STARS Volunteer Requirement
Volunteering requirements are simple! Each LMF STARS family is required to have one volunteer at the swim meet if their child(ren) are swimming. If you are unable to volunteer during a swim meet, please contact us, we have a limited number of additional volunteer opportunities throughout the season. We appreciate everyone's support in order to have a successful season. In addition to these opportunities, volunteering is also required if your child(ren) participates in the End of Year Party, Meet of Champions (MOC) and All-Stars).
Swimming with the STARS is affordable only because our team is run by volunteers. Some of our families choose to volunteer all season (and beyond) on our Board, which we encourage and appreciate. The Board plans and coordinates our meets and events, hires coaches, and works with the WHALe to make our team run. When it comes to swim meet days, it takes about 100 volunteers per meet to run an efficient and successful meet, so we need everyone!
HOW TO BE A VOLUNTEER
Our meets are posted on the website (see the Schedules tab on the website for details.) Specific meet timing information is emailed and posted on our website before each meet, but for planning purposes, expect that first-half shifts begin around 4:30-5 p.m., and second-half shifts begin around 8:30 p.m. Times vary for home and away meets.
Any adult member of your family may volunteer at our meets (minimum age is 17). A few jobs, like Stroke Judge, require training, but most of our jobs are easily learned from our experienced volunteers or from our website. Most jobs are half-meet jobs while some are for the whole meet (double points).
We understand that fitting volunteer shifts into your busy family and work schedule requires planning. Only one member from each family should volunteer per swim meet, in which their swimmer participates, to meet the requirement for each family volunteering every meet . Arriving on time for your chosen shifts is required for your volunteer commitment.
REQUIRED VOLUNTEER TRAINING
WHALe requires all volunteers over the age of 17 to complete the required Athlete Protection Training. This applies to any adult who will be acting in the capacity of a volunteer for a WHALe team at practice or at meets that will be directly interacting with athletes. Examples of such volunteer roles include but are not limited to: timers, ready bench leaders, meet officials, concession stand workers, practice attendance takers, etc. It is highly recommended that all parent/guardians of WHALe athletes take this course. This training is available on the WHALe training site.
WHEN TO SIGN UP
As we get closer to the season, we will open up volunteering positions. There is a slight difference in jobs for home and away meets. You can check out the volunteer positions and their descriptions on our website.
POST-SEASON MEETS
If your swimmer(s) is entered into a Post-Season Meet (Meet of Champs or All Stars), your family is required to work 1 shift per meet. If there is a greater need for parent participation, a family with multiple swimmers may be asked to work 2 shifts.
VOLUNTEER DEPOSIT & NEXT-YEAR REGISTRATION
The Stars require a credit card authorization of $250 per family at the time of registration. This will not put a hold on your credit card but will give the team the right to charge you if you do not meet your requirements. This replaces the check that we required in prior years. However, the team would much rather have your time and commitment than your money – the credit card authorization is NOT a buyout option.
