Volunteer Responsibilities
What this role entails
OFF COURT
Athlete Recruiting
• Reaching out to local programs, churches, civic organizations that are involved with Special needs.
• Have access to flyer and webpage.
• Communicate with local program coordinator.
Registration Table
• Welcome athletes and volunteers.
• Give athletes and volunteers their shirt.
• Guide athletes and volunteers to complete liability forms if it hasn’t been completed yet.
• 40 min before practice to set up table.
• Exapted to confirm and document completion of liability forms.
Set up
• Arrive one hour before practice.
• Transport Equipment from storage room to the courts
• Set up the Welcome Table, t-shirts, and banners.
• 60 min time commitment before each practice
• Expected to lift 40 pounds.
Clean Up Facility
• Assure equipment is properly stored for easy access.
• 30 min Time commitment after each practice
• Expected to lift 40 pounds.
Volunteer Manager
• Administer Volunteer software.
• Recruit volunteers
• Thank volunteers.
• Communicate with Site Coordinator about numbers of volunteers available.
Fundraising
• Identify individuals and business with philanthropic interest.
• Reach out to individuals and business to share sponsorship opportunities.
• Secure in kind and financial donations.
• Come up with one fundraiser per year.
Local Program Coordinator
• Ambassador in the city and Region
• Communicate with Dream Team
• Communicate with Program Director
• Identify Expos and Branding opportunities.
• Present during practices or identify replacement.
• Communicate with Athlete Caregiver for optimal court assignment.
• Communicate with volunteers for optimal court assignment.
• Create and print court assignment for each practice and share with site coordinator.
ON COURT
Site Coordinator:
• Open and close the facility.
• Have a list of coach leaders, buddies, and athletes.
• Supervise set up:
o Welcome table – shirts for athletes, volunteers, liability forms.
o Court set up – depending on levels, number of participants.
o Refreshments – Prepare water with ice.
o Assure medical kid is available.
• Welcome athlete and volunteers.
• See if all your coach leaders are ready.
• Call Volunteers at 3:15 pm
o Welcome them.
o Thank them for being there.
o Explain them what their role as coach buddy means.
o Introduce them to their coach leaders.
• Call athletes at 3:30 pm
o Welcome them.
o Send them out to their courts with their coach leader.
• Walk around:
o Check on racket sizes.
o Check on athlete’s being on the right court – level wise.
o Check if volunteers are comfortable and if we are using their potential.
o Assess weather moving people around.
o Take notes for following week.
o Give extra tips to athletes.
o Suggest coaching ideas to coach leaders and buddies.
o Praise athletes and coaches
o Individually thank coaches.
o Greed and communicate with parents.
• Call the end of practice 4:30 pm:
o Speak through megaphone.
o Ask Coaches to get their athletes together.
o Rackets up: Dream Court Tennis on three.
• Guide everybody to put equipment back to storage room.
• Make a last round through facility.
o Assure no equipment or trash is left behind.
o Assure facility tables and chair are organized.
o Closer storage room
Coach Leader:
• Set up court, assure equipment is ready to start practice.
• Walk athletes to the courts.
• Introduce them to their coach buddy.
o Your best coach buddy should be placed with the most challenged athlete.
• Lead a welcoming ice breaker circle.
• Follow coaching guide maintaining time management (preferably with a watch/no phone)
• Give specific directions where to place their belongings and water bottles.
• Give specific directions where athletes and volunteers should be (have dots)
• Give specific directions what athletes and volunteers should do (demonstrate)
• Assist coach buddies in how to interact with their athlete.
• Assist coaches with how to toss balls and where if needed.
• Coach athletes with techniques, tactic, and sportsmanship – depending on level.
• Assure athletes are using the right size rackets.
• Assure your volunteers have a racket.
• Assure that everybody stays hydrated.
• Always think ahead.
o When group is on water break, leader prepares court for what’s next.
• Leader does not pick up balls.
o You may lead your athletes and coach buddies to do so
o Your role is to focus on what’s next.
Coach Buddy:
• Be with athletes from the beginning to the end of practice.
• Follow lead of Coach Leader
• Assist with warm up.
• When time to hit, feed balls.
• When it is time to play, be a unified partner.
• When it is time to pick up balls, pick up balls with them.
• Praise them when something is done right.
• Encourage when a task is a challenge.
• Communicate with your coach leader about any athlete concern.
Ball People:
• Pick up balls.
• Bring balls to baskets.
• Return Ball Picker uppers.
Welcome Table
• First Day of Season set up two tables:
o Athletes: Liability forms, yellow t-shirts, pens, folder
o Volunteers: Liability forms, white t-shirts, pens, folder
• Greed and welcome parents, athlete’s, volunteers.
• Explain
o Dream Court Juniors will play 2:45 pm on court 6,7, and 8
o Dream Court red, orange, green, yellow will start at 3:30 pm
o Volunteers, please attend coaching meeting at 3:15 pm
o Coach leaders please set up their court.
Storage Container
• Place equipment back in storage room after every practice
• Make sure dots are not folded.
• Make sure ice is out from the cooler – no molding.
• Make sure that the storage container is walkable.
