Team Service Hours Support Program

Swimming for one of the best teams in the country requires the support and dedication of its swimmers and their parents. As a Non-profit organization, MVN swim team events are dependent upon the parents of our swimmers working together to maintain this standard of excellence.  We have many functions that require parent participation and could not be run without your help.  Below are the minimum obligations of all MVN parents:

Service Hours Requirements:

Families with children participating in the swim team program must participate in our Service Hours Program. The swim season is split into two service hours cycles. The first cycle is Sept. 1, 2009 – Feb. 28, 2010.   Fifteen (15) hours must be completed by Feb. 28.   The second cycle is Mar. 1 – Aug. 27, 2010.  Twenty (20) hours must be completed by August 20, 2010.  Hours do NOT carry over from one cycle to another.   We host two mandatory events Swim Meet of Champions (3rd week in June) and Summer Junior Olympics (last weekend in July/first week in August) that require all families to help with a minimum of 2 shifts (approximately 6 hrs.) at each of these events.  If your family is not available to work at one of the mandatory events, the six hours required for the mandatory event will be added to the standard 20-hour requirement and you will be responsible foir a total of 20 hours PLUS any missed mandatory shifts during the cycle. Food donations can only be 10% of your total hours worked (i.e.: 20 hrs. needed = 2 hrs. food donations). If providing food at mandatory events, you may provide two (2) food items (equaling one shift) and work the other shift to fulfill your two-shift requirement.

Timing at away meets does not count towards service hours (see Away Meet Timing Commitment below).   The service hour requirement is determined by the team events we host each year and will be adjusted accordingly.

• MVN families will be subject to an Hours Requirement Fee (HRF) of $800.  Families who have completed their 20 hours per cycle service hour requirement will not be assessed the HRF. Those families who have completed less than the minimum service hours required will be billed $20 for each hour less than 20 hours per cycle.
• The billing for unfulfilled hours will be after each service hours cycle. The first billing cycle will be March 15, 2010 for hours earned from Sept. 1, 2009 thru Feb. 28, 2010. A minimum of 15 hours must be earned. Service hours do not carry over to he next cycle. The second billing cycle will be Aug. 20, 2010 for hours earned from March 1 thru Aug. 20, 2010. A minimum of 20 hours must be earned.
• Summer-Only Novice families (joining on or after June 20th) are responsible for five (5) hours only. Three (3) of those hours must be worked at Summer Junior Olympics.
• For example: A family has worked 15 hours by Feb. 28, 2010; they will not be billed in March. The same family works 10 hours out of the required 20 hours the second hafl of the swim season, that family will be billed $20 for each of the 10 hours they did not complete for their 20-hour minimum ($20 x 10 hrs. = $200).

Families are responsible for service hour obligation for every month they are on the team (approximately 3.25 hrs./month).  If a family quits mid-season their obligation is 3.25 hrs per month multiplied by the number of months on the team.  For example: Your family joins the team in September and quits the team in February. The number of service hours expected of your family is 20.  If your family has not completed any service hours your family has two options (1) work the 20 service hours at MVN events prior to the February billing or (2) pay the $20 HRF for each hour not completed.   All families must pay the required service hour obligation or have completed the number of hours accrued  to remain in good standing with the team if they wish to rejoin in the future.

All families are responsible for the job shifts they sign up to work.  If a family is signed up to work a shift and has not removed their name from the list prior to the event closing (10 days before the day of the event) they are still responsible for working that shift or getting it covered.  If a family does not show up for a shift or does not get a shift covered for which they are responsible, they will have the number of hours of that shift added to their minimum service hour commitment. We depend on those families who have signed up to work.  It is the only way the events can be pulled off successfully.

• For example: Your family signed up to work a timing shift at Turkey Classic in November.  For whatever reason you do not show up for your shift, your family will have to add the hours of the missed shift to the season total required or be billed for that missed shift.
• Example #2:  If your family has signed up to work an event in August but have completed the 20 hours in July, it is your responsibility to remove your name from that job list or you must work that job when the event arrives.  If you do not remove your name from the list before the closing of the event (10 days before the day of the event), do not get the shift covered (even though you have since completed your hours), the hours of the missed shift will be added to your total to be worked at another event or be billed for the missed shift.
• Example #3: You have completed your 20 service hours for the summer cycle but have not worked the two mandatory events (SMOC and Summer JO’s).  You must work the two required shifts at these two events or an additional 12 hours (2 shifts at each event approx. 12 hrs) prior to August 20, 2010 or be billed for unfulfilled hours.

Away Meet Timing Commitment

All families who have swimmers who participate at swim meets that are not held at our MVN facility (Away Meets) are responsible for timing at those events (in addition to the MVN hosted event service hours) without exception.  Each family is required to time 1 session per swim meet.  Exceptions to this rule may occur at Senior meets or Championship meets where a limited number of swimmers are attending and additional timing sessions may be required due to the number timing chairs we are assigned. A session is defined as the length of one shift at each meet.  That length of time is dependant upon the length of the meet and therefore will not have an “hours” block associated with it.  In general these shifts are approximately 2-2.5 hours long.

• If you are assigned an away timing assignment and do not show up for your shift or have not made arrangements with another family to time the shift for you, you will be assessed a penalty fee of $25 for each missed shift.
• These timing assignments will still be assigned by the coaches based on the names of the swimmers who enter that meet. All families’ assigned timing will be posted on the website under Meet Schedule, Monday or Tuesday prior to the event. If you (the parent) are unable to time at the meet, you must let the coach know at the time the meet entry is due into the office and make arrangements with another family to time for your child. 
• For those families who have older swimmers (for example those that may drive), you are still responsible for away timing sessions. Discuss in advance with your older swimmer the meet schedule so that you are able to time at meets or make arrangements with friends or other family members to fulfill the timing commitment
• Parents of swimmers in the long distance events (400IM, 400/500 free, 800/1000 free, 1500/1650 free) are responsible for timing 3 heats of those events above and beyond the away timing minimum stated.  This is an SCS standing rule that is generally stated on all meet forms and must be followed in order for your child to get an official time.
• Parents of swimmers who participate in Prelim/Finals meets. If your child makes it back to finals, you are responsible for timing at least 3 heats during the Finals session above and beyond the away timing minimum stated.
• All families must check-in with the head timer before the start of the meet.  You can find the head timer wearing the Nadador yellow vest by the coaches’ tarp.  At the beginning of your timing shift, initial next to your name on the head timers timing list so that you will be credited for your participation.

Recording of Service Hours

All families are responsible for filling out a Service Hours Report form following each event that they provide service hours for the team.   All families must fill the form out completely and get a signature from the job chairperson or a board member verifying that they have completed the work stated.  After the form has been completed turn it in at the Service Hours Report box outside the swim office.  Your hours will be tallied monthly by the Service Hours Coordinator. The forms will be initialed, dated and kept on file. We recommend keeping a copy of these forms for your records.  You will be able to view your hours worked online through your Club Assistant account. Click on the “volunteer hours” link in the upper left corner.

Swim Team Support Functions:

1 hour = $20.00 (except where noted all jobs consist of hours completed).
NOTE:
Most jobs shifts are approximately 3 hours in length however certain jobs are based on a by-shift basis. The shift must be completed even if it may run slightly over the 3 hour approximation.  You must complete your shift to get credit for it.