2025 STAFF / VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
***WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR JUDGES, SPECIFICALLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON! PASS ON THIS LINK TO ANYBODY WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED (free admission, tee, food and high fives) - https://www.thecfcircus.com/volunteersignup-1
We truly heart you so hard. Every year, you show up, you work hard, you have fun, and you make the event the success that it is. So many of you have been helping out for years, and we are so grateful.
So for this year - here is the run down! (Please note that the NEWS tab on our website provides overviews of schedule, FAQs, event info, etc - reference that tab for info).
Below, we’ll provide details for roles, scheduling, etc. But before we do, a few general needs:
ALL STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS CLICK HERE - PRINT AND FILL OUT WAIVER IN ADVANCE, PLEASE.
Please be on time - we know things come up, but we truly depend on our volunteers and staff to run a smooth event. Please arrive on time, and do not leave until your shift is up. If you need a restroom break or a snack break (or any kind of break, which we try to provide plenty of), just be sure you find a sub before you step away.
Please be kind. To one another, to the athletes, and to the spectators. It’s a competitive environment, so occasionally we have somebody come in hot for whatever reason - remain calm, guide them to Abi or Luke, and we’ll get it resolved.
Please be prepared. If you’re a judge, know the standards - read each blog and if you’re able to, please attend the standards briefing on Friday (615-715pm). If you’re a floor crew or scoring helper, be sure you ask questions and understand what’s needed. Be sure you have comfortable shoes on (we don’t recommend thin sole classic CrossFit shoes). Be sure you have your volunteer/staff shirt on, and report to your designated station in a timely manner.
Location: Ignit, 200 SE 37th Street, Grimes, IA 50111
Emergency ONLY Contact: Abi, 515.499.8679
VOLUNTEERS
Overview:
ALL ROLES: When you arrive, check in at the front room (it’ll have a “volunteer/staff only” sign on it). Cross your name off, grab one shirt, and then report to the volunteer/staff area behind the scoring table. We’ll get you going as groups or send you to the right area/person. DO NOT TAKE A STAFF SHIRT UNLESS YOU ARE PAID STAFF.
Judges: You are required to review all events standard blogs prior to judging - we also encourage all of you to attend the standards briefing on Friday, from 6:15-7:15pm at the event venue. Prior to each new event, we will do a vry quick standards review, with reminders of changes between divisions. You’ll be handed a team score card, you’ll call out their name, and find a lane. Score card will walk you through the workout, and at the end you’ll sign, and have athletes sign. If you need a break, just be sure you’ve got somebody to back you up so we’re not left hanging.
Scoring Table: Easy peasy. You’ll hang out at the scoring table, collect score cards, enter them into the spreadsheet, and keep upcoming heats organized. You’ll have lots of chill time!
Floor Crew: You’ll be ready to rock for division changes and workout transitions. It’ll be a flurry of activity getting the floor set, then a lot of chillin. We ask that the floor crew be prepared to reset the floor between every heat. At some points, we may ask floor crew to aid with other small tasks, so just be around and ready.
Runner: You are precisely that - the manager of mayhem. We always have random stuff that pops up - needing somebody to help hand out score cards, wrangling upcoming heats from the warm-up area, running to the retail table to grab something. Just be present, and ready to help!
Friday Set-Up / Early Bird Check-In
Arrive anytime between 1:30pm and 3pm, you’ll be done by 6:00pm - we encourage anybody judging later in the weekend to stay and watch the standards briefing, 6:15-7:15pm. You could pick up your shirt in advance if you attend.
Saturday
AM Shift Times: arrive no later than 7:55am, you’ll be done around 12:30pm
PM Shift Times: arrive no later than 12:00pm, you’ll be done around 4:45pm
Sunday
AM Shift Times: arrive no later than 7:55am, you’ll be done around 11:15am
PM Shift Times: arrive no later than 10:45am, you’ll be done around 3:15pm
STAFF
***Please note that staff people signed up specifically for STAFF roles and are committed to the entirety of the weekend. If you signed up as volunteer only, you’ll be entered into a raffle for several giftcards for each shift you work but will not be paid.
Overview: You are the most important people on the floor. You should be prepared to do anything/everything, but also know that you’ll have chill time. Our staff typically help quite a bit with judging, especially when we need more than 1 judge per lane - READ ALL EVENT BLOGS SO YOU KNOW THE WORKOUTS/STANDARDS. They also aid in floor set-up to keep things going as quickly as possible. And during downtime, we’ve got snacks and beverages. Your job is to help us wherever we have holes/needs, and to bring a super fun, positive energy to the event! We always pay at the very end of the last day (so be sure you stick around - we always have people vanish before the end and that’s challenging), and we pay via check or Venmo.
***STAFF SHIRTS ARE DIFFERENT THAN VOLUNTEER SHIRTS - DO NOT TAKE A VOLUNTEER SHIRT IF YOU ARE A PAID STAFFER. COME BACK TO THE SCORING TABLE AND WE’LL GIVE YOU A SUPER FANCY STAFF SHIRT!
Friday
Not required but very much encouraged - standards briefing (which will help immensely with judging) will be 6:15-7:15pm. You could pick your shirt up in advance if you attend.
Saturday
Arrive no later than 7:50am, and we’ll wrap up by about 4:30pm. We promise to feed you and let you rest here and there and high five you lots.
Sunday
Arrive no later than 7:50am, and we should be done by about 3:30pm. We’ll get you paid once we confirm that you were there till the end!