POSITION:   Junior Coach

Minimum Qualifications:

Desire and ability to work with children outdoors  

Ability to relate to one’s peer group  

Ability to accept supervision and guidance  

Ability to support Senior Coaches in various activities  

Good character, integrity, and adaptability  

Enthusiasm, sense of humor, patience, and self-control

Ability to abide by the philosophies, goals, objectives of sport and character development camp

Responsible To Senior Coaches and Directors

General Responsibility

Learn from witnessing and exploring opportunities to: Assist direction, supervision, and organization of campers; these include but are not limited to the following

Specific Responsibilities

1. CAMPER SAFETY- Know where your camper group is at all times, attempting to be cognizant of the overall safety of each camper while supervising activities.  Report the details of any near accidents or incidents to senior coaches immediately, the recurrence of which may be prevented in the future through corrective action.

2. MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS- Maintain and encourage appropriate relationships with campers, staff, parents, and the community. Please see detailed appropriate touch guidelines below. Campers should at no time be carried - on hip or piggy back or otherwise. If campers is injured, Coach or Senior coach will move students to safety.

3. BE A ROLE MODEL-The Junior Coach will serve as a positive role model for all campers, keeping in mind one’s own behavior, language, attitude and appearance.  Specific attention will be given to appropriate dress with regard to advertising messages, social signals and personal hygiene. Please dress in appropriate athletic gear. Your social media presence does matter. Images or reports of you doing or being part of illegal behavior will be investigated and is grounds for dismissal. Your behavior on and off the field matters as you represent our program in the community.

4. BE HELPFUL-Jr Coaches will follow the lead of Senior Coaches to set up and support participation in activities, games and training sessions. Find and ask for opportunities to step in help when appropriate. If a specific task has not been given, help students to wait patiently or be safe during whatever activity is currently occurring.

5. CARE FOR EQUIPMENT- The Jr Coach will encourage respect for personal property, camp equipment, the natural environment and the camp’s grounds and facilities by ensuring proper use and storage of equipment.  

Without exception, Jr. Coaches not adhering to the above expectations and safe touch policy will have parents called immediately and will be asked to be picked up from camp. Depending on the seriousness of the infraction, termination from employment or the leadership program may be considered.

Appropriate Touch Policy and Abuse Prevention Agreement:

Here is our policy for appropriate touch to prevent abuse. Policy applies to coach/student, jr coach/student, coach/coach and jr. coach/coach and jr. coach/jr. coach.

1. Appropriate touch should be a response to the persons need for comforting, encouragement, or affection. It should not be based on the adult’s emotional need.

2. Volunteers or employees should not force affection on any person. Physical contact should always be with the persons consent or initiation. For example, a Coach or Jr Coach might ask, “May I give you a hug?”

3. Physical touch should generally be limited to hugs and contact with the person’s hand, shoulder, or upper back.

4. A persons verbal or nonverbal “no” should always be respected. If a person pulls away, respect the person’s wishes at all times.

5. Physical touch should be appropriate for the age of the child or youth. For example, while it is often appropriate to hold a toddler on your lap, it is inappropriate for a teenager to sit on the lap of an adult. For older youth, opt for a side hug, touching their hand, or other forms of affection that do not involve excessive body contact for extended periods of time.

6. At no time should another child/adult be touched on or near the breasts, genitals, or buttocks by anyone.

7. Anyone observing inappropriate touching or other questionable behavior by any individual toward a minor or other adult coach should immediately begin the process for reporting suspected abuse or neglect to the program director. If a child is touching an other child inappropriately - stopping the event, then correction and expectation should be made clear and director called as to decide if further action needs taken. If behavior continues after clear expectations or is severe, parent of the student acting inappropriately and the program director should be called immediately. Student should be closely monitored until parent arrives.

8. Rule of 3 - there must be 2 student with 1 instructor or 2 instructors with 1 student. At no time shall students be with 1 to 1 with an instructor.

Cell Phone Policy: Jr Coaches are only allowed to have their phones out on lunch and breaks. Having a phone out during camp when not on lunch or break is grounds for termination after 1 warning. If it would be helpful, coaches can place their phones in the emergency/first aid bin during camp. If you pull your phone out to check it on lunch/break, at no time can campers or MS leadership be looking at it.

All emergencies should be handled with the adult on the field. Jr Coaches are not to contact camper parents. Adult coaches will handle all communication with parents, if a parent is engaging you - direct them or walk them to the adult on the field.