Swim Team Coach - Shadowbend

YMCA of Greater Houston; The Woodlands (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

YMCA of Greater Houston is seeking a dedicated Swim Instructor Leader to mentor participants in a competitive swim setting and promote safety, youth development, and healthy living. Responsibilities include leading age-appropriate workouts and supporting the swim coach with practice planning.

Applicants should have competitive swim experience and current ARC/YMCA safety certifications, with strong communication for volunteers and parents. A collaborative, safety‑minded approach is essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of competitive swim experience preferred.
• Current safety trainings and YMCA/ARC certifications required prior to first practice.
• Ability to relate to diverse groups and communicate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead and assist with age-appropriate workouts focusing on technique and stroke development.
• Maintain attendance and progress records as required.
• Conduct stroke booster clinics when needed.
• Coordinate and execute swim competitions and meet registrations.
• Provide guidance to volunteers and parents through clear communication.
• Follow safety procedures and report abuse or incidents.

Skills

Competitive swim experience

Emergency procedures

Leadership

Teaching skill

Communication with volunteers/parents

Education

American Red Cross Safety Training for Swim Coaches

YMCA Aquatic Safety Assistant or YMCA Life Guard

ASHI CPR/First Aid/Emergency Oxygen certifications

YOTS Child Abuse Prevention and related trainings

Job description

Position Summary

Provides leadership, instruction and motivation for participants in a competitive swim 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

1. Knows and understands all emergency procedures and responds to emergency situations immediately and appropriately, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
2. Maintains all required certifications, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
3. Teaches sound competitive swimming skills, through stroke development, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
4. Assist the swim coach with creating and leading age-appropriate workouts focusing on technique, endurance, and stroke development, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
5. Assist the swim coach with maintaining accurate records of attendance and progress, as required by YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
6. Performs daily equipment checks and ensures appropriate equipment is available.
7. Assists the swim coach with coordinating and executing swim competitions and meet registrations. Attends all staff meetings and trainings, as required by YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
8. Provides guidance for volunteers and parents through effective, consistent and timely communication.
9. May be required to conduct stroke booster clinics.
10. Reports suspicious and inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
11. Follows mandated abuse and incident reporting requirements.
12. Meets timelines and deadlines related to supporting systems and employee compliance. Example includes but are not limited to Kronos Workforce Ready for review and approval of time sheets.

YMCA Culture & Cause Expectations

Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. It's who we are, who we aspire to be and how we show up every day. We are cause-driven. We don't just show up, we show up with purpose. As a cause driven leader you are expected to be:

Welcoming-Accept neighbors eagerly, warmly, hospitably, and as equal participants.

Nurturing - To care for, support, and help develop through encouragement.

Hopeful - Take an optimistic or positive view of future outcomes.

Determined - To devote full strength and concentrated attention to the cause.

Genuine - To be honest and open in relationships with others.

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-value experience for members.

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

1. Minimum age of 18 years and must be at least 5 years older than the oldest youth participant.
2. Minimum 2 years of competitive swim experience preferred.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in Swim Instructor skills in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
4. Current/or must obtain prior to first scheduled practice: American Red Cross Safety Training for Swim Coaches or American Red Cross Safety Training for Swim Coaches online course content and one of the following YMCA certifications: YMCA Aquatic Safety Assistant (YASA) or YMCA Life Guard.
5. Current/or must obtain prior to first scheduled practice: ASHI certification for: CPR for the Professional Rescuer, Basic First Aid and Emergency Oxygen and YOTS Child Abuse Prevention Training, Information Security and Awareness, Workplace Harassment and Bullying, Universal Precautions, and New Staff Orientation.
6. Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community.

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, feelings, 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 50 pounds. Possess adequate vision and hearing to safely monitor and 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.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The YMCA of Greater Houston provides Equal Employment Opportunities for employment to all employees and applicants, including disability and protected veteran status.