Volunteering at a test session

As I wanted to get more involved in skating, I e-mailed and asked the test chair of my club if they need help. She also said she won't be there but one of the judges will act as a test chair. It was a very welcomed help, because there was a volunteer missing that day. I ended up helping for three hours and a half.

My job was that of a "runner". That is the person that picks up the forms from the judges, checks for the forms to be completely filled out, takes them to the office, makes copies and gives the result to the skaters. As I said, this was a very big session. The majority of the tests were double panel and some triple panel. That means that two, or three skaters were judged at the same time. There were lots of forms to be handled. And the judges don't always finish a form on the same time with the other judges judging the same test. So you have to keep that on the side until you have all the forms. It was somebody else that did this at this session. Also, she checked for the forms to be filled up and for eventual inaccuracies, like adding the scores and write the total and circling the result. If there is something missing it is given back to the judge, because nobody is allowed  to write on that form, but the judge. My job was to take, usually 2 sets of forms, for 2 tests, to the office (that was at the other end of the building), copy them on colored paper, give the originals to the volunteer that processes, and give the result (the copies on colored papers) to the skater. A move test runs between 6 to 10 minutes. That was just enough to finish my job and start over. I occasionally got behind doing other stuff, or the forms were not all ready, and I've got worried that I'll mess up. But I've caught up immediately and all worked out well.

I've joined a club when I've decided to test. I haven't really knew what a club does, or how it is organized. And I haven't realized they needed volunteers help. I'm thinking that clubs don't to a good job in asking for help. On the other hand I'm probably the exception in not knowing, the parents of the skaters do know but they are probably too busy to get involved much.

Anyhow, it was an interesting and satisfying experience and I encourage anybody that gets a chance, to do it!