The Regatta Volunteer job descriptions are included here.  The shift times are indicated in each job description in terms of race start and race end. All jobs, with the exception of the launch driving jobs, require no previous knowledge or training. Jobs requiring launch driver training are marked. Launch Driver training, given by the officials of US Rowing, are offered in the spring at the Occoquan.  Dates will be posted on the Fairfax Crew Calendar on this website. 

Announcer-Finish Line	Finish Line Assistant
Announcer-HQ	Flag Holder
Awards Assistant	Finish Line Timer
Communications Set-Up	Money Collector-Park Entrance
Communications Take-Down	Money Collector-Van Upper Lot
Concession Seller	Helper Set-Up
Cross-Over Marshall	Helper Take-Down
Dock Master Assistant	Launch Provider
Driver-Marshall	Money Collector-Van Line Finish
Driver-Referee	Parking Lot Assistant
Driver-Safety	Program Distributor
Driver-Dam Guard	Sign-In Coordinator
Driver-Setup	Stakeboat Holder
Driver-Shuttle	Trophy Assistant
Driver-Takedown	Weigh-In Assistant

• Duties: You will stand at the finish line behind the Finish Line Judge and announce the official results of each event as they are provided to you. You will also make other miscellaneous announcements as directed by the Finish Line Judge and the Regatta Director.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director could reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer fails to report.
• Dress: You will be working underneath the Finish Line Shelter. Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing.

• Duties: You will announce over the loudspeaker system from HQ the first, second and last call for the launching of shells in each event, and the event number and the names of the crews participating. You will also make other announcements as directed by the Regatta Director.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director could reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer fails to report.
• Dress: You will be inside the Regatta Headquarters. Layered clothing might still be advisable.

• Duties: Organize awards for presentation, working with the Regatta Director as they obtain results of specific races. Pass results to Results Poster and prepare for awards ceremony, consisting mainly of announcements and presentations of medals by the Regatta Director to the recipients following each race or at the end of the regatta.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director could reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer fails to report.
• Dress: You will be inside Regatta HQ; layered clothing may be advisable.

• Duties: You will be responsible to collect the prescribed entry fee for parking. You give small paper tickets to those who desire to reenter the park a second time. You can give them as they enter or exit. Entry Collectors will control vehicular speed and report violations to the Ranger. For 1999, the policy is first-come, first-parked and the fee is $5. The only non-paying customers will be U.S.R.A. Judge/Referees and other designated officials and the NCASRA Regatta Directors and Personnel Committee. Their blazers identify referees. NCASRA staff will have passes. Contact parking supervisor regarding anyone else claiming to be able to enter for free.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Report to the Financial Assistant. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer does not report. Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat.

• Duties: You will collect the required money from persons wanting to ride the van down to the regatta site.
• For 2000, the fee is $1 per person each way. The only exceptions will be the USRA officials and the Regatta Directors who may ride for free.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director could reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer fails to report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing

• Duties: You will collect the required money from persons wanting to ride the van up to the parking lot. For 1999, the fee is $1 per person each way. The only exceptions will be the USRA officials and the Regatta Directors who may ride for free. 
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director could reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer fads to report,
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing

• Duties: Set up the communications system per instructions from Regatta Chair. For Occoquan, there is a handout of instructions, see Appendix.
• Dress: You will be working outside early in the morning; it will be cold. Wear layered clothing. Anticipate inclement weather.

• Duties: Take down the communications system per instructions from Regatta Chair. Store it appropriately. For Occoquan, there is a handout of instructions.
• Dress: You will be working outside late in the day. Wear layered clothing. Anticipate inclement weather.

• Duties: FOR REVENUE SHARING REGATTAS ONLY. The volunteer must indicate both time of arrival and time of departure on the sign-in sheet from which the Concession Manager is working (this is a second copy of the one that you signed at regatta headquarters) in order to receive credit for the appropriate number of hours worked.
• FOR NOVA AND CLASSIC REGATTAS ONLY. The volunteer must indicate time of arrival on the sign-in sheet from which the Concession Manager is working. (this is a second copy of the one that you signed at regatta headquarters).
• FOR ALL REGATTAS. The volunteer will set up and sell food, T-shirts or programs as assigned by the Concession Manager. We ask that you choose one person that will be responsible for cooking the hot dogs and hamburgers, and an assistant to wrap the food as it is cooked. We will be doing several money pick-ups during the day and it is helpful if you choose a person to be in charge of the cash box. There will be a menu board at each location. Please make sure that it is posted. If you are selling T-shirts and programs, you will be given a separate moneybox. Please do not mix the money from T-shirts with that from food.
• The afternoon shift duties are to sell lunch food, T-shirts and programs. At the end of the regatta the afternoon people are responsible for cleaning up the area and putting the supplies away. They will also need to put away the tables, grills, coffeepots and any other equipment. Those selling T-shirts and programs are to count any that are left over and turn in that count of each with the money.

• Duties: This job is boring but necessary. Cross over marshal makes 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.

• Duties: The Dockmaster assistant helps the dockmaster make sure that the crews are launched and landed at the appropriate times and safely. Keep dock clear of unnecessary gear. Help wash the docks prior to start of regatta. Take messages to HQ for dockmaster.

• Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training.  During the regatta you will be assigned to a regatta marshal as his/her launch driver. You are under his/her control. Hand signals might be used.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Director. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat and gloves.

• 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. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined it a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat, sunscreen and gloves.

• Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training.  You will keep a keen eye on the course and attempt to keep power boats, 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 will keep a keen eye on the rowers who are warming up upstream.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Report to Head Coach who might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined it a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat, sunscreen and gloves.

• Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training.  You will patrol the lower reservoir (near the dam) to ensure the safety or the rowers and to prevent the shells from venturing too near to the dam. YOU MUST BE IN PLACE BEFORE THE FIRST SHELL ARRIVES AT THE START.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign 2-papers: 2 attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. You will be very close to the water for extended periods. Wear waterproof clothing, hat and sunscreen. Some food and water are advisable.

• Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training.  Before the regatta you will be assigned to move equipment and people up and down the race course. You will have a helper.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: It will be early and boat may be wet. No shorts please.

• Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training.  During the regatta you will be assigned to transport people up and down the course. (AT NO TIME CAN ROWERS BE SHUTTLED UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY THE LAUNCH MASTER-) The shuttle is to be utilized to move only officials, coaches, regatta workers, and press.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat, sunscreen and gloves.

• This job requires Launch Driver Training
• Duties: This job requires Launch Driver Training.  You will drive a launch and help store the regatta equipment, motors, launches, lane markers. etc., and will do whatever is needed to secure the regatta site again to its original order. Some heavy lifting might be involved.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider hat, sunscreen and gloves.

• Duties: This person assists the Finish Line Referee in running the finish line.
• Dress: You will be working outside. Anticipate inclement weather. Consider hat, sunscreen and gloves. Wear layered clothing.

• Duties: You will be assigned to the finish Line Judge to determine shell timing and placement in your lane. A GREAT PLACE TO WATCH THE RACE! Assignments will be made by the Finish Line Judge. You will need to be able to operate a stopwatch effectively, to time the split time for the shell in one of the lanes of the course.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined it a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: At the Occoquan You will be sitting on Cement Steps so bring a pillow. Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat, sunscreen and gloves.

• Duties: You will stand at the Finish Line with a large orange flag and follow the instructions of the Finish Line Judge.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Director. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job, Your club will be fined it a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat, sunscreen and gloves.

• Duties: You will help the Set-Up Driver to perform the duties assigned to him/her. This person will be riding in a launch driven by the Driver-Set-Up. You may have to do some heavy lifting.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined it a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider a hat, sunscreen and gloves. It will be early and boat may be wet. No shorts please.

• Duties: You will help store the regatta equipment, motors, launches, lane markers. etc., and will do whatever is needed to secure the regatta site again to its original order. Some heavy lifting might be involved.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider hat sunscreen and gloves.

• Description: This job is to provide equipment to the regatta. A person is needed to assure that the launch is setup as required; should be designated by the club. The launch master may direct setup people to do some of the work as arranged with designated POCs.
• Club provided equipment (13 for weekly and 20 for large regattas).  When each organization is participating in a regatta at their home practice site, they will be required to provide regatta launches, equipment knowledgeable personnel and launch access (ferrying to launch/providing keys/setting up boat). Each of these organizations will supply launches equipped with appropriate engines (9.9HP or above) in good operating condition, gas tank, matching connecting hose, lines, paddle, anchor, life preservers and horn. Oil and gas requirements must be clearly understood and properly marked for NCASRA to assure proper gas and oil is supplied for the regatta. NCASRA regatta personnel will drive the launches at the assignment of the Launch Master/Regatta Chair, so member clubs should not assume that their launches will be driven by their own club members. This equipment will be supplied to support regattas on a rotating schedule equitable to all home site organizations. The Personnel Committee will assure that organizations participating at a regatta that is NOT at their home practice site will be given proportionately more volunteer jobs.

• Duties: Park near entrance to trailer area. Stay in main roadway and keep speed of vehicles reasonable. Report violations to Ranger. Help direct trailers and buses if still arriving. Give information as needed.
• Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta
• Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider hat, sunscreen and gloves. If possible, bring folding chair, newspaper or reading (there may be slack times) and cell phone.

• Description: This person is in charge of the sign-in rosters at Regatta Headquarters, is knowledgeable about all regatta staff and volunteer jobs and greets the volunteers as they arrive. Bring a folding chair, masking tape, sunglasses, watch and pens. This person will make notes of any problems regarding job sign-in and alert the Personnel Committee to them. There is a box of supplies that will be provided.
• Dress: Carefully - you will be outside the HQ unless it is pouring. Wear layered clothing. Consider sunscreen, hat and gloves. Anticipate inclement weather.

• 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 stem of the shell coming into your lane. DO NOT try to stop the stem from hitting the platform by putting your hand between the shell and platform there may be too much momentum and may cause injury (it happened twice in 1966.)
• 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 - make sure nothing is in the way when the starter says "Go!" and the boat explodes out of your hands.
• Don't engage in clever repartee with the crews. They are nervous enough already and needn't be disturbed.
• Headphones, usually employed only at the bigger regattas (e.g., NOVAs), fit over one ear and have a battery pack that clips on to your waist band (belt). If using the Realistic brand headset, turn the POWER to "MAN' (not VOX), Volume and VOX/MIC controls are set to "L" (not "M" or "If '). If using the Maxon brand headset, set the VOX/PTT Selector to "PTT" (push-to-talk) and the VOLUME control to the lowest setting that allows you to hear clearly (to save battery power). There are two sets for each lane. Use the Realistic brand first - they have the 9V battery. The Maxon brand has two rechargeable AA batteries that usually don't last long. The brands are interchangeable (i.e., on the same frequency). The spare headsets will be in the white box (post office sorting box) usually set at the center of the platform. Instructions: Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined it a volunteer does not report.
• 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, it could be confused with a referee's red flag (which stops a race). Some food and water might be advisable.

• Duties: This person helps the head of trophies set trophies out on table. Then remains at table to explain trophies to those admiring them. Then assists in handing them out if needed.
• Dress: Wear layered clothing. Consider sunscreen, hat and gloves. Anticipate inclement weather.

• Duties: Help weigh the lightweight rowers. Report to Regatta Headquarters. Sign attendance sheets and insurance waiver. Regatta Director might reassign you to another job. Your club will be fined if a volunteer does not report.
• Dress: Anticipate inclement weather. Wear layered clothing. Consider hat, sunscreen and gloves.