VOLUNTEERS / OFFICIALS

Volunteer Participation Policy

The Club de Natation Saint-Laurent is a non-profit organization managed by a board of directors made up of volunteer parents. Without your participation as a volunteer, there would be no competitions. For this season, CNSL is requiring a deposit of $600 in volunteer participation credit per family, in exchange for participation sessions during the season. You can consult the 2025–2026 Volunteer Participation Policy to discover different types of activities to participate.

Becoming an Official

CNSL offers Level 1 and 2 official training courses during the season, normally before CNSL-organized competitions so that you can have practical experiences straight after. The Timekeeper course (level 1), compulsory for at least 1 member of each family, will be offered several times during the season. You will also be notified, if qualified, when the level 3 internship will be offered by the Lac St-Louis Region Association. To find out how a swimming official progresses through the certification levels according to the Fédération de Natation du Québec (FNQ), please click here (English version of Swimming Canada).

The schedule of available courses will be published to parents and the registration link for courses is posted at www.clubcnsl.com.

How to become volunteer at swim meet?

You can sign up as a volunteer for competitions according to your availability. By specifying multiple official positions you'd like to take on, you give the organizing club the flexibility to assign you the desired role. It is important to note that the registration deadline for officials is specified in the form, typically around 7 days before the first day of the competition. The idea of the close deadline allows parents to plan their personal schedules in order to participate.

Does my participation count?

Your participation counts if you register and are present on the day of the event. It is therefore essential that you give your attendance at the officials' desk on the day of the competition in order to receive relevant instructions. If you are a volunteer at a competition hosted by other clubs, at which CNSL swimmers participate, CNSL requests for a confirmation of CNSL officials few days later and your participation will be credited to the volunteer account.

Officials' Code of Ethics

Being an official is a responsibility taken on voluntarily:

  • The official must respect and treat each participant (swimmers, officials, coaches, volunteers) in swimming, in the context of their activity, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, political allegiance and their socio-economic status.
  • The official, working or not, should refrain from commenting on the decisions of other officials.
  • The official must have a philosophy of working for the best interest of, and respect for, each participant (officials, coaches, swimmers and volunteers) regardless of the level of competition.
  • The official shall be impartial, conscientious, and work in the structure of his/her assigned tasks.
  • The official should have a positive attitude.
  • The official must be calm, discreet, and have professional behaviour at all times.