Ridgefield Aquatic Club Seeks Full-Time Assistant Coach

Ridgefield Aquatic Club is seeking an experienced, collaborative Full-Time Assistant Coach who brings energy, technical knowledge, sound judgment, and a genuine commitment to long-term athlete development. This is an important position at a private, nonprofit, coach-led and parent-supported year-round USA Swimming club serving swimmers from pre-competitive development through national-level training. They compete within Connecticut Swimming. Compensation includes an annual base salary of $49,000–$55,000 based on experience and qualifications, eligibility for a performance bonus of up to $5,000, a $5,250 annual health-insurance stipend, a $1,200 annual phone allowance, a $1,000 annual retirement contribution, 14 paid vacation days, and approved expense reimbursement. The schedule includes weekday afternoons and evenings, meets, weekends, travel, and regular administrative hours. Start date as soon as mutually agreed. Key responsibilities include leading assigned competitive and/or Olympic Way squads and providing coverage across other groups as needed. Developing seasonal and daily training plans emphasizing technique, age-appropriate progression, racing skills, physical literacy, and the USA Swimming American Development Model. Creating a safe, positive, disciplined, and motivating environment for swimmers of varied ages and abilities. Attending assigned practices, meets, championship competitions, team events, staff meetings, and professional-development activities. Supporting meet selection, eligibility review, entries, relays, travel planning, deck assignments, and post-meet follow-up. Tracking attendance, athlete progress, goals, and coach observations. Communicating professionally with swimmers and families through approved team channels. Following USA Swimming Safe Sport requirements, MAAPP, the USA Swimming Safe Sport Code, and RAC policies. Collaborating with the Head Coach/CEO and squad leads to maintain consistent curriculum, expectations, and group transitions. Contributing to swimmer recruitment, retention, tryouts, evaluations, clinics, and other club initiatives. Maintaining regular administrative hours and providing requested program updates. Required qualifications include prior competitive swim coaching experience and demonstrated ability to teach stroke technique and racing skills. USA Swimming coach membership in good standing, or ability to satisfy all applicable membership and safety requirements before athlete contact. Strong written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal skills. Ability to work collaboratively, accept feedback, exercise sound judgment, and communicate appropriately with minors and families. Availability for evenings, weekends, championship meets, and occasional travel. Preferred qualifications include experience leading an age-group or senior training group within a USA Swimming club. USA Swimming University education, American Development Model education, ASCA coursework, or comparable professional development. Experience with meet-entry and team-management systems, athlete tracking, and parent communications. College degree in coaching, education, kinesiology, sport management, or a related field. Ridgefield Aquatic Club is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations for the application and interview process are available upon request. Send résumé and cover letter to Head Coach/CEO Emmanuel Lanzo at [email protected]. This article provides a detailed look at the job opportunity in the field of swimming in the US, highlighting the importance of developing athletes according to the standard model of USA Swimming, specific responsibilities, and requirements to become an effective assistant coach. In the context of US swimming, where clubs like Ridgefield Aquatic Club play a key role in nurturing young talent, this position offers a comprehensive learning and development environment. Coaches need to understand swimming techniques, how to progress from young ages to high-level competition, while building a positive environment to encourage athletes to overcome challenges. Factors such as flexible schedules, support from parents and local sports communities help create sustainable development. Compliance with safety and ethical regulations in coaching children is crucial, ensuring long-term health and happiness for all athletes. By emphasizing personal progress, not just competitive results, coaches can create important milestones in their careers. Clubs like Ridgefield Aquatic Club often organize in-depth training programs, use modern technology to analyze athlete progress, helping them adjust training plans in a timely manner. This requires assistant coaches to have good communication skills with both athletes and families, and to participate in ongoing professional development activities to keep up with the latest knowledge. In the US swimming system, where USA Swimming plays a key management role, compliance with safety standards like the Safe Sport Code is mandatory, ensuring all training activities are conducted in a safe and positive environment. Employers like Ridgefield Aquatic Club often prioritize candidates with experience leading groups, understanding the club’s competition history, and building a strong team. Attractive salaries, medical stipends, and other benefits help attract talent, especially in the highly competitive sports industry. Travel and participation in major events like Olympic Games or national competitions require flexibility and the ability to quickly adapt to new environments. Assistant coaches also need to participate in athlete recruitment, new athlete evaluations, helping the club maintain and develop a strong team. The positive work environment, supported by parents and local communities, creates great motivation for employees. Regular professional development activities help retain talent and avoid job loss due to lack of knowledge updates. In the swimming industry, where data and technical analysis are increasingly important, assistant coaches need to learn to apply to daily work. This includes tracking progress through specific metrics, adjusting training plans according to the personal needs of each athlete. Collaboration between coaches in the team helps create a consistent training program, ensuring every athlete receives optimal care. US clubs like Ridgefield Aquatic Club often invest in modern facilities, athlete tracking systems, and comprehensive development programs, from basic swimming skills to advanced competition skills. This creates an ideal environment for those passionate about swimming who want to pursue a coaching career. Compliance with legal and ethical regulations in coaching children is a key factor, helping maintain reputation and trust from the community. Employers emphasize the ability to work in teams, accept feedback, and communicate professionally, especially when interacting with parents. In this context, a Full-Time Assistant Coach can make significant contributions to the club’s development, from building a strong team to organizing community events. Salaries and benefits are designed to reflect the value of the position, encouraging long-term commitment from applicants. Activities like travel help expand experience, allowing participation in major competitions and learning from top coaches. The combination of professional responsibilities and supportive environment makes this position attractive.