Kent Gardens

Kent Gardens Swim Team thrives because of our dedicated volunteers! The only way we can effectively run a swim team, host meets, and organize fun social events for your swimmers is through the commitment of our parents and community members.

*Every swim team family is required to volunteer—it’s not just encouraged, it’s essential!*

Volunteer Job Descriptions

All NVSL Meets, both Monday B Meets and Saturday A Meets are run by volunteers. In addition to certified officials and coaches, the following *no experience needed* positions are required to run a meet. We need all Dolphin families to participate! By volunteering you’ll get to know the team and other families, make new friends, and help create a great experience for all. We also are always looking for volunteers to serve as officials (Stroke & Turn Judges, Starters, Referees, Data Coordinator, etc.). NVSL offers training each Spring to get certified in these roles. Attire for all volunteers is white top/blue bottoms (no denim) without swim club logos. 

CLERK OF COURSE ensures that all swimmers are present for each event and directs the swimmers from respective teams to the correct lane for their event. No experience needed and this is a great role for getting to know all the swimmers and sharing that last pep talk before their races. 

DQ SLIP RUNNERS collect disqualification (DQ) slips from the Stroke and Turn Judges and relay slips from the Relay TakeOff Judges and deliver them to the Referee for their signature. These cards are also taken to the Table Workers at the data table. No experience needed and a great way to get those steps in. 

MARSHALS ensure that meets are conducted safely and order is maintained. Marshals wear an orange vest and raise a sign at the whistle for each event advising all present to remain quiet for the start. Marshals also ensure that swimmers and spectators do not crowd the pool and follow any pool rules for staying clear of the competition area. Please note: Marshals stand throughout the meet and are required to arrive early to monitor the pool during warm-ups for safety purposes. No experience needed and a great way to stay close to the action in the pool. RELAY 

TAKE-OFF JUDGES are needed only for A Meets on Saturdays. Relay Take-off Judges are responsible for watching the incoming swimmer touch the wall while also watching the departing swimmer start their leg of the relay to make sure that no swimmer takes off too early. Relay Take-Off Judges receive a briefing with instructions during the relay warm-ups. No experience needed and you can’t beat the positive energy of an NVSL relay team on a Saturday morning. 

TABLE WORKERS sort the timers’ cards to determine the place order for each event and submit the results to the data coordinator for scoring. They help verify the score. They also prepare ribbons/awards by placing computer printed labels on ribbons/medals and organizing them alphabetically in our ribbon box kept at the front desk. No experience needed and you’ll be on top of the score and (usually) in the shade. 

TIMERS are responsible for starting their stopwatch when the starter goes off and stopping the watch when any part of the swimmer touches the wall. The timer makes no decisions regarding whether a swimmer’s stroke is legal or not. Typically, three timers are assigned to each lane and they divide up the tasks of verifying the swimmer’s name for each event, filling out the time card and handing it to the chief/assistant timer, and posting the time for the completed event on the board. No experience needed and you can’t get any closer to the action.

Why Volunteering Matters:

✔️ Helps meets run smoothly and efficiently
✔️ Builds a strong team community
✔️ Creates lasting memories for your swimmers and families
✔️ Ensures all families contribute fairly to the team’s success

We can’t run this team without you! Please sign up, get involved, and be part of what makes Kent Gardens Swim Team so special. 💙💛🐬