Volunteer/Donation Opportunities For Parents

The following is a list of volunteer and donation opportunities for parents, swimmers, and family members.  (Jr High and High School students often need service hours and can volunteer to help too).  To sign up for any of the meet activities, please look at the “Job Signup” tab for each meet.

Ongoing Volunteer Activities

Keep FB Page Updated

• Setup Events for Counties, Division, and Invitationals

• Setup Events for Parent Meet and Greet

• Setup Event for Homecoming (Tailgate, Float)

• Coordinate for Live Streaming of Meets

• Meet results

One Time Events

Music

Nothing makes practice and meets more fun than music.  If your swimmer likes putting playlists together, this is an opportunity to provide fun and motivating music for the team to play

• Playlists for Practices

• Playlists for Locker Room before/after meet

• Playlists for downtime during meets

Homecoming Float & Truck Decorate

• If the LCN girls want to have a float in the parade, they will need assistance from the parents to find a truck and trailer (and driver) and decorate the float.

• There is a deadline to apply to be in the parade, so the application needs to be submitted for approval.

Homecoming Tailgate Setup

• Parent volunteers are needed to stake out and setup a spot for the team, parents, and alumni to gather and support the team.  See the separate document on HOCO for more details.

Rubber Duck Donation

• A suggestion was make to have the girls throw rubber ducks to the kids attending the HOCO parade instead of the usual candy.  (Much of the candy that is thrown is wasted)

Team Bonding Events

• The team usually has several social/bonding events in the early part of the season.  Families volunteer to host these events.  In the past, the girls have gathered for swim parties, bonfires, corn maze, tubing, tie dye, movie night, and many other events.  

• The events are often organized through the girls and their team group chat.  Please let a Sr parent know if you plan on hosting and the information can also be shared via teamunify e-mail so that all of the parents have the information.

Team Bonding after County Meet and/or Division

• In the evening after the county meet and/or after division meet (or after homecoming), the girls often arrange to have a social gathering at one house.   Hosting this gathering is a great opportunity for a parent/family to volunteer

Team Christmas Party

• In the past, the girls have gathered after the season is over for a casual holiday party where they can do a small gift exchange and enjoy a holiday event and holiday treats.  Hosting this gathering is an opportunity for a parent/family to volunteer.  This is a good time for the Jrs on the team to get feedback about the season and discuss what they want to do the following year when they are Srs.

Slide Show for Banquet

• Traditionally, a slide show is shown at the end-of-season banquet that includes music and photos/video from the entire season.  We sometimes have a swimmer that volunteers to do this.  If not, this is an opportunity for a parent to help.

Crusader Day Recruiting Table

• Put together photo posters, a sign up sheet, and make arrangements for shifts of people to be present to sit at a recruiting table on Crusader day.  This is a great day to recruit divers and answer questions for anyone who may be considering trying Swim or Dive.

Parent/Swimmer Welcome Event

• There has been a suggestion to hold a welcome event at the beginning of the season where parents and swimmers could meet.  At that event, new parents can learn about volunteering opportunities, sign up for the website, learn general information about LCN swim, and meet other parents in the swim program.  A volunteer is needed to plan, host, and advertise this event.

All Meets

Timers

• The touchpads are the official timing equipment for all meets, but we are required to always have backup in case of equipment malfunction.  Timing is very simple, the timing apparatus always starts the time automatically.  Your job is to simply press the button when the swimmer touches the wall at the end of the race.  The time shown on the apparatus is then recorded on the clipboard.  Each lane will have at least one timer.

• For large meets, additional backup is required.  For these meets, stopwatches are also utilized.  The stopwatches need to be started when the race starts, and stopped when the swimmer touches the wall.  The time displayed on the stopwatches are also recorded on the clipboards.

• Timing is also a great opportunity to be on deck, where you can sometimes photograph and cheer for the swimmers up close.  It’s often cooler on deck than in the stands.

• If you plan on timing, please sign up on the “job signup” tab for each meet.  Dress appropriately in clothing and shoes than can get wet.  You will likely be splashed at some point during the meet.

After Meet Cleanup

• After each meet, the touchpads, backup plungers, and sometimes the lane ropes need to be removed from the pool and stowed.  When parents can help with these chores, the swimmers can focus on cooldown, showering, and getting home.  

• Signups for deck cleanup can be found on the “Job Signup” tab.

Admissions Table

• At each meet, a volunteer is needed to sit at the admissions table and collect admissions $$ and make change. 

• Admissions $5 for the duel meets goes to the team.  Admissions $5 for the large meets goes to the county.

• When signing up for the Admissions Table, please be aware that you will need to be at the pool early.

50/50

• At each meet, tickets are sold for a 50/50 drawing.  The team keeps half of the $ raised, and the other half is awarded to the individual with the winning ticket.

• Often, the admissions table volunteer will also collect for the 50/50 drawing.

• Proceeds from the 50/50 drawing are given to the team for purchasing end-of-season gifts.

Announcer for Meets

• An announcer for the swim meets helps to guide the spectators through the meet and brings excitement to the meet.  They can announce the start/conclusion of the meet, read off swimmers names, events, heat winners, 50/50 winners, etc.  Announcer typically sits in the (air conditioned) office during the meet.

• Signup for this job is under the “job signup” tab.

• Some practice may be helpful to find the right level of volume, position of microphone/mouth, etc.

After Meet Snacks Donation

• After each meet, snacks and drinks are provided for all swimmers that attend the meet (not just LCN swimmers).  

• After meet snacks do not need to be healthy.  This is a great opportunity to provide something fun for the swimmer to enjoy.  

• Signup for this donation is under the “Job Signup” tab for each meet.

Setup Live Stream Swim Meets

• LCN swim has a FB page.  During COVID, this page was utilized to livestream the meets, since spectators were not allowed.  Since that time, we have found the live stream to be fun and useful for Alumni and families who are unable to attend a meet.

• A volunteer for this would need to provide their own phone/camera that could link to the FB page, tripod, extension cord(s), etc.

• They should plan on arriving at the meet early to set up their equipment and collect it at the end of the meet.

• Signup to volunteer for this job is under the “Job Signup” tab for each meet.  

BIG Meets

There are three BIG meets each season:  Macomb County Championship Meet, Division (prelims on Fri night, Finals on Sat), and the Last Chance Invitational.  Typically, LCN will host some of all of these meets at our pool.   Concessions are open for these meets, as well as T-shirt sales and Coaches Room.  Extra timers are also required.

Work Concessions

• Workers are needed in the concessions booth to warm pretzels, heat and plate hot dogs, make and bag popcorn, plate nachos/walking tacos, cash out customers and make change.  Distribute drinks and load drink fridges.  

• The signups for concessions are split into two shifts.  Concessions is busiest before the meet, during diving, and after the meet.  Every effort is made to allow volunteers to “step out” of their job while their swimmer is competing, so that they can see that event.

Concession Food Donations

• All food sold in concessions is donated by friends and family of team members.  All of the money made in concessions goes back to the team for pool equipment.  Updated blocks, scoreboard, etc, have all been purchased through concessions earnings.

• Signups for donations are under the “Job Signup” tab for each meet.  Donations of non-perishable items can be brought to the pool during the week before the meet.  This allows drinks to be packed into fridges so they will be cold on meet day.

• Perishable items should be brought to the pool at or before morning warm-ups so that concessions can be open when swimmers and families from other teams are arriving.

Work T-Shirt Sales

• BIG meets usually have a t-shirt available for purchase at the meet.  Volunteers are needed to staff the t-shirt table sales, laying out merchandise, making change etc.

• Typically, shirts are set aside for the LCN girls.  They are expected to stop by the table to pay for their shirt as soon as possible, so extras can be sold while other teams are still present.. 

Coaches Room Food Donation & Setup/Cleanup

• As a courtesy to other coaches, LCN provides a meal for coaches and officials at the big meets.  

• You will need to contact Coach Mike before the meet to get an estimate of the number of coaches that need to be fed.

• Food for coaches room can be purchased and cooked, then brought to the pool, or donated by local establishments and picked up en route to the pool.  Volunteering for this event includes making these arrangements as well as setting up in the meal in the coaches room (equipment room), and cleaning up after the meet.

• Leftover food from Coach’s Room is often offered to the swimmers at the end of the meet, or packed up and given to the family hosting the after-meet social event.

Visiting Team Signage

• Many big meets have signs posted for visiting teams.  This makes the teams feel welcome at the event, and designates an area for their team to set up their “home base.”  

• A suggestion was made to make a volunteer spot for this idea.  The volunteer could use posterboard, butcher paper, or any other creative idea to make posters for the visiting teams.  

• Please coordinate with Coach Mike for placement of the signs, and be at the meet early to hang them up.