VASRA Regatta Volunteer Opportunities

More than 2,300 athletes from more than 40 VASRA member schools, plus many visiting teams, may compete in any one regatta. Over 150 parent volunteer positions are needed to make each regatta safe and fair -- almost 1,000 parent jobs for the season. Without the parents, regattas would not happen! The Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) requires all member schools to provide volunteers to work at every regatta. South County Crew will be fined if we do not provide volunteers for the designated positions. South County Crew Team requires every family to fill one of our designated school positions during the season.

***Important Notice About Volunteer Sign-in at Sandy Run***

On the day you volunteer, you must sign in on a roster sheets at the Regatta Headquarters at Sandy Run, which is the small building on the right as you're walking down the hill to the boathouse. Sign in at the required time (a little earlier to allow time to arrive to your duty station), and then go immediately to your job site. If you're unsure where to go, the sign-in coordinators will help you.

Regatta VASRA Volunteer Duties

OLOC Reps

The Occoquan Local Organizing Committee (OLOC) is a subgroup of VASRA that focuses on the regattas on the Occoquan that are held at Sandy Run. The OLOC rep represents South County at the meetings and also spends all day every regatta working in the headquarters at Sandy Run. This job requires a two year commitment.

• Edwin Henderson, 2^nd Year OLOC Rep
• Deiter and Carolyn Kerat 1^st Year OLOC Reps

Concession – Finish Line and Boathouse

Duties: The first shift volunteer will set up concession stand supplies and prepare and sell food, T-shirts or programs as assigned by the Concession Manager. If you are selling T-shirts and programs, you will be given a separate moneybox, so please do not mix this money with that from food sales. Those selling T-shirts and programs are to count any that are left over and turn in that count of each with the money. Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters and sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Then, on the second sign-in sheet that the Concession Manager has, indicate both time of arrival and time of your departure in order to receive revenue-share credit for the number of hours worked. Dress: Anticipate inclement weather and wear layered clothing.

Cross-Over Marshal

Duties: The cross-over marshal is posted on the roadway that the Van drives. This is an important safety job to make sure that the pedestrians do not walk in the roadway at the bottom of the hill that the van takes from the upper parking lot to the finish line. Park authorities do not allow pedestrians to walk on the roadway. There is a trail to follow along the reservoir to the finish line.

Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters to sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver, and then report to the Regatta Director.

Dress: Anticipate inclement weather and wear layered clothing.

Launch Driver-Marshal (job is on the water)

Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training. During the regatta you will be assigned to a Regatta Marshal (usually a Judge/Referee) as his/her launch driver. You are under his/her control. Hand signals might be used.

Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters to sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Then pick up a life vest and report to the Launch Master on the dock who will assign you to a launch and the Official. Make certain that your launch has a full complement of life preservers, an oar, and sufficient fuel. Shift changes will take place at the finish line exchange .

Launch Driver-Referee (job is on the water)

Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training. During the regatta you will be assigned to a Regatta Judge/Referee as his/her launch driver. You are under his/her control. Hand signals might be used. If you have a stop watch, bring it along, it could be of use.

Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters to sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Then pick up a life vest and report to the Launch Master on the dock who will assign you to a launch and the Official. Make certain that your launch has a full complement of life preservers, an oar, and sufficient fuel. Shift changes will take place at the finish line exchange dock.

Dress: Anticipate inclement weather and the likelihood of getting wet. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat, sunscreen, and gloves. Do not wear any RED clothing while performing this job. A personal floatation device (PFD) must be worn at all time while performing this job.

Launch Driver-Safety (job is on the water)

Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training. During the regatta, you will keep a keen eye on the course and attempt to keep powerboats, sailboats, kayaks, canoes, etc. out of the way of a race. Sometimes you will need to pick up large pieces of flotsam and jetsam which are in the shells' way. You must particularly keep a keen eye on rowers who are warming up upstream and for any shells that may have capsized.

Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters to sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Then pick up a life vest and report to the Launch Master on the dock who will assign you to a launch. Make certain that your launch has a full complement of life preservers, an oar, and sufficient fuel. Shift changes will take place at the finish line exchange dock.

Dress: Anticipate inclement weather and the likelihood of getting wet. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat, sunscreen, and gloves. Do not wear any RED clothing while performing this job. A personal floatation device (PFD) must be worn at all time while performing this job.

Launch Driver -Set-Up (job is on the water)

Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training. Before the regatta you will be assigned to move racecourse equipment, facilities, and people up and down the race course. You will have a helper.

Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters to sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Then pick up a life vest and report to the Launch Master on the dock who will assign you to a launch. Make certain that your launch has a full complement of life preservers, an oar, and sufficient fuel.

Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear waterproof clothing. A personal floatation device (PFD) must be worn at all time while performing this job.

Launch Driver-Shuttle (job is on the water)

Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training. During the regatta you will be assigned to transport only officials, coaches, regatta workers, and the press up and down the course. (at no time can rowers be shuttled unless authorized by the launch master).

Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters to sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Then pick up a life vest and report to the Launch Master on the dock who will assign you to a launch. Make certain that your launch has a full complement of life preservers, an oar, and sufficient fuel. Shift changes will take place at the finish line exchange dock.

Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat, sunscreen, and gloves. Do not wear any RED clothing while performing this job. A personal floatation device (PFD) must be worn at all time while performing this job.

Finish Line Timer

Duties: You will work at the finish line to help determine shell timing and placement. The Finish Line Judge makes all lane assignments. You will need to be able to operate a stopwatch effectively in order to time the spilt time for the shell in your assigned lane.

Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters to sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver, and then report to the Finish Line, via shuttle launch or van. You will be sitting on cement step so bring a pillow.

Dress: Anticipate inclement weather and wear layered clothing and a hat. Do not wear any RED clothing while performing this job.

Flag Holder

Duties: You will stand at the Finish Line with a large orange flag and follow the instructions of the Finish Line Judge to indicate 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters to sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver, and then report to the Chief Judge, via shuttle launch or van. Dress: Anticipate inclement weather and wear layered clothing and a hat. Do not wear any RED clothing while performing this job.

Stakeboat Holder

Duties: At the starting platform you will help align the shells to be in proper position for the start. You will also need to help prevent damage to the shells when they back up to your lane. You will remain on the starting platform throughout your shift. Before the start of each race, you will lie down on the plank that extends out from the platform and reach out your arms to catch the stern of the shell coming into your lane. DO NOT try to stop the stern from hitting the platform by putting your hand between the shell and platform; there may be too much momentum and may cause injury. When instructed, you will pull back or push out the shell a number of inches for alignment. These instructions, given just before each start, will come from the official at the side of the race course whose job it is to get all the bow balls in a straight line. He/she will use a megaphone or radio headphones. Be careful with your grip and make sure nothing is in the way when the starter says "Go" and the boat explodes out of your hands. Make sure to let go of the shell immediately upon the start. Do not engage in clever repartee with the crews. They are nervous enough already and needn't be disturbed.

Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters to sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Then ride to the Finish Line via a shuttle launch. Shift changes take place at the exchange dock near the finish line.

Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. You will be very close to the water for extended periods. Wear waterproof clothing, hat and sunscreen. Don't wear red colored items. They could be confused with a referee's red flag (which stops a race).