Deck Worker Guidelines
TIMERS
Timing Personnel should arrive no later than 30 minutes before the meet to receive instructions from the starter. Please wear a white top and bottoms of any length.
AT THE START
- The timer should be standing behind their block, in a position to see the strobe. Only the watch is started at the beginning of a race and should be started with the index finger of the primary hand. Start the watch with the sight of the strobe light. Glance at your watch after the start…if it is not running, get a back up timer’s attention.
- NO SHOWS Please alert the starter by holding your clipboard over the top of the block. There is no need to do this for no entries in that particular heat.
- Start your watch even if there is no swimmer in your lane. Another lane may need your watch as a backup
AT THE FINISH
- The timer should be standing directly over their lane, at the edge of the pool, looking directly down. The watch and electronic plunger should be stopped as soon as ANY PART of the swimmer touches the wall, using the index finger. If only one person is activating the plunger and watch, the plunger should be in the primary hand, watch in the secondary hand.
- Record only the watch time on the swimmers card. The same person should record the times on the card throughout the meet. It is helpful to mark “BT” (bad touch) on the card if the swimmier has missed the touchpad.
- If the swimmer has been DQed, an official will visit your lane to mark the card and speak to the swimmer. The DQ slip should be placed over the card and given to the runne
YOUR AUTHORITY:
- Make sure the name of the swimmer matches name on the card. You may call name of swimmer if he/she is not there.
- Keep your area clear. “On deck” swimmers should stay behind the blocks. The timer has the right, and is encouraged, to ask swimmers/coaches to step back out of the way. Do not allow swimmers access between blocks or near the touch pads during a race as the pad may accidently activate.
- At no time are parents permitted on deck. This also applies to any coaches who have no entries at the meet. They must stay in the bleacher section.
- Swimmers are permitted to dip their goggles in the pool as long as they don’t interfere with another swimmer. They may also, with your permission and subsequent notification to the starter, dive in to retrieve goggles between events.
- Prior to a race, do not instruct swimmers with regard to technical rules. If the swimmer in your lane is DQed, PLEASE do not ask the official to explain to you why? We can do this after the meet.
- Do not comment to swimmers or fellow timers concerning infractions after they occur, i.e. false starts, early take-offs, or any other technical infraction.
- If a coach comes to you to request explanation about any aspect of a swimmers performance, the ONLY reply from you needs to be: “See the Referee”.
- Timers may give their “unofficial” watch time to swimmers after the race. All other questions should be directed to coaches or meet referee
RUNNERS
- Collect the swimmers cards from the timers at the conclusion of each heat in the direction of lanes 6 to 1. Place each lane’s card on top of the last and take to scorer’s table.
- In the 25 yard events, each timer has 1 sheet with the entire event in which to record swimmer’s times. You will collect that sheet at the conclusion of the event.
- If there is a DQ, wait at that lane until the “writing up” is complete, then proceed to the other lanes. It is helpful to the scorer if the heats cards are received at the same time.
- If you notice excessive congestion behind or around the starting area, ask swimmers/coaches to step back.
Thank you for everything you do. You are important. Swim meets cannot happen without YOU!
We are all volunteers, but we must look and act as professionally as possible when doing our jobs. We cannot cheer or show favoritism in any manner. We must always be impartial.
We are not machines, but we must do our job in a methodical and unemotional manner. We must always look out for the safety of our athletes, coaches, fellow workers, and spectators.
Revised 10/07 |
