Emailed: 10/18/2024

Dear CAT Families-

This email contains a detailed explanation of how timing assignments will work this season for meets NOT hosted by CAT. Please read this entire message! It's long, but it should cover most questions. We will be using a volunteer sign-up format through COMMIT for all timing assignments.

One week to 48 hours before a meet (depends completely on the host team), you will receive email notification that timing opportunities have been posted in COMMIT. If your child is entered in the meet, please immediately review and sign-up. 

It is the TEAM EXPECTATION that if you have a swimmer at a meet, YOU should EXPECT to time. This means that if you enter your child in a meet, you do so with the understanding that an adult who is willing to time will be at the pool with that swimmer. In all likelihood, you will NOT time every time your swimmer swims because entries and timing demands are variable; but we all need to be ready to help!

If you just timed at a meet, it is understandable to offer spots to other families for the next few meets. If you know you have a challenge timing at one meet, proactively plan to time it at a meet beforehand. CAT will have a parent volunteer who will enter the sign-up at an appointed time, and begin to fill vacant timing slots based on who has NOT recently timed. If you receive an assignment in this way, it is YOUR responsibility to find YOUR own replacement if you cannot time and notify the head timer of this change.

For most meets, you will have the opportunity to sign up for the following positions:

  • Head timer- responsible for coordinating timers. Will receive texts from each timer confirming arrival at the pool, and may also need to make note of any replacements that are sent from timers prior to the meet. Will make sure timers are on the pool deck, and will make sure that timer "swaps" occur at predetermined times. Will reach out to alternate timers or other CAT families on an as needed basis if there is an unexpected absent timer or other issue.
  • Timer- responsible for a specific lane for a specific period of time during the meet. May also need to attend the host team's timers' meeting as noted in the sign-up. PLEASE NOTE: when signing up to time, please sign up for the LATEST timing slot in which your child is swimming. As an example: if your child is in the last event of the session, or very close to that, please sign up for the last timing slot.
  • Back up timer (not assigned at all meets)-responsible for being on DECK with a stopwatch, but not a specific lane. Will run the stop watch for each heat and will supply assistance to timers whose watches fail to start.
  • CAT Alternate-responsible for immediately responding to ANY request for help from the head timer, timers or back-up timers. Not on deck, but ready to assist if needed on the day of the meet for the session in which their child is swimming. PLEASE NOTE: this does not count as timing unless you are asked to replace a timer.

Thanks for reading this far! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our parent timing coordinator, Margaret Merrifield: mzulu16@hotmail.com

Thank you in advance for your support of all CAT swimmers!

Go Cougars!