Parent Volunteering
Harbor View Swim Team (HVST) is a family-run, neighborhood swim team. Ultimately, HVST could not operate without the dedication of our volunteers.
Everyone’s participation is necessary and appreciated. (The only exception are parents of 13 year old and older swimmers, they don't need to volunteer at all!).
Regardless of if you volunteer in meet-halves or are on the board, one of the best things about volunteering is the camaraderie between parents who are giving their time and effort for something that has such a strong legacy in our neighborhood. We show our kids by example that it’s good for our community to volunteer—and give back to a sport that is shaping their childhoods.
Please reach out if you are interested in adding your skills to our HVST team. And thanks in advance to all our volunteers for making this upcoming season a success!
Here are some FAQs on parent volunteering:
How Many Volunteer Shifts are Required?
Four half-meet volunteer shifts are required for families with kids 12 and younger. Swim meets are typically four to six hours, so each shift is approximately two to three hours. Each shift is one point; by the end of the season, your family needs to have earned four points.
While we would be ecstatic to have both parents get involved and volunteer, we only require at least one parent to volunteer on behalf of your family.
You can work both halves in two meets or one half in four meets.
Additional volunteering may be required if your child is participating in invitation-only SCSC Relay Finals and/or SCSC Championships.
What Type of Meet Volunteer Roles are Available?
Meet volunteer roles include such live-action positions as: Timers, Lane Writers, Runners, Concessions and Swimmer Staging. Positions are filled on a first come, first serve basis for each meet. When signing up to a particular meet, you can click to find out more about a role's description. You are not tied to any specific volunteer position and can change positions meet to meet.
Note: we also reserve the right to reassign on the day of a meet if we need you in a different role than you originally signed up for.
What is the Meet Schedule From Which I Can Choose My Volunteer Shifts?
Dates include our Aquaman intramural meet, Swimaplooza — our fundraising lap-a-thon, three dual home meets, and three dual away meets. One of your commitments must be at an away meet.
There are two shifts or time slots during every meet for most volunteer positions - a morning slot and an afternoon slot.
We ask that you please plan your volunteer assignments around any vacations.
What If I Can't Make the Shift For Which I Signed up?
It’s your responsibility to find a substitute for any volunteer job that you’re unable to fulfill. Remember: you don't need to be the one who volunteers; it can be a babysitter, teenager, grandparent, etc. Or switch the shift in Swimtopia to another meet at which you're available to volunteer. Sign ups will close a couple days before a meet so don’t delay in swapping. If you no-show for a shift that you are signed up for there will be an automatic charge of $125 for each shift that you no-show for. Cancellations made the day prior or day of the meet will incur a $125 charge to your account. You are responsible for keeping track of your own shifts, it is not the responsibility of the team to remind you of your shifts.
How Do I Balance Volunteering and Childcare?
When volunteering, please note that you yourself cannot be the caretaker of your children during your shift. All of our volunteer roles require full attention and presence.
We hope that our decision to host split meets in 2024 (9+ year olds swim in morning, 5/6 7/8 year olds swim in afternoon) at six of our seven regular meets will help families with working their commitments. Some parents or caregivers may decide to “divide and conquer” at a meet to earn points. For instance, one parent may volunteer for half of a meet while the other supervises their athletes. Others get a group of moms together to watch each others kids and get them to the sunny corner while the other parent volunteers.
Also, there is no requirement for the parent to do the volunteering and we welcome your babysitters, family members, teenagers, etc. to help your family out.
Or check out a role on our Volunteer Executive and Operating Board (see next question).
Do I Have to Volunteer If My Child Doesn't Attend Meets?
Yes, your child is part of our summer swim program, which includes participation in our SCSC league meet schedule, as well as extras like Fun Fridays, picnics (including Lip Sync), and age group parties. We understand that not all children are up for the competitive nature of meets, and we do not require any child to participate in any meet. We do, however, require each family regardless of meet participation, to help our meets run smoothly by completing their required four half meet shifts.
Are There Any Volunteer Executive and Operating Board Roles?
If you find it difficult at meets to balance day-of volunteering and getting your swimmers to their heats (and equally, entertaining them between their heats!), we have the solution to meeting your required volunteer hours. We have many board positions that take place behind the scenes allowing you to sit back at the competitions and enjoy your time on the pool deck. These Executive and Operating-board volunteer positions fulfill all of your family volunteer requirements for the season (they are worth four points). Roles include event organization committees, set up and take down crews, and spirit teams. The 2025 positions we have open are listed here.
What Should I Do on the Meet Day at Which I'm Volunteering?
Parents who have volunteered for a job at the swim meet need to check in upon arrival at the Volunteer Check-In desk (at home meets, this check in is located near the baby pool) to pick up a name tag. Our Volunteer Manager will be more than happy to help explain your position and duties. A swim meet cannot start without all volunteers in position (and each position is critical to the function of a meet) so please arrive at the stated shift start time.
What Happens if I Don't Meet my Four Shift Commitment?
At the end of the season, if a family's volunteer commitment (four shifts) is not met, you will be charged $125 for each missed shift to a maximum of $500. This fee is acknowledged and pre-authorized during the registration process.
