New Territory Torpedoes

The success of the swim team is a TEAM effort for both the children and the parents. Parents are essential to the running of swim meets. You will be asked to sign up to help out at the swim meets. Home meets require more volunteers than away meets.

Many jobs require no experience but only a willingness to help. These include: meet set-up and tear-down, working at the concession stand, ready bench organizer who gets swimmers ready to swim their events, timers, runners for timesheets, and filling out ribbons. Other jobs require some training such as console operators, stroke and turn judges, and starter/ref. Most jobs during a meet are divided into two shifts. The first shift will begin when the meet starts and last through the end of the backstroke event. The second shift will begin with the 100 individual medley and end with the 200 medley relays.

When arriving at the home or away meets, volunteers will be asked to check-in with the Volunteer Manager.

1. ALL Torpedoes families must volunteer for 5 half meets.
2. ALL families must sign up for and provide 1 case of soda/Gatorade/water or 1 large bag of ice to one of the 2 home meets.
3. It is a league requirement that all volunteers who have direct contact with swimmers take the Darkness to Lightness Athlete Protection Training every year. ALL VOLUNTEERS must have the training completed by the second week of practice, or your child will not be allowed to practice until the training has been completed. I appreciate your cooperation!
4. Failure to fulfill volunteer requirements or "no-showing" a job may result in your swimmer(s) being ineligible to compete in current season swim meets and/or future swim seasons.

ALL adult volunteers over the age of 17 must take the Darkness to Lightness Athlete Protection Training which is required by the league. This must be completed by May 16^th, or your swimmer will NOT be allowed to swim practice on May 17th until the training has been completed. Start the process now.

To complete this online Athlete Protection Training. Click the link below to register and complete the training TODAY. It takes a quick 15 minutes to read the pamphlet and answer 10 questions. 

To obtain the 2023 certification, the following course must be completed:

1. 2023 Darkness to Light Athlete Protection Training: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Announcer (Home) – 1 or 2 per meet. Announces swimming events and sponsors and makes public announcements as needed throughout the meet. Also works with Starter/Referee to keep the meet moving quickly and smoothly.

Awards (Home and Away) – 4 per meet. (2 each half) Organize, adhere time stickers to ribbons, and distribute ribbons to swimmers after each swim meet.

Console Operators (Home) – 1 or 2 per meet -TRAINING REQ. Works on the computer using the Meet Manager Software. Enter swimmer times into the computer system after each event. During the meet, the computer operator will collect timing and finishing sheets from the runners and compare them to the computer for any significant discrepancies. At the end of each event, the computer operator will print the results and labels to give to Awards.

Floater (Home) – 1 or 2 per meet. Home meets, this person will monitor the pool facility and bathrooms for cleanliness or substitute in a needed volunteer non-certified position.

Hospitality (Home) – 1 or 2 per meet. Provides water and checks on any additional needs for officials, coaches, lifeguards, and timers during the meet.

Age Group Marshal Lead - (Home and Away) –1 per meet. Responsible for ensuring all Marshals have the required clipboards and swimmer information for the swim meet and act as the main point of contact for any Marshals' questions. Make sure all Marshals know how to write events on swimmers’ arms. Overall coordination of Marshals and Age Group tents. Must have a working knowledge of how swim meets are run and have a cheerful disposition.

Age Group Marshals (Home and Away) –approximately 16 per meet. Responsible for keeping swimmers together in age groups; checks-in swimmers; marks all swimmers with their swimmer event info; organizes relays and ensures all swimmers get to events on time in the proper location; escorts swimmers to ready bench when called by announcers; helps put up and take down team tent and manages swimmers while in the tent.

Ready Bench Organizer (Home and Away) – 4 per meet (2 each half) Receives swimmers at the ready bench, then organizes swimmers for their heats by getting them lined up in their lanes before the race starts. Assists with walking younger swimmers to starting deck. Makes sure swimmers have on swimming cap and goggles.

Runner (Home and Away) – 4 per meet (2 each half) Take timesheets from timers and deliver them to the score table or awards area.

Setup/Takedown (Home and Away) – THE MORE, THE BETTER!

• HOME - set up tents, tables, benches, and AV equipment before the swim meets, starting at 3:45pm for our weekday evening swim meets. Takedown and put away everything after the meeting that day. 4-5 Needed each shift.
• AWAY - Transport swim tents, arrive at 3:45pm at the meet to set up tents. Be available to help take down tents as the sun goes down.

Stroke Judge (Home and Away) – 2 per meet (1 each half) TRAINING REQ. - Online Course

Recognize, disqualify, and notify the starter/head official when illegal strokes have been made. Two are needed per meet from each team. We will need 1 Stroke Judge for each half for each swim meet. It is a great way to have a poolside view of the swimmers and learn more about the league’s swimming rules!

You get a cool Judge polo shirt, only have to volunteer for 4 half meets instead of 5 and you have the best view of the action!  

Touch and Turn Judge (Home and Away) – 4 per meet (2 each half) TRAINING REQ. - Online Course

A touch/turn judge will recognize, disqualify, and notify the starter/head official when a swimmer violates any turn, finish, or relay race rule. You get a cool polo shirt, only have to volunteer for 4 half meets instead of 5 if you are a judge. It is a great way to have a poolside view of the swimmers and learn more about the league’s swimming rules!

Timer (Home and Away) 12-16 per meet (6-8 each half) Time swimmers in each lane with stopwatches; clearly communicate time to the scribe. Write swimmer names, numbers, lane numbers, and times clearly and legibly on score sheets. Timers work ½ meet and switch after backstroke.

Torpedoes Treats (Concession Stand) (Home) – 2 people per half meet. Help with selling food and drink items at the pool location. Friendly disposition required.

Starter (Home) – 1 or 2 per meet. TRAINING REQ. Determines that all lanes are properly filled with eligible swimmers for the event, and determines that all swimmers are in the proper start position. Starts each event with a whistle or air horn. Determines that all swimmers properly begin the event, disqualifying swimmers for false starts. Must take an online course for league training certification.

SPECIAL VOLUNTEER POSITIONS

Popsicle Fridays – Volunteers will provide 200 popsicles for Popsicle Friday in May and June. They need to be frozen for at least 48 hours prior, to stay frozen. You will need to be there to distribute at the end of 6 and Under through the end of 9/10 (11 and up will get their popsicle from the cooler you leave at the pool). Please bring your scissors.

Coach Breakfast – Volunteer will provide kolaches, donuts, and orange juice on Friday mornings in June for the coaches at 6:45 am.

End of season Party - Volunteers will be needed to help pass out pizza, awards, sweet treats, and beverages. 

Stroke/Turn judges will train to identify stroke, touch, and turn infractions. This requires an annual certification. The 2023 certification will only be valid during the 2023 season. To obtain the 2023 certification, the following course must be completed:

1. 2023 Starter/Referee Training (includes Stroke & Turn Training): CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Please note that you will need to click the CLICK HERE TO REGISTER link beside the course you wish to take – this will take users to a simple form where they provide their name and email address and select the users swim team (NTST-New Territory Swim Team). Upon completing the enrollment request, users will receive an email with links to log in to the training system. Then you can start the online course.