Volunteer Roles

We rely on the kindness of volunteers to help run our events and ensure that swimmers and spectators have an enjoyable and safe experience. Elmbridge Phoenix Club welcomes support from its members, and this guide provides information about the roles available at each event.


Important Information for Volunteers

  • All volunteers are required to be members of Swim England, which the club arranges free of charge
  • For insurance purposes, all volunteers and officials must be registered with Swim England. This registration is renewed annually by the club
  • The club covers all registration fees. In return, the committee asks that anyone who agrees to volunteer or officiate commits to regularly supporting club activities.
  • Appointed club representatives will liaise with volunteers who will require a DBS Check (Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service). This is completed free of charge by the club 
  • Some roles require completion of the Swim England Safeguarding Webinar

Team Managers

This role requires DBS and Safeguarding.

Key focus: supporting swimmers wellbeing, safety, and poolside coordination in collaboration with coaches.

Must complete:

  • 2-hour online Team Manager course
  • 3-hour Swim England Safeguarding Webinar

Marshalling

This role requires DBS and Safeguarding.

Key focus: organising swimmers in the right order before races.

  • arrive during warm-up
  • collect a heat sheet from Gala Organiser
  • ask announcer to call swimmers 3 heats ahead
  • organise swimmers by heat, then by lane order (e.g. 6-1 or 8-1)
  • make sure swimmers stay in correct order
  • if swimmer misses a race they must report to the Referee
  • support younger swimmers with reassurance and information
  • send next heat to the blocks once the previous heat starts
  • wish swimmers good luck before they leave:)

Announcer

Key focus: keeping everyone informed poolside

  • arrive 10 minutes before warm-up, find Gala Organiser and test speaker system
  • use handheld or earpiece microphone
  • read out pre-event health & safety regulations (provided by organisers)
  • announce races and updates as instructed by Gala Organiser/Referee
  • you will have front row seat to all the action!

Medals

Key Focus: Celebrating swimmers achievements

  • arrive before warm-up ends
  • collect heat sheets/programme and medals from Gala Oragniser
  • follow guidance on placings (e.g. 1st-3rd or 1st-6th)
  • use results sheets provided by the runner to track awards
  • mark off completed presentations to avoid confusion
  • keep results copies 
  • at session end return any uncollected medals to Gala Organiser

Recording

This job requires training and knowlege of a recording system

Key Focus: managing results & official records

  • arrive 30 minutes before warm-up
  • input results and liaise with referees on disqualifications/time change
  • print paperwork (heat sheets, results, officials sheets, etc.)
  • submit post meet paperwork to regional officer
  • submit post meet times to rankings

Runners

This role requires DBS and Safeguarding.

Key Focus: keeping officials, coaches, and volunteers hydrated

  • arrive by start of warm-up
  • report to Gala Organiser for refreshments table setup
  • making squash and distributing drinks/snacks to poolside team
  • keeping all officials and volunteers water bottles filled
  • keeping poolside tidy
  • delivering results sheets to medal table

For more information regarding how to become volunteer please contact our coordinator Pawel at: officials@elmbridgephoenix.com