Head Coach Varsity Offshore Sailing Team

Head Coach Varsity Offshore Sailing Team (VOST)

Reports To: Director of Athletics

Supervised By: Senior Associate Director of Athletics

Coordinates With: Director, Naval Academy Sailing (DNAS)

Head Coach Varsity Offshore Sailing Team (VOST)

Reports To: Director of Athletics

Supervised By: Senior Associate Director of Athletics

Coordinates With: Director, Naval Academy Sailing (DNAS)

Positions Directly Supervised: VOST Assistant Coaches

VOST Volunteer Coaches

Introduction

This position is located at the Robert Crown Sailing Center, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. The Head Coach of VOST is responsible for the coaching, operations, and administration of all phases of the competitive offshore sailing program within the policies and procedures of the Naval Academy and Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA).

VOST practices and competes during the fall, spring and summer seasons. With a proven 50-year record of winning, the Naval Academy has the largest offshore sailing training fleet for collegiate sailing in the United States, hosting many of intercollegiate sailing’s big boat regattas. During the summer, VOST focuses on the major East Coast and Great Lakes distance races, as well as nationally recognized regattas such as New York Yacht Club, Marblehead and Edgartown Race Weeks. Additionally, VOST represents the Naval Academy at national and world level regattas both domestically and internationally.

The Head Coach will execute the Naval Academy leadership’s vision to be the most successful collegiate offshore sailing program in the world. They will be instrumental in developing a roadmap to expand the reach of VOST across the Brigade of Midshipman, increasing the opportunity to race offshore to include returning to the Transatlantic and Fastnet Races. In addition to winning championships and regattas, VOST will be a cornerstone for small unit teamwork and leadership development at the Naval Academy, with further extension to the greater U.S. Navy and beyond.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Performs coaching duties, as follows:

2. Developing the necessary training and media material, leads classroom and on-water practice and training sessions to advance and refine the skills and teamwork necessary to sail and win inshore buoy and offshore distance races.

3. Serves as a positive role model, mentor and teacher for team members, as well as assistant and volunteer coaches.

4. Monitors and promotes the academic success and personal growth of the team’s student-athletes in partnership with Naval Academy and NAAA staff.

5. Promotes and instills a culture of safety and professionalism within the team. In partnership with the Vanderstar Chair, Navy Sailing’s safety advisor to DNAS, ensures the safety of coaches, team members and volunteers.

6. Identifies and troubleshoots maintenance and safety concerns, to include rigging, mechanical and electrical. Works closely with the Naval Academy’s Waterfront Readiness Department, Cutter Shed, Small Craft Repair Facility and Sail Loft, to ensure vessels, equipment, and facilities are safely maintained.

7. Serves as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) aboard midshipmen-crewed boats.

8. Performs planning and scheduling duties as follows:

9. Provides strategic goals and vision for VOST.

10. Develops, plans and coordinates logistics for Naval Academy-hosted intercollegiate big boat regattas.

11. Attends Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association meetings for fall and spring event scheduling.

12. Coordinates fall and spring season team travel arrangements with the NAAA Senior Associate Athletic Director for Scheduling & Team Support office.

13. Coordinates summer sailing events with DNAS. VOST’s summer logistics and travel arrangements shift to the Naval Academy’s Division of Professional Development. Regatta fees such as entry, measurement certification and insurance remain under NAAA/VOST funding responsibility and budget.

14. Performs administrative duties, as follows:

15. Supervises and assigns responsibilities to assistant coaches and volunteers; evaluates their performance.

16. Manages and coordinates with NAAA Human Resources and the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation (NASF), assistant coach lifecycles from resource planning, to recruiting, onboarding, performance management and professional development. Approves assistant coach time off and leave.

17. Recruits and screens volunteer coaches in accordance with prescribed policies and procedures. Ensures all volunteers have completed NAAA-mandated training.

18. Tracks recurring exam/qualification status of all VOST team members, coaches and volunteers, ensuring up to date qualifications and administering exams as required.

19. Performs budgetary duties as follows:

20. Works with DNAS and the Assistant Director of Athletics for Business Affairs to prepare VOST’s annual budget.

21. Reviews monthly budget summary and operates within the framework of a balanced budget.

22. Apprises the NAAA Business Office of all expenditures and commitments to ensure funds are available.

23. Adheres to all procedures relative to purchasing and travel expenditures, accounting for all funding and final settlements.

24. Approves all VOST Sailing NAAA Blue & Gold Fund expenditures.

25. Performs outreach and fundraising duties as follows:

26. Communicates with alumni and Friends of Navy Sailing (FONS) on team activities and scheduled events.

27. Supervises team social media posts.

28. Works with the NAAA Development Office and the Naval Academy Alumni Association Foundation to actively promote respectively, the “Blue & Gold Sailing (Offshore)” and “Sailing Margin of Excellence” funds, monitoring fundraising goals and amounts.

29. Coordinates with NASF regarding potential sailboat donations as well as the maintenance and upkeep of current NASF assets on charter.

30. Performs miscellaneous duties, as required:

31. Serves on NAAA and Naval Academy committees.

32. Serves on national and local sailing committees/councils.

33. Special projects and duties as assigned by the Director of Athletics and/or DNAS.

34. Serves as a staff member of a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sanctioned athletics program. While VOST is not an NCAA sport, the Naval Academy and NAAA adheres to NCAA regulations for all sports programs. The incumbent understands that NCAA rules and regulations must be followed and strictly adhered to. Maintains an understanding and awareness of applicable NCAA rules via annual compliance briefs and the NCAA Manual. Immediately notifies the NAAA Compliance Office if a potential violation of NCAA rules is observed.

Knowledge Required for the Position

The applicant must have experience working in a coaching environment as well as extensive experience sailing aboard both small and large keelboats (20-50+ feet) with various rig configurations (symmetric and asymmetric spinnakers, overlapping headsails, sprit and conventional spinnaker pole setups) in both inshore buoy racing as well as multi-day distance racing on coastal and offshore waters in a variety of weather conditions. Applicant must possess strong leadership, organization and training skills.

1. Minimum qualifications include:

2. Extensive offshore sailing experience. Successfully competed on the international and national level in a variety of classes, including participation in large yachts in open ocean races.

3. Proficiency and extensive experience teaching and/or coaching:

• Helming (wheel and tiller)

• Sail trim

• Sail and boat handling mechanics

• Use of boat systems (electronic instrumentation, rigging, winches and rope)

• Navigation/piloting (manual and electronic)

• Contact management

• Heavy weather sailing

• Powerboat operations

1. Ability to race, teach and train aboard the Colgate 26, Navy 44, J/105, Farr 40, J/133, Custom 50-66 footers, and others of similar type. Able to handle 16-30’ single and twin outboard-powered coach boats.

2. Capable of exhibiting sound seamanship and judgement and the ability to operate and teach from the above boats in a wide variety of locations and under difficult weather conditions, both day and night.

3. Computer skills to include knowledge of the Google suite of programs and Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

4. Able to lift 50 lbs. and pass a physical exam and swim test.

5. Successfully pass a U.S. Government background check.

6. Sign and commit to Naval Academy and NAAA Standards of Conduct Statements.

7. Preferred qualifications include:

8. U.S. Sailing Basic Keelboat Instructor Certification.

9. U.S. Sailing Coastal Navigation Certification.

10. U.S. Sailing Bareboat Cruising Certification.

11. U.S. Sailing Powerboat Certification.

12. Experience in teaching at all levels from novice to advanced sailors.

13. Use of developing technology in support of sailboat coaching and racing.

14. Experience in public speaking to groups of college age adults and older.

15. At least three years’ experience coaching a competitive college racing team, preferably in offshore boats.

16. Previous Head Coaching experience in a comparable program.

Work Environment

Work is performed indoors and outdoors in a marine environment and requires extensive lifting, climbing, and handling of heavy equipment. May be required to work aloft in adverse weather conditions and be subject to associated hazards. Work is physically demanding and requires excellent physical conditioning, agility, and endurance. Daily hours are generally 0930-1900, Monday-Friday, during the fall and spring. Position routinely requires work on weekends (predominantly in the fall) and extended time underway away from the local area during summer months, as well as occasional travel to remote location regattas.

Application Process

• Qualified applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and 3 professional references

• Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

• The NAAA is an Equal Opportunity Employer