The RMEA Riptides rely on the support and involvement from 100% of our families to ensure a successful swim season. As with all SAIL teams, weekly swim meets are run completely by volunteer parents and given the number of volunteers needed (about 70 per meet), every swim team family needs to participate. Each family is required to have a volunteer representative during at least one half of each meet in which their swimmer participates. In addition, parents are needed to serve on committees that work on things outside of the meets.

• During registration, each parent is asked to choose THREE volunteer positions that they would be willing to perform during the season.
• We’re currently in urgent need of volunteers for the position of referee, stroke & turn official, starter, and clerk of course.
• We also ask that all families stay a few minutes after each home meet to clean up. Clean up involves putting away all of the equipment used during the meet and returning the pool deck to its normal, recreational use.

There are many volunteer opportunities at a meet. The jobs will vary slightly depending on if it is a home or away meet. The (number) after the position indicates how many volunteers are needed at every meet.

SAIL has recently rolled out online training for Stroke & Turn and Coaches. For more information on volunteer roles and training, visit the TRAINING PAGE on the SAIL website, where education materials are also available for the majority of the volunteer roles. 

Trainings for the 2026 SAIL Season are live! You can access them here: https://sailswimtraining.com/moodle/

Volunteer Positions that require training

• Clerk of Course (1): Organize swimmers in order for events.
• Computer Operator (1): Input swimmer times and finalize the meet.
• Stroke and Turn Judges (8): Ensure that the rules related to the strokes designated for the event are being observed, ensure that turns and finishes are legal. If necessary, disqualify swimmers.
• Starter (1): Direct swimmers to step on the blocks, instruct them as to the stroke and distance to be swam, direct them to “take your mark”, and give the signal to start.
• Referee (1): Exercise full authority over all officials at a swim meet. Assign and instruct officials and decide all questions relating to the actual conduct of the meet.

Additional volunteer positions that require no formal training

• Timers (18): Operate a manual stopwatch to time events.
• Recording Timer (6): Accurately record times from 3 timers in your lane.
• Head Timer (2): Signal to the starter and referee, after checking your lanes, when swimmers and timers are ready to start the next heat. Operate an additional stopwatch.
• Runner (2): Move the recorded times from the recording timer to the computer operator and hand out water to volunteers. 
• Assistant Computer Data Entry (2): Help Computer Operator enter times.
• Clerk of Course Assistant (2): Help Clerk of Course line up swimmers.
• Concessions (6): Setup or breakdown concessions, sell food, drink and heat sheets during home meets.
• Ribbons (2): Correctly sort and label individual award ribbons.
• Tent Parents (4): Promote positive attitude and order in the tent area, line swimmers up for each event and send them to Clerk of Course on time.
• Setup/Breakdown (4): Clear pool deck and set up all necessary equipment & furniture for the swim meet for home meets.  For away meets, setup tent / swimmer area. 

We utilize Swimtopia to manage our Volunteer sign-ups. As parents, you will sign yourself up for a volunteer shift(s) at each meet. Each family with swimmers participating in a meet must serve for at least half of the meet in a volunteer position specified by the swim team in the app. Volunteer positions are assigned on a first come, first served basis. However, for certain positions that require certification you must be certified or you will not be assigned to that position. Our team reserves the right to shift positions, if necessary. In the event all positions are not filled, families not signed up for a position will be assigned one, based on availability and certifications.

How to Sign Up to Volunteer at a Swim Meet on the Team Website:

1. Log in to the website. Login is found in the upper right hand corner of the screen. If you can’t remember your password, click "Forgot your password" to reset your password.
2. Under the Meets & Events tab, select "Signup Calendar" to sign up for a swim meet.
3. Click the green JOB SIGNUP tab for the specified meet and select the volunteer position(s) and shift (1st half / 2nd half) you prefer. (Note: one parent may sign up both parents for positions-- scroll down and you’ll see the other parent listed.)
4. Click Save Assignments.
5. Click Back to Signup Calendar.