2026-2027 Volunteering
Tucson Ford Aquatics thrives because of the support and involvement of our families. Volunteers play a vital role in delivering a high-quality experience for all athletes by helping us host meets, manage team events, and support daily operations. Your time, energy, and willingness to help directly benefit the success of our swimmers and coaching staff. Tucson Ford Aquatics strives for a thriving volunteer community where everyone contributes what they can to elevate the team.
Ford Hosted Meets & Events Volunteer Requirement
Tucson Ford Aquatics hosts several swim meets and team events throughout the year. These events rely heavily on volunteer support from our membership. We are fortunate to be able to host several meets, which enriches the swimming landscape in Tucson, adds local racing opportunities for our swimmers, which means less travel to Phoenix, while providing additional income for the team. Our meets are closed deck: only athletes, coaches, and volunteers are allowed on deck. There are many ways to volunteer at a meet that require nothing more than showing up for your shift, including: set-up/tear-down, hospitality, concessions, and timing. Additional volunteer opportunities, such as becoming a meet marshal or meet official, require some training up front but are invaluable to the team. Every meet we host is an opportunity to grow the program, reduce travel, and reinvest in your swimmer's experience.
2025-2026 Volunteer Requirements:
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All Families are required to volunteer, regardless of whether their athlete is competing in the meet. Each family must work a minimum of one shift for every day of a hosted meet. For example, if a hosted meet spans three days, each family is required to work a minimum of three shifts.
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Masters swimmers will be called upon to help out with timing for meets that are longer than one day in duration.
The head coach will publish the planned hosted meets schedule at the beginning of the season; however, the requirement may grow if Ford is awarded a meet host opportunity (e.g. State level meets). The addition of a hosted meet to the calendar will still carry the volunteer requirement, but will be communicated well in advance.
Shift Buyouts / Missed Shifts
If you are unable to work the required shifts, you may buy out your shifts. THIS IS NOT THE PREFERRED OPTION. The buy-out is not a desired source of income for our team, but has been established as a mechanism to emphasize our critical need for volunteers.
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Shift Buyout: $75 per shift
If you do not show for a shift you committed to, your account will be charged the buy-out fee.
Volunteer Sign-up
A volunteer sign-up will be made available via Sports Engine in advance of each hosted meet. It is important that families select their time slots by the indicated due date. If slots remain unfilled after the deadline, the team may bring in outside volunteers, and the buy-out charges will still apply for families who did not sign up. Descriptions of volunteer positions can be found on the Team Website.
Other Ways to Support the Team
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Become a USA Swimming Official: Must work all Ford-hosted meets. Ford reimbursement officials’ annual registration fee and various additional costs. Being an official fulfills your volunteer requirement. Contact the Head Coach if you are interested in becoming an official.
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Meet Marshall: Fulfil the volunteer requirements
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Meet Committee Member: Volunteer to be a participating committee member. Information below.
Interested in becoming an official? Arizona Swimming is in need of new Meet Officials. Serving as a Meet Official counts toward your volunteering requirement for the team. Certification is required through Arizona Swimming. If you’re interested in learning more about the certification process, visit the AZ Swimming site here. Contact eliot@fordaquatics.org if you are interested.
