What is your favorite volunteer job

[hopskipjump]

At a local competition?  Anything you would NEVER volunteer to do?  Do you have a favorite job?  What makes it fun for you to want to sign up?

[Skittl1321]

I like to be an announcer, door monitor, runner, and basic skills judge.

I didn't like the time I checked music in. Coaches were rude and I didn't get to see any skating.

[AgnesNitt]

I'm happy putting up signs and decorating the judges room, and meticulously going through paperwork.

I'm very dull.

[VAsk8r]

I've never volunteered at a competition because we haven't had one at my rink recently. But when I've helped out at exhibitions, I've enjoyed being an ice monitor. I got to see everyone's program, and it wasn't hard to fit my own one in there.

I would never want to be in charge of music, either collecting it or playing it. Something always seems to go wrong.

[sarahspins]

I like being a runner the most.. it seems like the most involved job (in terms of being everywhere) yet there is still a lot of time to just watch the skaters

[taka]

I volunteered at our recent comp. At different points I...
... checked skaters and their music in and gave out passes to skaters, coaches and volunteers,
... manned the cuddly toy / flower stall,
... manned the club stall,
... got teas and coffees,
... was a music runner (the teens who were suposed to do it kept disappearring )

ie I helped wherever I was needed. I really enjoyed it!

I would never volunteer to announce, play the music, have anything to do with keeping the scores for the RJS part of the comp or the filming for the IJS part of the comp.

[icedancer]

I like judging Basic Skills/no test types of competitions.  The kids are so cute I could (and often do) cry... so sweet.

I'm doing one tomorrow.  Looking forward to it!

[hopskipjump]

I haven't done many, but some jobs sound a little intimidating.  But I think I would like to try everything at least one now and reasons why you all like different jobs is motivating.  Positions like runner, awards, and music runner seem to be done by the 10-18 age range. 

I've done registration before.  It would get a little hectic. 

[icefrog]

I LOVE to ice monitor!

[techskater]

I would never volunteer to announce, play the music, have anything to do with keeping the scores for the RJS part of the comp or the filming for the IJS part of the comp.

I don't believe you can keep score or film for IJS as a club volunteer

[PrettySk8Dress]

Not really an official job, but when I get to watch the skaters competing in between doing the official work, I like to take note of skaters that I think are doing their best under the most trying and difficult conditions. They may not even place in the final score sheet, but I like to approach them or their coaches or parents afterwards and offer a few kind words of appreciation and encouragement. For example, a child skater forgot their program under the pressure of competition, and placed last. But I saw that they were really trying and fighting to remember the program, or trying desperately to ad-lib the remainder of the program. I would go and say that I was well pleased with their performance, and to keep skating and competing. Another time a tiny tot, a little girl skater had to use the rest room right during the warm-up. So she did not get a proper warm-up, and skated flustered. I commended her afterward for trying her best, because she did, and this was her first competition.

[hopskipjump]

That is super sweet!  Dd now brings extra ice toys for kids who don't get any and who don't have a cheering section.  It took one kid doing that for her to want to do it for other kids.  Your kind words today will be spoken to another skater from the skater you talked to.... 

[karne]

I did data entry for IJS at the last competition we held. That was enormous fun! I got to watch the skating and help at the same time.

I also did music check-in at the official practice. Less fun, and I could hardly see any skating from where I was!

Otherwise I don't get much opportunity to volunteer as I'm usually skating. The only reason I didn't at the last competition was because it was for Preliminary and above only, and I'm not quite there yet.

[taka]

I don't believe you can keep score or film for IJS as a club volunteer

The score keeping was done by club members under RJS - for the beginners section of the comp.

The person doing the filming during the comp was a club member too but I don't know if they had had training to carry out that role. They were literally manning and moving the camera, nothing else.

We have at 3 or 4 IJS judges and several tech specialists in our small club and they are keen to get more people involved! Several club members (some of whom were involved in the above comp) expressed interest in learning about the judging / technical / official side of competitions, both RJS & IJS a while ago so it wouldn't surprise me if there has been assorted training going on that I don't know about!

[turnip]

At our open in February I was in charge of assembling skaters and letting them on the ice for their warm up and skate, I really enjoyed it. I got to chat to some of them while they were waiting, and with only a few exceptions, they were all really nice. I got to see them all skate.

Last year I kind of skimped on my job, whcih was handing out certificates and water bottles after they came off the ice. It was at the opposite end to eveyrone else so I was on my own and bored

[FigureSpins]

I used to conduct the medal awards in the past and I loved doing that.
I've done everything else, except accounting.  I like ice monitoring the most.

I coordinate our Club's volunteers for competitions and that's a big job, especially finding people willing to announce, help do setup and breakdown.

[tazsk8s]

I find I enjoy the jobs that allow me to watch the skating at the same time.  I really like to be an ice monitor.  I played music once and that was okay too, at least until the CD player (which had been acting flaky all day) died in the middle of the VERY LAST SKATER of the day's program and I got the death stare from the skater, like I had done it on purpose.

I announced once, too.  Hated that.  Don't like the sound of my voice amplified and am not comfortable being behind an open mike in general.

I think I'd probably enjoy registration, but I never did it except for more than a few minutes at a time to give someone a bathroom break.

I try to avoid the hospitality rooms at all costs, except maybe to bring in a case of water bottles or paper products.  Partly because I'm just not that great of a cook, and partly because someone (a coach or a judge, I've seen it in both rooms) is usually whining about something.

And the one job I've done three times that I will never, ever do again...competition chair.  Too much stress! 

[Sierra]

I played music at our Christmas show. I loved it because I was set up on this balcony that was higher than any of the seats, so I had this great view of the ice. A lot of the adults told me they wouldn't play music even if they were paid- guess that's why an unsuspecting teenager got the job, haha.

I ran results once, too. Didn't like it as much because I don't get to watch the ice as much, and people tend to trample you when you're holding the results.
I was taping up the Intermediate ladies results, and all of a sudden eighteen Intermediate girls, and even worse, their moms gathered in a vicious horde around me. Glitter flew as they desperately fought to the front. I told them to back up, surprisingly, they obeyed.

[PinkLaces]

I like doing music check-in.  It's warm and I've got a great system.  I also like doing registration (except after the first day when it gets boring).  I don't mind running or supervising the runners (what the adults do). I'm okay with playing the music but not much on announcing - Hubby usually does that.  I don't like rink monitoring and I don't like giving awards. 

[emitche]

I helped with lighting recently at the spring show. It was my first time helping our club. It's perfectly wonderful until your equipment gives out. Then I was struggling with the spotlight. I'm hoping to help out with more jobs in the future.