Weston Swimming's Timing Policy

We need a community to fulfill our team volunteer requirements at meets and we look to you to help. Providing volunteers, typically timers, is a requirement of entry. If our team does not provide the required number of timers, we may be financially penalized and gain a questionable reputation! 

Timing Requirement:

Each swimmer's family is required to time a minimum of 3 timing shifts per swimmer per season (i.e., 3 shifts for short course and 3 for long course).  

This is a minimum requirement, and you may be asked to time more shifts. The more meets your swimmer attends, the more timing you should expect to do! In addition, please note that if we hold our own meet, everybody with a child participating will be expected to volunteer to make it a success – roles will include timing, lane organizers, marshals, concessions and more.

Most timing shifts are between 1-3 hours (and we endeavor to split any sessions over 2 hours between multiple timers). It is often the best way to view and follow the action, especially for meets for younger age groups, which can be very busy with spectators, and a great way to learn more about swimming.

If you undertake significant alternative volunteer work for the team, this may, at the discretion of the parent board, be considered to have fulfilled your timing requirement.

**The minimum requirement excludes timing your own swimmer for distance races. If you cannot time for your child during their distance event, you must contact a coach ASAP for alternate timing options, or your swimmer will not be eligible to compete **

 **It also excludes Championship meets, finals and travel meets**

Who Can Time:

Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible to time. This includes older siblings, family friends, sitters or grandparents. No experience is necessary! The meet hosts always hold a timers’ meeting before each session, to explain the role and what to do. We will also provide team training opportunities to those who may find it helpful. 

How to Sign up to Time:

At the beginning of each season, once the meet schedule is confirmed, online timer job sign-up sheets will be created on Commit. These will be based on the published meet information, but exact times and sessions may be subject to change. 

We recommend that you sign up for your preferred sessions via Commit as soon as you know which meets your swimmer(s) will be attending. Voluntary sign-up will generally close 4 days before the meet starts (for a typical weekend meet, on the Monday before). If you have signed up and can no longer attend, you must change your sign up before that date, or you will be responsible for finding a replacement.

For the purposes of planning, we will assume that the team needs to provide 3 timers for each session, which means we will seek 6 volunteers, to allow us to split the session into 2 shorter shifts. If the actual requirement is more, we will assign shifts (see below). If the actual requirement is less, we will choose who to use based on timing shifts already completed.

If we do not have the required number of sign-ups for any particular session, we will aim to assign shifts 3 days before the meet starts (for a typical weekend meet, on the Tuesday before). Assignments will be based on when swimmers are in the pool and the number of timing assignments already completed during the season.  You will not be assigned to time at a meet which your swimmer has declined.

If you are unable to fulfil a timing shift for which you have either previously signed up or to which you have been assigned, it is your responsibility to find a substitute and let us know as soon as possible.  It is not the job of the timing coordinator or the coaches to find you a replacement.    

You must arrive at the meet in sufficient time to sign-in with the meeting organizers and attend the timers’ meeting. If you will be arriving late to a meet, it is your responsibility to find someone to cover until you arrive (including by signing in with the organizers). You must then relieve your cover timer when you arrive. If you arrive after the timers’ meeting, you may be charged $125 for a missed session (see below).  

Timers are allowed to swap time slots and/or lanes with other timers at the meet.

If for any reason you time at a meet at which you were not originally signed-up, it is your responsibility to notify us, in order to make sure you are credited with the session. 

Penalty for Failing to Comply with Timing Requirement:

Failure to fulfil your timing requirements over a season may result in a penalty of $125 per shift. 

If a family does not complete a timing shift for which they have volunteered or been assigned, and fails to find a replacement timer, they may be assessed a $125 penalty per shift.

If a meet host applies a penalty to the team as a consequence of your failure to complete a timing shift, we reserve the right to require you to pay that penalty, in addition to the team penalty.

Opt-Out

If a family knows that they will be unable to meet the minimum timing requirements, we offer the following timing buyout options:

$250: -Opt-out short course season

$250: -Opt-out long course season

$500: -Timing opt-out for full year 

Opt-outs exclude Friday distance events, when swimmers must provide their own timer, and championship meets.  If you are interested in these options, please contact us at treasurer@westonswimming.org.