Swimming with the Tarpons is affordable because our team is run by volunteers. Some of our families choose to volunteer all season (and beyond) on our Tarpons Board, which we encourage and appreciate. The Board plans and coordinates our meets and events, hires coaches, and works with the SHRSL to make our team run. But when it comes to swim meet days, it takes about 100 volunteers per meet to run an efficient and successful meet, so we need everyone!

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EACH TARPON FAMILY is required to commit to and complete five (5) half-meet volunteer shifts during our regular season meets.

HOW TO BE A VOLUNTEER

Our meets are held this year on Monday or Tuesday evenings in May and June. Specific meet timing information is emailed and posted on our website before each meet, but for planning purposes, expect that first-half volunteers usually arrive around 3:30-4:00 PM, and second-half volunteers arrive around 6:00 PM. Times vary for home and away meets.

Any adult member of your family may volunteer at our meets (minimum age is 17). A few jobs, like Stroke Judge, require in-person training, but most of our jobs are easily learned from our experienced volunteers or from our website. Some example jobs: Timers, Age Group Parents, Scorekeepers, Awards, Ready Bench Coordinators, and Set-Up/Clean-Up Teams. Most jobs are half-meet jobs, except Age Group Parent, which lasts for the whole meet (and therefore counts as 2 shifts toward your volunteer commitment).

We understand that fitting volunteer shifts into your busy family and work schedule requires planning. As you plan, remember that you may volunteer for both halves of the same meet, and/or you can have more than one volunteer from your family work during the same half-meet shift, filling separate volunteer jobs.

Arriving on time for your chosen shifts is required for your volunteer commitment. If you are unsure about which jobs might be best for your family’s volunteers, our volunteer coordinators are happy to suggest jobs that best match your needs.

DEADLINE TO SIGN UP

The end of Meet #2 is the deadline to sign up for all 6 shift commitments. Volunteer signup is completed via our website, starting on a date to be announced at our pre-season kickoff parent meeting.

We encourage you to sign up when volunteer registration opens – this is when options and shift times are the greatest. (Fair warning that the most popular jobs fill up quickly!)

POST-SEASON MEETS

If your swimmer(s) is entered into a Post-Season Meet, your family is required to work 1 shift per meet. If there is a greater need for parent participation, a family with multiple swimmers may be asked to work 2 shifts.

VOLUNTEER DEPOSIT & NEXT-YEAR REGISTRATION

The Tarpons authorize a $250.00 volunteer guarantee deposit per family at the time of registration. However, the team would much rather have your time and commitment than your money – the deposit is NOT a buyout option. Your credit card hold will not be processed unless you do not complete your family’s volunteer requirement.

Please note that families who do not sign up for and complete their required volunteer shifts will not qualify for returning-swimmer registration for the 2025 season.