Position Summary:
Provides leadership, instruction and motivation of participants in a competitive swimming environment. Creates a safe and positive atmosphere promoting member safety and engagement, youth development and healthy living in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
Essential Functions:
Knows and understands all emergency procedures and responds to emergency situations immediately and appropriately, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures. Maintains all required certifications, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
Teaches sound competitive swimming skills, through stroke development, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
Creates and leads age-appropriate workouts focusing on technique, endurance, and stroke development, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures. Maintains accurate records of attendance and progress, as required by YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
Organizes and schedules all practices and coordinates the recruitment of volunteers.
Coordinates and executes swim competitions and meet registrations.
Performs daily equipment checks and ensures appropriate equipment is available.
Attends all staff meetings, swim meets, and swim events, functions and trainings, as required by the Aquatics Director, YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
Provides leadership and guidance for assistant swim coaches, volunteers and parents through effective, consistent and timely communication.
May be required to conduct stroke booster clinics.
YMCA Competencies (Leader):
Mission Advancement: Accepts and demonstrates the Y’s values. Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfil community needs. Recruits volunteers and builds effective supportive working relationships with them. Supports fund-raising.
Collaboration: Works effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions. Builds rapport and relates well to others. Seeks first to understand the other person’s point of view, and remains calm in challenging situations. Listens for understanding and meaning; speaks and writes effectively. Takes initiative to assist in developing others.
Operational Effectiveness: Makes sound judgments, and transfers learning from one situation to another. Embraces new approaches and discovers ideas to create a better member experience. Establishes goals, clarifies tasks, plans work and actively participates in meetings. Follows budgeting policies and procedures, and reports all financial irregularities immediately. Strives to meet or exceed goals and deliver a high-quality program.
Personal Growth: Pursues self-development that enhances job performance. Demonstrates an openness to change and seeks opportunities in the change process. Accurately assesses personal feelings, strengths and limitations and how they impact relationships. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.
Qualifications:
Minimum age of 18 years. Must be a minimum of 5 years older than the oldest participant.
Minimum 2 years of competitive swim experience preferred.
Demonstrate proficiency in Swim Instructor in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
Current/or must obtain before first scheduled meet: YMCA Principles of Competitive Swimming and Diving, American Red Cross Safety Training for Swim Coaches, YMCA Lifeguard or Skills Checklist.
Current/or must obtain before first scheduled shift: BLS (includes AED), First Aid and Emergency Oxygen. Compliance Training: Child Abuse Prevention Training, Information Security and Awareness, Workplace Harassment and Bullying, Universal Precautions, New Staff Orientation Assessment.
Language Skills:
Ability to read, interpret, retain and teach safety rules, maintenance instructions and aquatics education manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of children, parents, members and other staff, as well as one-on-one situations.
Mathematical Skills:
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
Reasoning Ability:
Ability to apply common sense, understanding and sound judgment to carry out instructions in written, verbal or diagram form, including assisting with curriculum learning. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Ability to maintain confidentiality. Ability to be sensitive and alert to the needs feeling and safety of others. Ability to follow YMCA policies and procedures and state health department code requirements
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to handle and/or feel objects, tools and/or controls; climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch and/or crawl. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms and taste and smell. The employee must frequently move and/or lift up to 60 pounds. Possess adequate vision and hearing to safely monitor an aquatic environment and children. Ability to remain alert, continuously scan all areas of the pool with clear vision and perform strenuous physical tasks necessary for a water rescue. Ability to hear voices, distinguish distress signals and communicate verbally, including projecting voice across distance in both normal and loud situations.
The YMCA of Greater Houston provides Equal Employment Opportunities for employment to all employees and applicants, including disability and protected veteran status.
