As South swimmers dive at breakneck speed into the pool, Titan Timers are at the ready, starting their timers at the precise moment fingers touch the water’s surface. The Titan Timers for the girls’ fall swim season consist of members of the boys’ swim team, who time at meets and cheer on their teammates, Titan Timer senior Victor Roza said.
Timers alternate, with members of the boys’ team timing the girls’ swim season, August to November, and members of the girls’ team timing the boys’ season, late November to March, Roza said. This way, both teams can support each other in a myriad of ways and participate in swimming outside of their season, he explained.
Every swimmer has a touchpad, a device that marks the swimmer’s stopping point, Roza said. However, touchpads could possibly malfunction, making the Timers’ role vital at meets.
“Touchpad errors happen often enough that getting inaccurate times would be a serious problem, so [timing] is definitely necessary,” Roza said.
Timers work in teams of two per lane, one person working the timer, and the other transcribing the precise time on paper, Titan Timer senior Jimmy Korompilas III explained. During a swim meet, the timers track times for South swimmers and for visiting teams, Korompilas said.
The timing is important, yet the timers’ supportive presence is the essential part for competing swimmers, Brittany Ethington, Girls’ Swim Coach, said. Camaraderie between teams is worthwhile, especially at competitions, Ethington said. Even though Titan Timers may not be actively in the water, they represent and celebrate the team on land during meets, Ethington said.
“Timers help bring up the energy as they cheer us on from the pool deck,” Ethington said. “They enjoy coming out each week to cheer each other on.”
Not only does it boost teamwork between teams, it helps with maintaining connection with teammates during offseason, Roza said.
“There is camaraderie with the people you time with,” Roza said. “A lot of the people I saw at timing, I hadn’t spoken with in a couple of months, so it was good to [see] them again.”
