Garden Hills Cool Sharks

Effective Summer 2025, all families of 12 & under swimmers must earn volunteer points by working jobs (not just paying the fine) to earn priority early registration the following year. 

Volunteers are critical to running all of our swim meets. It takes over 60 volunteers for a swim meet to run successfully. Timers, judges, announcers, bullpen workers, and ribbon workers are just a few of the positions filled by volunteers. Volunteering is a requirement for our team. We appreciate your time and support in helping the Cool Sharks have a great season!

Here is the volunteer policy for the 2026 Cool Sharks Swim Team:

• Most volunteer jobs will be worth 1 point.
• 7-8 and 9-10 bullpen worker jobs will be worth 2 points if you work the entire shift. This does not include the Time Trials meet.
• All families are required to earn a minimum of 2 volunteer points for the season (per family not per swimmer), regardless of meet attendance.
• Volunteers must check in at their scheduled time. Late check in requiring replacement of your position will result in a loss of those points.
• Shift ending times are approximate. First half shifts do not end until all age group backstroke heats are complete. Second half shifts do not end until the meet is over. You must work the entire shift to earn the points.
• Please be sure to check in at the volunteer table at the meet. Failure to check in could result in points not being assigned. If you are filling in for someone else or an open slot, please be sure the volunteer check-in person records your name and shift taken.
• We have a few non-meet volunteer jobs if there is an extenuating circumstance which prevents you from working at meets. Please contact us at the beginning of the season if you would like to be considered for one of these jobs.
• We need more parent leaders! Serving in a leadership role exempts you from the volunteer requirement.

Families who do not meet the volunteer requirement will be assessed a $50 per missing point penalty at the end of the season, and 12&u families will lose priority early registration status for the following year.

Families will be exempt from the policy if:

• their child has a broken bone or other major injury/illness and becomes unable to swim during the season
• their swimmer is a member of the Cool Sharks coaching staff (and they have no other swimmers)
• the parents have a major illness or injury that prohibits them from volunteering for the season

All exemptions for illness, injury, or other special circumstances must be approved by the Volunteer Coordinator at the beginning of the season (or as soon as illness or injury becomes a limitation) in order to avoid the penalty.

Any family with an unpaid volunteer fine will not be allowed to register for future Garden Hills swim programs until the balance is paid in full.

If you have questions regarding our volunteer policy, please e-mail our Volunteer Coordinators Beth Lytle and Nina McCormack at: [email protected].