and Neil Chambers (Wells).
VOLUNTEERS COORDINATOR: Reporting Time: 60 minutes before Warm-Up. This role
is a new role aimed at supporting the Meet Managers by managing the recruitment and
coordination of all our non-technical helpers and will be filled by Isabel Blight (Millfield).
OFFICIALS COORDINATOR: Reporting Time: 30 minutes before Warm-Up. The Officials
Coordinator does exactly that – recruiting and coordinating all of our army of technical officials
required to run a Level 1 County Championships. Our Official’s Coordinator is Chris Metcalf
(Keynsham).
RECORDER/ASSISTANT RECORDER: Reporting Time: 30 minutes before 1st Race. The
Recorders will be importing the times from the heats and producing the results. Can be a bit
hectic when the automated system doesn’t work and results have to be manually input. If you
can keep calm and focused, then this is a good job for you. Particularly of interest to those
who enjoy computers or organising paperwork. A busy job but working with some great people
and the best seat in the house! Please report to the Meet Manager (the control desk on
the far left of the venue) where you will receive a briefing.
ANNOUNCER: Reporting Time: 10 minutes before Warm-Up. A crucial role for the running
of the championships, this role is the link to keeping everything moving to time. You will need
to be cool under pressure, enjoy talking over the microphone and have a clear and
commanding voice. It is great if you have a playlist of songs suitable for the meet, we can link
it up to the PA system to build the atmosphere, but don’t worry if not, we always have a backup
plan and a playlist on Spotify courtesy of a previous announcer. (Thanks Tess!) We are happy
to mentor anyone who wants to have a go, it really isn’t that bad when you get going and it’s
the second-best seat in the house! Please report to the Meet Manager (the control desk
on the far left of the venue) where you will receive a briefing.
YOUNG VOLUNTEERS: Reporting Time: 10 minutes before 1st Race. This role is vital!
YVs get involved in everything, preparing heat sheets for coaches and officials, taking results
to the medals desk, checking in with Front of House to make sure they are happy, taking
refreshments around to Officials and other volunteers and is generally the best help ever at
the event. You will need to wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to sit around a bit when
things are ticking over nicely! Please report to the Meet Manager (the control desk on the
far left of the venue) where you will receive a briefing.
For anyone who wants to have a go at any of these roles we would be happy to
mentor you – this is a great meet to try a new role out so that you can then
support your own club’s events with confidence! Get in touch!
Sign up using this link: https://www.swim-meet.com/VolunteersSignup/Somerset
Here’s what some of our previous volunteers have said about their experience………
Having never volunteered before, I really enjoyed it. Everyone was so friendly, supportive
and worked really well as a team considering we had never met before.
I was even lucky to get a back massage sat in the chair – the lady I volunteered with in the
afternoon was a Chinese Dr specialising in Chinese massage and acupuncture- you’ll never
know who you’ll network with ��
I was a poolside marshal in today’s afternoon session. Although it was a busy role, I enjoyed
chatting to the swimmers and would volunteer to do the same again, without hesitation.
I used to swim as a child, so it’s nice to give back to a sport that did so much for me. I really
enjoyed announcing. I was a little nervous at first, but Kelly and her team soon put me at
ease. I’m already looking forward to the next event.
A lot more fun than I thought it was going to be…