Head Coach Varsity Offshore Sailing Team

Head Coach, Offshore Sailing

The Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA), founded in 1891, is a nonprofit organization whose objective is to "promote, influence, and assist in financing the varsity athletic programs of the midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy" in accordance with the policy of the Superintendent of the Academy. Through an intercollegiate athletics program that is one of the largest in the country, every midshipman is afforded the opportunity to compete in athletics at the Division I level. The emphasis on physical fitness is borne out in the first line of the mission of the U.S. Naval Academy: To develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically.

Summary

The Head Coach is responsible for the coaching, operations, and administration of all aspects of the competitive offshore sailing program within the policies and procedures of the Naval Academy and Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA).

Offshore Sailing practices and competes during the fall, spring and summer seasons. With a proven 50-year record of winning, the Naval Academy has the largest collegiate offshore sailing fleet in the United States, hosting several Intercollegiate big boat regattas.  During the summer, Offshore Sailing focuses on the major east coast ocean races, as well as nationally recognized regattas such as New York Yacht Club’s Race Week at Newport and Block Island Race Week. Additionally, Offshore Sailing represents the Naval Academy at international events.

In addition to winning championships and regattas, Offshore Sailing is a cornerstone for small unit teamwork and leadership development at the Naval Academy.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Performs coaching duties as follows:

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

  • Creates a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and leadership consistent with the Naval Academy’s mission.

  • Develops the necessary training material, leads classroom and on-water practice sessions to advance and refine the skills and teamwork necessary to instruct and develop novice sailors to race and win inshore buoy and offshore distance races.
    

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

  • Identifies and troubleshoots maintenance and safety concerns including rigging, mechanical, and electrical. Works closely with the maintenance team and Naval Academy Waterfront to ensure boats and equipment are safely maintained.

  • Assures boats are race ready including maintenance, current rating certificates, race inspections complete, and boats have proper loadout.

  • Qualifies and serves as Officer-in-Charge/Safety Officer aboard midshipmen-crewed boats.

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

  • Performs planning and scheduling duties as follows:

  • Provides the vision and strategic goals for Offshore Sailing.

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

  • Coordinates fall and spring season team travel arrangements and the summer racing schedule with the Director of Competitive Sailing and NAAA. 

• Performs administrative duties as follows:

  • Supervises and assigns responsibilities to assistant coaches, assigned support staff, and approximately 20 volunteers; evaluates their performance.

  • Manages and coordinates with NAAA, assistant coach recruiting, onboarding, performance management and professional development.  Approves assistant coach time off and leave.

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

  • Tracks recurring qualification status of all team members, coaches and volunteers, ensuring up-to-date qualifications and administering exams as required.

• Performs budgetary duties as follows:

  • Works with the Director of Competitive Sailing and NAAA to prepare Offshore Sailing’s annual budget.

  • Reviews monthly budget summaries and operates within the framework of a balanced budget.

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

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

  • Prioritizes requests for all Offshore Sailing NAAA Sustainment Funds expenditures.

• Performs outreach and fundraising duties as follows:

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

  • Supervises team social media posts.

  • Works with the NAAA Development staff to actively promote the Sailing Sustainment and Sailing Excellence funds.

  • Coordinates with the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation (NASF) regarding potential sailboat donations as well as the maintenance and upkeep of current NASF assets on charter.

• Performs miscellaneous duties, as required:

  • Serves on NAAA and Naval Academy committees.

  • Serves on national and local sailing committees/councils.

  • Special projects and duties as assigned by the Director of Athletics and/or Director of Competitive Sailing.

• Performs other duties as assigned
  

Qualifications

• Experience, Education, & Certification(s)

  • Bachelor’s degree required.

  • 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, day and night.

  • Significant 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.

  • Able to handle 16-30’ single and twin outboard-powered coach boats.

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

  • Use of emerging technology in support of sailboat coaching and racing.

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

  • Three years’ experience coaching a competitive team, preferably offshore boats.

• Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

  • Sound seamanship judgement and skills.

  • Effective verbal and written communication skills.

  • Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.

  • Proven time management skills with an ability to meet deadlines.

  • Keen organizational skills and attention to detail.

  • Strong analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving skills.

  • Ability to function well in a fast-paced and demanding environment.

  • Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace Software.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

• Must be eligible to work in the United States of America, without sponsorship.

• Must be eligible to work on a military installation, including a willingness to submit to a background screen.

• Must possess a valid driver’s license.

• This is an in-person position. 

Work Conditions/Physical Requirements

• 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 1000-1930, Monday-Friday, during the fall and spring seasons, 0900-1700 during the winter and summer season when not traveling.

• 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 travel to remote regattas.

• Required to obtain Navy small boat “B” qualification, offshore “D” qualification and Navy motorboat qualification within 6 months of hire.

Travel

• As necessary for sailing competitions.  This will involve overnight trips and significant summer travel.

The NAAA Featured Benefits

• Medical 

• Dental

• Vision

• 403(b) retirement plan 

• Paid holidays

• Paid accrued vacation and sick days

• NAAA paid life/AD&D insurance

Application Process

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

• Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Disclaimer Statement

This position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.