Our members take turns manning the front entrance of the pool during the season. An adult from each family takes two hour shifts checking in members and guests, acting as the snack vendor, and generally monitoring what’s happening at the club.
As gatekeeper, your responsibilities include checking in members and guests, answering the phone, and acting as snack vendor/cashier.
But, your first and most important responsibility as gatekeeper is to assist the lifeguard in enforcing pool rules, monitoring potential safety issues, helping to open or close the pool and maintaining discipline. Should an emergency occur, the gatekeeper will call 911.
Note that this responsibility extends beyond helping the lifeguard maintain discipline around the main pool deck. The gatekeeper must also monitor the areas that the lifeguards cannot while monitoring the main pool, including the baby pool and the tennis courts.
Gatekeepers also ensure that the lifeguards keep timely rest periods (not to exceed 10 minutes), and that they monitor member safety and pool maintenance in a professional, responsible manner.
Opening Gatekeepers must:
Call/Remind all Gatekeepers on schedule for following day until an automated reminder email is in place.
If arriving after swim lessons, ensure all swimmers are members or member guests.
Closing Gatekeepers must:
Help lifeguard dump/re-line trash cans.
Help lifeguard straighten pool deck and re-tarp the pool.
You should be the last adult to leave the club with the Lifeguard.
All Gatekeepers must:
BE ON TIME and be sure that you have recorded yourself as being at the pool during your gate duty on the system.
Ensure each member checks in each time they come into the pool and check out when they are leaving the pool—even if they are coming back later in the day, they need to check out and check back in.
Have members hosting parties check in on the system first and have pre-purchased guest passes. Enter guests on the party day form.
Sit at gatekeeper’s desk while on duty and support the lifeguard in enforcing pool rules and maintaining safety. You must be able to see the gate and pool at all times. Must be near phone (911) should an emergency occur.
Be 21 years old.
Be fined $150 for not showing up if the pool needs to be closed; $60 if lifeguard is able to find a paid substitute and pool remains open. If you are unable to keep the duty scheduled, either trade with someone or hire a paid substitute ($20.00 per hour). Changes of duty must be noted on the Master List online. Do NOT leave your gate duty until another gatekeeper arrives, or lifeguard clears out all members and locks front door.
Keep baby pool gate closed at all times. All children in baby pool must be accompanied by a parent or person 16 years or over. Be very strict about no unsupervised children in the baby pool—even older children who can swim should not be playing in baby pool area unsupervised.
Ensure that all children not yet potty trained are wearing swim diapers before entering either pool.
Ensure no unsupervised children on the tennis courts at any time. No food on tennis courts at any time. The tennis courts are for playing tennis—no horseplay allowed.
Ensure all rest periods last 10 minutes, except for the 6:00 PM rest period, which should last 20 minutes if adults are swimming laps.
How do I know when I have to do Gate Duty? Check the Gate Duty calendar.
What if I am not available to do my gate duty? You are responsible for trading with one of the other members or paying a substitute gatekeeper $20/hour. If you have made arrangements with a substitute gatekeeper, and the shift ends up being cancelled for any reason, you are still responsible for paying the substitute for the shift.
How much do I need to pay if I forget to show up for my gate duty? $60 if the lifeguard is able to find a substitute or $150 if the pool has to close because a substitute was not able to be found.
How old do you need to be in order to be a gatekeeper? You must be 21 years of age in order to be a gatekeeper.
What do I have to do during my gate duty shift? The gatekeeper has many responsibilities.
Make sure there is an adult in the baby pool area when children are present.
Help the lifeguard if a situation arises.
Make sure everyone who enters the pool signs in and is either a guest or a member in good standing.
Be the cashier for the snack shack.
If it is the first shift of the day, call people to remind them of their gate duty shift until an automated email reminder is in place and follow opening procedures document that is posted on the gatekeeper desk.
If it is the last shift of the day, follow the closing procedures document.
Make sure the tennis courts are used only for playing tennis.
Make sure children do not throw rocks on the play equipment.
Answer the phone.
What do I do if the next gatekeeper doesn’t show up for their shift?
Call the member and leave a message. If you are unable to contact the member, find a substitute gatekeeper.
If you are interested, you can be the substitute gatekeeper and get paid for the time by filling out the substitute gatekeeper form at the back of the sign in binder.
If a substitute gatekeeper is not able to be found, notify the lifeguard and the adults at the pool that we need a substitute gatekeeper in order to keep the pool open. The lifeguard will contact the lifeguard supervisor if a sub cannot be found.
If, after contacting the lifeguard supervisor, a substitute gatekeeper cannot be found, the pool will be closed until a substitute gatekeeper can be found.
