2020 Volunteer Roles

#1

First of all, now that events are (mostly) in the FIRST database, make sure to sign up to volunteer!

Secondly, I noted some changes in the list of volunteer roles available in the registration system that I thought might be worth noting:

  1. Official Scorer does not appear to be a position this year. That would imply that we’re either back to mostly-automated scoring, or back to the referees trying to ref and score at the same time.
  2. There’s a new role for “Quiet Room Attendant”. I know some events have had these the past couple years, but I don’t remember it being officially on the volunteer role list to sign up for in the past (though perhaps I just missed it).
  3. I also don’t remember there being signups specifically for “Audio/Visual Attendant” or “Event Photographer” previously either, though I’m less sure of those (and I know many events have had the roles for quite some time).
  4. And is “Safety Manager” a new thing too, or maybe a renamed and updated “Lead Safety Glasses Attendant”? Or am I just out of the loop?
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#2

PNW used to have a custom role for AV. Photographer may of been around for a couple years, but the AV role is new AFAIK.

#3

With respect to Safety Manager,

Who would you contact for information about emergency exits and take shelter locations for an event?

#4

I would guess that the Safety Manager works with the Event Manager and the rest of the Planning Committee on that sort of thing.

#5

This one looks to be District only. In a Regional, that would be the Webcast Operator, which is still in the list as well.

#6

I take it this is different from Scorekeeper?

#7

Yes, Scorekeeper is a position behind the scoring table working with the FMS directly. Official Scorer were the volunteers that were next to the corner refs this year keeping a running tally of panels/cargo for the Audience Display to show a score during the match.

#8

I seem to recall that position didn’t show up until after kickoff - wouldn’t want to give away anything about the game! I remember thinking, “Aw rite! Refs get scribes!” Only to find out later that official scorers were limited in what they could enter. But I don’t remember when I had that insight.

#9

It was listed on the FIRST site in November last year. Since they seem to have updated their list of roles for the season and Official Scorer isn’t there, I’m betting it’s not there this year.

There may still be other game-specific changes (or other changes) coming, of course. The “Defense Coordinator” role for Stronghold was of course only announced after the game reveal, and was in the Volunteer Registration system of the time (VIMS) as the mysterious term “Senior Field Reset” until it got officially announced.

#10

Thanks for correcting my faulty memory. So maybe it was something about what the role entailed that showed up after kickoff.

#11

Ah, understood! Thank you!

#12

Official Scorer is gone for 2020. It is unsure how “live scoring” will be “run” during 2020.

Quiet Room Attendant was added in 2019 and has been codified for 2020.

Event Photographer, like Quiet Room Attendant, has been in VIMs previously for VC’s to add to their event if they wanted, but has been codified for 2020 to be a universal role for any event.

Audio/Visual Attendant is a ‘District Only’ role. It is the replacement for the regional role of Webcast Operator. It allows the district management the opportunity to have someone run a similar role if the equipment is available.

Safety Manager is a readopted role of Lead Safety Glass Attendant. They will be working more closely with the UL Safety Advisors, Safety Attendants, and Teams to promote a greater culture of safety across the board at the events.

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#13

You seem to have additional information than what was posted on the site. May I ask your sources? (I’m not doubting, just curios)

#14

Here’s a good resource. Please note the update dates and updated role descriptions.