Thank you for volunteering at the Interschools Championships. On a typical Interschools event day, up to 50-course officials are required to keep the events safe and fair for participants.

 

Information for Volunteers at Perisher 

Volunteers must check-in on the day they are volunteering in the Interschools Event Office in the Perisher Skitube Terminal. You will collect an officials folder and your lift ticket for the day (if you don't already have a season pass).

If you are catching the ski tube from Bullocks, you will be able to catch the train by telling a Perisher staff member that you are on the Interschools officials roster. 

The event office will be open from 7.30am each event day. Volunteers must check-in in enough time to get to their course for inspection time. 

 

 

Waivers

All volunteers must complete a Volunteer Waiver for the season. School Coordinators can check who has completed waivers in the online entry system.

 

 

Interschools Course Officials Training Course

 

An Online Training Course has been developed for Interschool officials. The course provides participants with the critical information and resources to be effective and confident Interschools officials.

The training course has lessons in five main categories:

  • an introduction to Interschools, its role in competitive snow sports, and who manages the competition;
  • key roles of the Resort Race Department at the Interschools events;
  • Interschools Course Official's roles and responsibilities;
  • Identifying the various types of incorrect gate passage;
  • Volunteer event preparation.

 

During the course, you will be asked to complete a number of Learning Activities to test your knowledge in the form of a quick quiz.

The course is not mandatory to take but is highly recommended to take if you will be volunteering this season.

If you completed the course last year, you do not need to re-take it again ahead of the season, unless you would like to revise the course material.

 

 

How to complete the course

You will need to be Snow Australia Member to complete the course.

You can either renew or register your Snow Australia Membership for 2024 here. We recommend becoming a volunteer member, which is free of charge.

To complete the course you login into your Snow Australia Member Profile and click through to the Snow Academy, Snow Australia’s online educational hub.

For any questions on the Interschools Officials Training course and volunteer requirements, email Wendy at wolsen@snow.org.au

 

 

VOLUNTEERING FAQ

 

Volunteer Course Officials must check into the Interschools Event Office at the resort at least 30 minutes prior to the course inspection time OR when the event office is open for the day. Volunteers are required at the top of each course 10 minutes prior to the stated course inspection time.

At the Northern NSW & QLD Championships, volunteers must check-in between 7.30 am - 9.30 am on the day they are volunteering. Check-in is at the Interschools event office at Friday Flat. You will collect an officials folder and your lift ticket for the day.

When you check in you will be given a folder, official’s vest and an option to take a bottle of water and snack pack. Please bring a backpack to put these in. After you have finished your volunteer duties on course you will need to make sure that the folder and vest is returned to the Interschools event office. 

You will be advised on where you will be positioned on course once you arrive at the course and spoken to a chief official (referee). Start Marshal’s report to the Start Referee at the top of the course. Gatekeepers check in with the Chief of Gates at the top of the course. The Chief of Gates will allocate you the gates you will be judging and show you where you need to be positioned on the course. Finish Assistants can proceed to the finish area and check in with the Finish Referee.

If you have any questions on how to perform your role, the referee you check in with at your course will be able to answer them for you.

Volunteers are entitled to a free of charge lift ticket on the day they are volunteering if they do not already have a lift pass or season pass.

Lift tickets are collected directly at the Interschools Event Office at the resort.

  • Perisher – The Interschools Event Office is in the Perisher Skitube Terminal. A temporary Event Office is set up in the Blue Cow Bistro for any courses at Blue Cow or Guthega. If you are travelling from Bullocks Flat, approach a Perisher representative at the train entrance who will let you train, you can then collect your full day lift ticket (with return train ticket) from the Interschools Event Office at Perisher.
  • Thredbo – The Event Office is located outside at Friday Flat.

Around the same time that the Event Schedule is released (typically 3-5 days before the Interschools Championships starts), the volunteer course officials roster will also be available.

Keep an eye out for it on the website.

The roster will let you know what course(s) you have been assigned to, what time and location the course will be held and your volunteer role.

In the event that you cannot fulfill your volunteer course official’s position please make an attempt to replace yourself with another person from your school.

If you find a replacement, please make sure that they are either aware of what duties they are fulfilling as course official or that they have read the course official guidelines.

If you are not able to find a replacement for yourself, please let Interschools know as soon as possible. 

Volunteers are required to be on course 10 minutes before the course inspection time until all competitors on the course have finished their race. It is difficult to estimate how long a course takes to complete as it is determined by the number of competitors on the course, snow conditions, etc but it can take anywhere between 2 to 4 hours.

Yes. Most volunteer roles require you to ski or snowboard to the course and most volunteers need to meet at the top of the course. 

  • The biggest tip is to be prepared for all weather conditions. Make sure you have clothing options for all conditions – sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, spare gloves, and extra clothing for those rainy days! A poncho is your best friend on a “wet snow” day!
  • Gatekeepers can be the most exposed to the elements and will be standing or sitting down for the duration of the course. You will be required to write notes in this position so please bring either inner gloves or similar that you can write with. Bring a square of cardboard to stand on, as this will keep your feet dry!
  • Bring a backpack so that you can put the items in that you receive at the Event Office to perform your role.
  • Please leave the video recording to another person as you wont be able to film, take photos and perform your volunteer role.
  • Have fun! You will meet some great people volunteering and gatekeepers get to watch the participants on the course from the best position!