The Vikings are a summer swim team based in West Springfield near the intersection of Rolling Road and Old Keene Mill. Across all programs, we have about 155 swimmers, including year-round swimmers, longtime summer swimmers, and younger swimmers just getting their feet wet in our beginner programs. In 2024, about 93 of our swimmers competed in NVSL Division 16.
While the Vikings do love winning, what we value more in our coaches are those who will
- enthusiastically encourage swimmer participation, effort, and progress
- foster supportive and healthy relationships among coaching staff, among swimmers, and between coaches and swimmers
- encourage and demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times
- encourage healthy competition, while emphasizing teamwork and team spirit
- demonstrated leadership, communication, and organizational skills
- a commitment to fostering a positive team culture and promoting good sportsmanship
The Head Coach will work with a team that includes an Assistant Coach and 2-3 junior coaches.
Applicants need to be available for pre-season planning (starting in mid-April) through the Divisionals meet on Saturday, July 19. Once practices begin, there are coaching responsibilities six days a week.
Required Qualifications
- Competitive swimming experience
- Certified in CPR/First Aid
- Certified in Lifeguard/Water Safety
- Certified Pool Operator (The Vikings are willing to pay for a CPO certification if you don’t have it.)
Responsibilities
- Plan and Organize all Vikings meets and practices..
- Attend all meets and meet warmups.
- Time trials
- Five official NVSL “A” meets
- Four developmental “B” meets
- IM carnival meet
- Relay carnival meet
- Divisional meet
- Provide stroke and turn instruction and feedback to swimmers for all strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly).
- Provide start and finish instruction.
- Attend setup/breakdown of home meets.
- Assist in reviewing meet performance with the team during the following week.
- Assist in addressing disqualifications and help swimmers so as to enable correction.
- Attend team social events, including the end of season awards banquet (about one event per week).
- Participate in an end of season review.
How to apply: To apply, please email your resume, cover letter, and personal references to villagewestvikings@gmail.com. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply soon, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until a selection is made.