The thumbnail sketches below introduce the different Blue Crab Bowl volunteer jobs and may help you choose a role that is right for you. Key jobs link to longer BCB versions of NOSB® descriptions of the officials’ duties.

For more about officials' responsibilities, see the BCB Officials' Details & Best Practices, Match Outline, NOSB Rules, and other documents in the Officials' Library.

The most recent NOSB Rules are posted in the FAST Facts column on the right. All other handouts below are the most current available. Any further updates will be posted as necessary.

Competition Officials Thumbnails

• Moderator: Presides over match; reads questions; must have good understanding of rules and be able to clearly pronounce scientific terms and Latin names. Must thoroughly review questions well in advance of bowl day to help verify accuracy of answers.
• Rules Judge: Ensures all rules are followed; watches for scorekeeper or other procedural errors; ensures quiet is maintained and that no one from the audience signals competitors. Must become intimately familiar with all rules before bowl day. Responsible for officials' team readiness, room set up and breakdown.
• Science Judge: Follows questions read by moderator to ensure correct statement of questions; controls buzzer system; makes rulings on acceptability of answers and responds to challenges by competitors. Must thoroughly review questions well in advance of bowl day to help verify accuracy of answers. Takes the Team Challenge Questions to graders and returns with results and brief explanation (if needed).
• Scorekeeper: Maintains a tally of points on overhead; announces score at the end of each half. Must understand scoring system.
• Timekeeper: Keeps track of two clocks: the game clock  (for 6-minute halves and  TCQ timing); and a stopwatch to time intervals for competitors to start answers. Notifies players at particular time intervals.
• Room Runners: Monitor competition room door during competition; no one is to enter or exit while competition is in session. Runs questions back and forth to Crab Pot Central. Answers any room needs that may come up (markers, pads, water refills, etc.). Provide communications link between competition rooms and Crab Pot Central administration.
• Team Challenge Question Grader: Scores team responses to Team Challenge Questions as they come through the door during each round. You will be asked to review the questions a few weeks prior to the event and work with other graders to develop clear grading criteria for use on Bowl day. It is ideal to have folks from different branches of marine science, to cover physical, chemical, geological and biological topics. Graders work in seclusion, behind the scenes.
  
  Event Staff Thumbnails:
• Crab Pot Central Staff: These folks perform a wide variety of tasks including: checking-in/registering participants and volunteers; passing out packets and programs; maintaining master scoreboard & team progress flowchart; filling in for officials if needed; smiling for dignitaries; running messages and materials; managing meal service; set-up/breakdown competition rooms; etc. The Head Rules Judge, Head Scorekeeper and at least one BCB Coordinator are headquartered here also.
  General Assistance & Alternates: May fill in for Room Runners, Scorekeepers, Timekeepers, or Crab Pot Central Staffers, as needed.
  Event Prep: Advance preparations are handled by ODU and VIMS institution staff. Tasks include: making name tags, preparing team packets, competition signage and labels, event program layout & printing, webpage updates, back-up officials and more!
  Media Support: Communicators, photographers. Work with BCB Coordinators to issue press releases before and after the Bowl; take photos of Bowl activities, competition matches, winners, and volunteers.