Water Polo Coach

Asphalt Green; New York (NY); On-site; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

Asphalt Green on the Upper East Side in New York, NY is seeking a part-time Water Polo Coach to lead and support aquatic programs and develop athletes in a safe, structured environment.

The role focuses on teaching fundamentals, conditioning, and game understanding, while fostering a positive, respectful team culture and ensuring successful practices and events.

Qualifications

• Experience playing, coaching, or instructing water polo in a competitive, recreational, school, club, or similar environment.
• Strong understanding of water polo fundamentals, rules, strategies, and game concepts.
• Strong swimming and aquatic knowledge.
• Ability to teach and demonstrate water polo skills and techniques.
• Experience working with youth or athletes in a structured sports environment.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to provide clear instruction and constructive feedback.
• Ability to foster a positive, respectful, and team-focused environment.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.
• CPR/AED and First Aid certification (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Lead and support water polo practices, drills, and training sessions.
• Teach and reinforce water polo fundamentals, including passing, shooting, ball handling, positioning, defense, and game strategy.
• Support athletes in developing swimming endurance, speed, strength, and water polo-specific conditioning.
• Provide clear instruction, demonstrations, and individual feedback.
• Modify coaching techniques based on athlete experience, skill level, and developmental needs.
• Help athletes understand team systems, positioning, rules, and game situations.
• Encourage continuous skill development and athletic growth.
• Prepare athletes for games, competitions, and other program events.
• Support game-day coaching, athlete rotations, strategy, and in-game adjustments.
• Reinforce team expectations and standards during practices and competition.
• Help evaluate athlete progress and identify areas for development.
• Maintain consistent attendance, preparation, and punctuality for assigned practices and events.

Skills

Water polo coaching

Swimming knowledge

Communication

Team leadership

Job description

Job Details: Job Location: Upper East Side - New York, NY 10128, Position Type: Part Time, Education Level: Not Specified, Salary Range: $35.00 - $35.00 Hourly, Job Shift: Any, Job Category: Sports and Fitness, About Asphalt Green

Asphalt Green is a nonprofit organization that transforms lives and builds community through sports, fitness, and play for all.

Each year, Asphalt Green serves thousands of New Yorkers through sports, aquatics, fitness, camps, and community programs that promote health, personal growth, and lifelong participation in physical activity. Across three campuses and numerous community partnerships, Asphalt Green is committed to providing high-quality programs that are inclusive, accessible, and rooted in excellence.

Asphalt Green believes that access to movement, sport, and wellness can change lives. Our work helps young people develop confidence, resilience, leadership skills, and healthy habits that extend far beyond the playing field.

About the Role

Asphalt Green is seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Water Polo Coach to support water polo programming at both our Upper East Side campus and off-site locations.

The Water Polo Coach is responsible for helping athletes develop technical skills, game understanding, conditioning, teamwork, and confidence in a safe and structured aquatic environment.

This role will lead and support practices, provide individualized coaching and feedback, reinforce team expectations, and help prepare athletes for games and competition.

The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of water polo, experience working with athletes in an aquatics or competitive sports setting, and the ability to create a positive and development-focused team environment.

Why This Role Matters

The Water Polo Coach plays an important role in helping athletes build both competitive skills and a lasting connection to aquatic sports.

Through structured instruction, thoughtful feedback, and positive team culture, this role helps participants improve swimming ability, water polo technique, game awareness, teamwork, discipline, and confidence.

The coach also helps maintain a safe, supportive, and engaging environment where athletes can develop at their individual level while contributing to the success of the team.

What You’ll Do

Water Polo Instruction and Athlete Development

• Lead and support water polo practices, drills, and training sessions.


• Teach and reinforce water polo fundamentals, including passing, shooting, ball handling, positioning, defense, and game strategy.


• Support athletes in developing swimming endurance, speed, strength, and water polo-specific conditioning.


• Provide clear instruction, demonstrations, and individual feedback.


• Modify coaching techniques based on athlete experience, skill level, and developmental needs.


• Help athletes understand team systems, positioning, rules, and game situations.


• Encourage continuous skill development and athletic growth.

Practice and Game Support

• Help plan and execute organized, purposeful, and age-appropriate practices.


• Prepare athletes for games, competitions, and other program events.


• Support game-day coaching, athlete rotations, strategy, and in-game adjustments.


• Reinforce team expectations and standards during practices and competition.


• Help evaluate athlete progress and identify areas for development.


• Maintain consistent attendance, preparation, and punctuality for assigned practices and events.

Team Culture and Participant Experience

• Foster a positive, respectful, disciplined, and inclusive team environment.


• Promote sportsmanship, teamwork, accountability, effort, and respect.


• Serve as a positive role model for athletes.


• Encourage confidence, resilience, communication, and leadership.


• Support athletes through constructive feedback and encouragement.


• Help ensure all participants feel welcomed, supported, and appropriately challenged.

Safety and Program Operations

• Maintain a safe environment during practices, games, and aquatic activities.


• Follow Asphalt Green Aquatics policies, procedures, and emergency protocols.


• Supervise athletes appropriately while on deck and in the pool.


• Monitor participant safety and respond appropriately to concerns or incidents.


• Help maintain organized equipment and program spaces.


• Communicate safety concerns, injuries, incidents, or participant issues to program leadership promptly.

Team and Department Collaboration

• Work closely with Aquatics leadership and other coaching staff.


• Communicate clearly and professionally with athletes, families, coaches, and program staff.


• Participate in required staff meetings, trainings, competitions, and program events.


• Support team scheduling, communication, and program needs as assigned.


• Represent Asphalt Green professionally at practices, games, competitions, and other events.


• Support the overall goals and expectations of Asphalt Green’s Aquatics programs.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means athletes are developing their skills, practices are organized and engaging, and the team environment is safe, positive, and development-focused.

A successful Water Polo Coach will:

• Deliver structured and engaging practices.


• Help athletes improve water polo fundamentals and game understanding.


• Support improvements in swimming, conditioning, teamwork, and confidence.


• Provide clear and constructive coaching feedback.


• Maintain a safe and organized aquatic environment.


• Build positive relationships with athletes, families, and coaching staff.


• Promote sportsmanship, discipline, accountability, and teamwork.


• Communicate consistently and professionally.


• Arrive prepared and dependable for practices, games, and program events.


• Support Asphalt Green’s mission, values, and Aquatics standards.

Who You’ll Work With

The Water Polo Coach reports directly to the Head Coach of AGUA Water Polo and works closely with Aquatics leadership and other water polo and swim coaches, athletes, parents and caregivers, and other Asphalt Green team members.

The role may also interact with officials, opposing teams, league representatives, facility staff, and event personnel during games and competitions.

Qualifications: Required Qualifications

You’ll need:

• Experience playing, coaching, or instructing water polo in a competitive, recreational, school, club, or similar environment.


• Strong understanding of water polo fundamentals, rules, strategies, and game concepts.


• Strong swimming and aquatic knowledge.


• Ability to teach and demonstrate water polo skills and techniques.


• Experience working with youth or athletes in a structured sports environment.


• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.


• Ability to provide clear instruction and constructive feedback.


• Ability to foster a positive, respectful, and team-focused environment.


• Ability to work evenings and weekends.


• Dependability, professionalism, and strong judgment.


• Ability to perform the physical requirements of the role with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications

It would be helpful if you also have:

• Previous water polo coaching experience.


• Competitive water polo playing experience.


• Experience coaching youth, club, high school, collegiate, or competitive aquatic athletes.


• Experience developing practice plans and athlete training programs.


• Knowledge of athlete development, conditioning, and injury prevention.


• CPR/AED and First Aid certification.


• Water safety, lifeguarding, USA Water Polo, or related coaching certifications.


• Experience communicating with parents and families in a youth sports environment.


• Bilingual or multilingual language skills.

Schedule and Work Environment

This is a part-time, in-person role based at Asphalt Green’s Upper East Side campus, with additional work at off-site locations.

The schedule includes evenings and weekends and will vary based on practices, games, competitions, team events, and program needs.

The work environment includes indoor pool facilities, pool decks, athletic spaces, competition venues, and other aquatic program settings.

Additional availability may occasionally be required for meetings, trainings, competitions, or special events.

Physical Requirements

This role may require the ability to:

• Stand and walk on pool decks for extended periods.


• Enter and exit the pool as needed.


• Swim and demonstrate water polo techniques and aquatic skills.


• Bend, reach, kneel, and move throughout aquatic environments.


• Communicate clearly in active and sometimes noisy pool settings.


• Respond quickly to athlete and safety needs.


• Set up, move, and organize water polo equipment.


• Remain alert and engaged throughout practices and competition.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.