Swim Meet Worker Job List and Descriptions

Last updated on September 8th, 2023 at 10:11 am

Why have a list of swim meet worker job titles and descriptions? Aren’t timers the only volunteers you need to run a swim meet? Many meets seem to run on this idea. As important as they are, it takes more than timers to run even the simplest of meets. Use this list of job descriptions when recruiting meet workers or building a team meet hosting culture. The brief descriptions work great in a pre-meet online volunteer sign-up.  They can also be emailed, or included on a team website, to help educate parents. PDF and WORD versions of the list are included to make this easier. Need guidance on the number of workers and officials needed for your meet? Check out Swim Meet Workers: How Many Are Needed?

Meet Areas

Because swim meets involve a lot of people, roles are grouped by “Meet Area.” The meet areas are listed below. For more about each, see the “Does What” section of the “Who Does What” page.

• Meet Administration
• Awards
• Concessions
• Donations
• Equipment
• Facility
• Fundraising
• Hospitality
• Officials
• Publicity
• Safety
• Travel
• Volunteers 

Job Titles and Duties May Vary

Job titles and duties vary from meet to meet and in different locations. As long as the meet host follows governing body rules and the needed work gets done, variations are okay. Sometimes one person can fill more than one job at a time.  For example, the Computer Operator may also be the Computer Technician. When combining jobs, be aware that some governing bodies prohibit the combining of some roles. The governing body rule book might list other swim meet job titles and descriptions, particularly in the Officials area. (For example: USA Swimming Rules and Regulations)

Certified, Skilled, and “Pre-Meet” Jobs

Some jobs at the swim meet need people with specific skills or certifications to fill them.  Others require someone to work before the meet. These jobs are best filled by designated people well before the meet starts. More details about some of these jobs are on the  “Who Does What” page. An asterisk marks Certified, Skilled, and “Pre-Meet Work Needed”  jobs below.

May Apply to Train

Even if you have people to fill certified, skilled, and “Pre-Meet” type jobs, it’s wise to always have additional people training to fill these roles. Youth sports are notorious for turnover. Often when the child moves on, so does the parent. Additionally, personal health, caregiving, employment, and other responsibilities can all lead to unplanned vacancies in key positions.

Swim Meet Worker Job List and Descriptions

Meet Administration

Meet Director *

Oversee preparation of all aspects of meet.  Rove during meet and check in with all areas, making adjustments as needed.  Plan, prepare, run and “closed out” meet with governing body. This includes turning in needed results, reports and fees on time.  Must know and adhere to governing body rules and regulations.

Time Verification Clerk/Computer Operator *

Verify recorded times and, if necessary, adjust according to governing body rules. Facilitate the printing of all meet reports and award labels. Run computer during meet.  Process results according to governing body rules and regulations.  MEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. SOME GOVERNING BODIES MAY REQUIRE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION. (May apply to train.)

Timing Equipment Operator *

Run timing system during meet.  Be available during set-up to make sure system is running. TIMING EQUIPMENT EXPERIENCE NEEDED. (May apply to train.)

Computer Technician *

Supervise set-up and take down of computer equipment.  Be available before & during meet to help solve any computer technical problems. COMPUTER EXPERIENCE NEEDED. (May apply to train.)

Meet Clerks/Clerk of Course *

Assist Administrative Official and/or Clerk of Course at computer table.  May help with time verification, managing meet paperwork, data entry, problem solving, etc.

Entry Clerk *

Receive and process meet entries. Help prepare pre-meet reports. EXPERIENCE REQUIRED.  SOME GOVERNING BODIES MAY REQUIRE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION. (May apply to train)

Meet Program Manager *

Collect and compile information for the Meet Program.  Make copies and deliver program to meet.

Announcer *

Make announcements during meet including upcoming events, competitors names, meet worker needs (timers) etc.

Timer

One – three timers work each lane and clock swimmers with hand-held stopwatches.  One of the best seats at a meet.

Head (or Chief) Timer

Confirm enough timers in each lane at least 5-10 minutes before start and throughout meet. Notify Meet Director or Volunteer Coordinator asap if timers are missing.  Start 2 backup watches at the beginning of each race and trade with timers as needed.  Help keep unnecessary people away from starting area. May be asked to train timers.

Runners

Some meets may combined runner positions.

• Timing Line Runner: Be available 25 minutes before meet start to help prepare and pass out timer sheets. Collect timing sheets after each event throughout meet.
• Computer Runner: Be available 25 minutes before meet start to post heat sheets. Post results throughout meet. Deliver paperwork, etc. as requested.

Bullpen or Parade Ready Area Manager/Worker(s)

(Only used at some meets.) Manage the area where swimmers gather before being led to the blocks. Organize swimmers and lead them to the blocks in lane order by heat.  Lead swimmers to the blocks before their heat.

Human Stoplight

(Note: This job is ONLY NEEDED WITH CERTAIN POOL CONFIGURATIONS to cut interference around the referee, starter and timing system operator. They are only needed if, because of pool configuration, swimmers must walk through the start area.)

“Human Stoplights” stop people from walking through the start area at certain times of the meet. This is so the Referee and Starter have a clear view of the blocks during the start and the Timing System Operator has a clear view of the lanes at the finish.

Awards

Awards Manager *

Get awards. Ensure they conform to any governing body rules. Organize, prepare and do award labeling and distribution.  Manage volunteers who work in Awards area. If short on help, perhaps someone at the Meet Volunteer Table can help.

Award Labeler

Label ribbons/medals and/or other event awards and sort them by team (or as directed.) Job done during the meet, often as results become available.

Heat Winner Distributor

Hand out award to heat winners at the end of every heat. (Great spot to watch meet.)

Concessions

Concessions Manager *

Coordinate food and workers for concessions stand including what to sell, how to keep it hot or cold, and prices. Arrange for cash box and change. Safeguard cash box during, and in between, meet sessions. Count concession money after meet. Return cash box and money to person designated by Meet Director.  May work with Hospitality Manager or combine Hospitality and Concessions leadership depending on meet needs.

Concessions Worker

Work at concession stand. Prepare and serve concessions to swimmers and spectators attending the meet.

Concessions Provider *

(PRE-MEET) Donate food for concessions and meet worker snacks. (NOTE: Some teams ask parents to donate food.)

Donations

Donation Solicitor *

Pre-Meet:  Solicits donations from businesses (cash or in kind).  Find out from Meet Director what meet can offer to donors. (Examples:  banners at pool, ad in meet program, etc.)

Equipment

Equipment Manager *

Get equipment to and from meet (as needed.) Oversee set-up and take down of meet equipment, timing system, lane lines (may ask coach to oversee this), backstroke flags, 15 meter markers, etc.  Deal with any equipment problems that may occur during the meet.

Facility

Set-up *

Set-up venue before meet. May need swimmers to put lane lines in the pool.

Clean-up

Help clean-up venue after meet and return equipment (as needed.) May need swimmers to remove lanes lines.

Fundraising

Fundraising Manager *

(If a fundraiser is held at the meet) Coordinate the fundraiser activity and any needed workers.

Fundraising Worker

(If a fundraiser is held at the meet) Work meet fundraiser.

Hospitality

Hospitality Manager *

Coordinate food and workers for meet hospitality. Oversee delivery of food and drink to coaches, officials and meet workers at proper intervals during meet. May work with Concessions Manager or combine Hospitality and Concessions leadership depending on meet needs.

Hospitality Worker

Work under direction of Hospitality Manager to prepare and deliver food to coaches, officials and meet workers during meet.

Officials

Stroke and Turn Judge

Judge swimmer strokes and turns according to governing body rules.  CERTIFICATION REQUIRED (May apply to train)

Chief Judge

Assign and supervise all stroke, turn, place and take-off judges.  Report their decisions to the referee.  Other responsibilities may also be assigned by the referee. CERTIFICATION REQUIRED (May apply to train)

Starter

Start races and assists referee. CERTIFICATION REQUIRED (May apply to train)

Administrative Official/Referee

Responsible to Referee for:

• Entry and registration process
• Clerk of Course and other meet clerks
• Timing Equipment Operator
• Scoring and other administrative people
• Accurate processing of entries and scratches
• Seeding
• Determination and recording of official time
• Determination of official results
• Publication and posting of results and scores

May do other duties as assigned by referee. Depending on size and type of meet as well as how many meet workers are available, responsibilities may be delegated by the referee to more than one person. CERTIFICATION REQUIRED. (May apply to train.)

Referee

Runs the meet according to governing body rules. Involved before, during and after the meet. CERTIFICATION REQUIRED (May apply to train.)

Publicity

Publicity Manager

Make arrangements for publicizing meet.  May write articles or find volunteer(s) willing to write articles about the meet for local newspaper(s) or websites. May invite local media coverage of championship events. When needed, get meet results to the press and article authors in a timely manner after meet is over.

Safety

Meet Marshal

Enforce safety rules throughout the meet venue, including the warm-up/warm-down area. Report to the Meet Referee 15 minutes before the beginning of warm-ups for instruction and to start shift.

Travel

Travel Manager

(PRE-MEET) Coordinate and arrange meet travel as needed. Only used at larger meets when key officials and others must travel.

Volunteers

Volunteer Coordinator

Find volunteers to fill meet worker jobs before the meet starts, including people to man the Meet Volunteer Table.  May need to find replacement workers during the meet.  At a large meet, extra help at the table will likely be needed. At small meets, those working at the table can help label and sort awards after the meet starts (if needed.)

Volunteer Table Worker

Man Volunteer Table from before the beginning of warm-ups, well into the meet. Sign-up, train, and answer questions from volunteers.  Work closely with the Volunteer Coordinator to help fill volunteer needs at the swim meet.

Sharing Swim Meet Worker Job Descriptions via QR Code

By displaying this code on a device or paper, others can scan it and come directly to this post. If displayed high and large, it can be scanned by many from a reasonable distance. This allows people to read along during training. Thus, increasing retention and performance. If they bookmark the page, they can also refer to it later if needed.

What is a QR Code?

A QR Code (quick response code) is a type of 2D bar code used to provide easy access to information through a smartphone or other device. The Host Great Meets QR codes contain information that when scanned, leads a person directly to a specific post.

How to Use a QR Code

Many smartphones and other devices have barcode and QR code scanning built-in. Simply open the camera or barcode scanning app and point it at the code. Make sure all four corners of the code are in view. Let it focus and soon a link should appear on the screen. Click on the link. It will bring the device directly to the post. For more detailed instructions, see https://www.wikihow.com/Scan-a-QR-Code

Why Use a QR Code to Share This Post?

Sharing helpful information helps others do a good job. Boost their performance by sharing information in a way they can reference later if needed. Even if they don’t need it later, sharing both verbally and visually increases retention. Using a QR code also allows for quick, easy, paperless, and touchless sharing. This method is especially useful on wet pool decks.

Downloadable Swim Meet Worker Job Description Files

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Preparing for a swim meet? Check out The Ultimate Swim Meet To-Do List. Then, get a bird’s eye view of Who does What at Swim Meets. Both include easy-to-follow links to related information. Doing a smaller, simpler meet? Host a High School or Developmental Swim Meet will help.

Need more help? See 20+ Ways to Get Swim Meet Timers and Officials: 20+ Ways to Get them for Swim Meets. 

Also, discover a few things you can do to Increase Safety at Swim Meets. Find ideas to implement before your meet as well as last-minute quick and easy tips!