expectations

Respond to all pre-regatta surveys (generally includes one or two involving transportation information, premium sizes, etc.).

Observance of all traffic and parking restrictions.

Cell phone availability with other members of the Umpire Team throughout regatta weekend.

WhatsApp group availability (Station Lead Umpires, All Umpires, "Fun", etc.) to aid communication throughout the regatta. If you are not on WhatsApp, please let us know.

Transportation to the designated pre-racing meeting place. We provide vans for umpires from the regatta hotel to and from their station assignments. Parking for individual cars is available at the umpire meeting location, possibly at a cost.

We do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions, but if you have specific needs, you are strongly encouraged to bring sufficient food for a 12-hour shift.

Attendance at the pre-race meeting held virtually the week prior to the regatta (may be two weeks prior depending on our scheduling). This is where we cover logistical information, provide any updates not included in your required online training, and review nuances in the application of penalties. We offer two time options, typically 8 AM and 8 PM ET, to hopefully allow you to attend during daytime hours in your time zone. We do record the session, too, in case anyone has a conflict with all the session times. 

Participation for at least one full day (approximately 6:00 AM to 5:30 PM). The Umpire team generally attracts more people that we can accept, and it is preferred to include a smaller number of people overall who can work multiple shifts than a larger number of people only working one day. Preference is given to those who volunteer for at least two of the three racing days. 

Completion of the assigned umpire training courses in Thinkific. Courses will be assigned based on your role and experience. See the Umpire Training page for more information. 

Cooperation within the Umpire Committee and with members and volunteers of the other HOCR committees. 

Completion of our Post-regatta Feedback form. We use your feedback to adapt our procedures for the following years.