GENERAL INFORMATION:

Swim team members can be up to 18 years old (cut off is June 1). It is required that perspective members be able to complete one length of the pool by time trials (Saturday, June 7).

Swim team meets are held on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings at Robin Hood and other area pools. Times will determine whether a child swims in the Saturday or Wednesday meets. The three fastest swimmers in each event (six fastest in freestyle) represent the team at the Saturday morning meets.

Swim team practice times are:
May 26- June 12
3:30 - 4:30 12-18 Yr. olds
4:30 - 5:30 All others

June 13 - July 18:
8-9:30 a.m. for 12 - 18 Yr olds
9:30- 10:30 am for 11 & Under
10:30 - 11:00 Stroke Work
July 22 - 25: All-star practice: Time TBA.

Note from the coaching staff: We need parent volunteers to help organize and run the pep rallies. If you would like to help with one or all of the scheduled rallies, please contact Jillian Lipton at jlipton@umd.edu.

Swim Team Volunteer Positions

The Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL) sponsors competitive swimming and other activities among the pools and organizations in Montgomery County, Maryland. The goals of the program include helping young people establish a love for the sport of swimming, advanced aquatic skills, teamwork, and the principles of good sportsmanship. 

Swim meets normally require up to 50 adults to handle all of the roles of timekeepers, officials and concessions. To ensure that we have adequate coverage for every meet, a parent from each swim team family is required to sign up to volunteer for at least 3 meets during the season. 

Each swim meet requires a number of certified officials.  Because many of the families who have served in these roles for a number of years are now moving off the team, it is critical that we have new families volunteer to become certified. 

Descriptions of the MCSL certified positions necessary for each meet are listed below.  If you are interested in becoming certified for the 2008 season, please contact George Hondros at ghondros@comcast.net.

MCSL Certified Officials (Training Required):

1. Referee: - The Referee is the final arbiter of all decisions and questions during the meet and has full authority over all officials, assigning and instructing them. The referee must be thoroughly familiar with all applicable USS rules and MCSL rules, all meet procedures and duties of all officials. We need two people to cover Wednesday and Saturday swim meets.

2. Stroke and Turn Judges: - Stroke and Turn Judges determine whether the swimmers perform their strokes and turns in accordance with the prescribed rules of MCSL. Two Stroke and Turn Judges are required at each swim meet.

3. Starter: -The Starter has complete control over the swimmers from the time the Referee signals the start of the race until after a fair start has been achieved. He/She calls the swimmers to their starting positions and to "take their mark" and indicates if any false starts have occurred. We need a Starter for every home meet.

4. Automation Coordinator: - Team automation coordinator uses MCSL Meet Management Software to prepare meet entry sheets and record swimmer times and heat scoring. Prints ribbons, labels, event score sheets and final meet summary. Active coordination with Head Coach required during the week preceding swim meet. Doug Lipton has agreed to continue in this role but we need someone to shadow him and learn the position. 

 Volunteer Positions:

1. Head Timer: While you do not have to be certified, it is recommended that you have been a timer several times before signing up for this position. The Head Timer makes sure all timers are in place and ready for each heat, communicates with the Head Judge and acts as 3rd timer when a timer's watch malfunctions. Head Timer works the entire meet. We need a Head Timer for our Saturday and Wednesday meets.

2. Timers: 3 timers per lane are required for all meets (1/2 from each team). A stopwatch is provided and you are trained before the meet begins. Standing for long periods is required.

3. Clerk of Course: All swimmers report to the Clerk of Course for their event. The Clerk(s) of Course organizes the swimmers according to lane assignments and makes sure they have their time cards to be given to timers. He/She arranges with the Announcer to call the events with adequate time intervals. The Clerk of Course also records "scratched" swimmers.

4. Announcer: (Experience helpful) Announces all the events for the meet as well as all check-ins to the Clerk of Course. Works closely with the Starter to keep the meet running smoothly.

5. Ribbon Writers: Two Ribbon Writers per team are needed for each meet. The job is to attach labels to the appropriate finish ribbon.

6. Concessions: Volunteers help layout and prepare food and snacks for the meet, collect money for purchases, sell programs, and help clean up the concessions area at the end of the meet.