Head Coach: Softball

JOB DESCRIPTION

PRINCIPIA COLLEGE Position Description

Elsah, Illinois

Department/Location: Crafton Athletic Center/Elsah

Organizational Relationships: Reports to Director of Athletics

Summary: Manages the intercollegiate women’s Softball program in accord with NCAA, conference, and Principia College rules; conducts a recruiting/student enrollment program; effectively works with students in balancing their academic/athletic responsibilities; fully participates in professional advancement.

• Work Performed - Essential Duties:

Manages the intercollegiate women’s Softball program in accord with NCAA, conference, and Principia College rules:

• Identifies and recruits talented athletes in traditional and non-traditional markets.
• Develops in-season/out of season programs
• Develops effective technical/skill, and strategic/tactical content of program
• Recruits, develops, and evaluates assistant coaches

• Develops game and/or practice/training plans
• Supervises equipment-issue, recovery, and inventory
• Makes recommendations to the Athletics Director annually regarding budget, equipment, and facility needs
• Works with Athletics Director to develop playing schedule
• Coordinates home game management, including stats
• Makes away game travel arrangements
• Coordinates with Athletics Director, Alumni Office, and Advancement teams to develop and maintain appropriate relations with alumni and the community
• Adheres to NCAA, conference and Principia College rules and expectations, and addresses any violations relating to sportsmanship and ethical conduct by student-athletes or coaches
• Communicates any violations or incidents to the Athletics Director promptly
• Prepares accurate posting of all sport information data
• Including committee assignments and administrative duties such as event management, assistant coaching…
• Prepares and maintains the softball field/facility for practices and games in season as well as out of season needs.

Conducts a recruiting/student enrollment program:

• Develops programs (camps, clinics, showcases) to attract high school student-athletes to campus.
• Establishes consistent communications with prospective athletes via phone calls, e-mail, letters, all allowable means of social media contact and home visits
• Chronicles all contact in appropriate CRM
• Coordinates visits of potential athletes to campus with Admissions Office
• Develops a recruiting process/timeline working with Admissions Office, athletic department

• Strives diligently to recruit quality athletes, and enough of them, to sustain the program each year.
• Develops a specific student-athlete retention program

Effectively works with students in balancing their academic/athletic responsibilities:

• Is aware of the academic calendar, knows when midterms and finals fall, schedules games and practices accordingly.
• Is aware of academic support services in place for students and helps connect students to appropriate services
• Prepares a letter for students to give to their professors alerting them to classes missed in order to represent Principia in their sport.
• Monitors progress of and works with athletes who are experiencing academic or social difficulty, and ensures that study and progress is not compromised by athletic activity
• Advises Athletics Director of any/all issues pertaining to individual student challenges/problems

• Ensures that students in the program are encouraged to exemplify the high standards of Principia and takes corrective action, if appropriate
• Conducts end-of-season meetings with athletes
• Provides an effective forum for “exit” interviews with senior athletes

Fully participates in professional advancement:

• Attends professional clinics and conferences
• Keeps current in field/sport by appropriate means available in print, electronically, or in person
• Joins and contributes to professional organizations (i.e. serving on committees [conference, NCAA], holding office, and writing for periodicals)
• Makes continuous progress in obtaining an advanced degree

To perform this job successfully, a coach should demonstrate the following competencies/standards for excellence in coaching:

• Acumen – Proficiency (talent, ability, aptitude); Expertise (expert skill, knowledge)
• People Skills – Ability to communicate (listening and relating); Relationship building (trust)
  • Recognizes that the department functions as a team in support of the whole of athletics
• Conceptual Skills –Vision (direction and meaning); Initiative (innovation and learning)
• Track Record – Experience; Consistency (pattern of success)
• Discretion – Evaluate strengths and weaknesses (candor); Attract talent (recruiting)
• Judgment – Confidence (self-reliance, assurance, boldness); Composure (poise in the moment)
• Character – Modeling the way; Professionalism (behavior, appropriate conduct)
• Oral and Written Communication

Minimum Qualifications:

• Active (or pending) membership in the First Church of Christ, Scientist and/or in a Journal-listed branch church or society of the First Church of Christ, Scientist
• Christian Science class instruction preferred, but not required
• Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s preferred and/or working toward appropriate certification from your sport’s national governing body
• Three-five years’ progressive collegiate coaching experience, head coach experience preferred—will consider recent experience at high school, amateur, or professional levels
• Demonstrated knowledge of current softball coaching methodology and current rules for your sport or becoming certified to officiate your sport
• Ability to couple vision and initiative with experience and consistency to effectively manage the intercollegiate women’s softball program.
• Ability to be an effective, professional role model for students
• Demonstrated knowledge and support of Principia policies
• Demonstrated ability to recognize and recruit talent

• The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed but are not to be seen as a complete list of responsibilities and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer. Additionally, they do not establish a contract for employment; all candidates for this position will be evaluated against the Athletics Department Standards for Excellence in Coaching.

Classification according to FLSA standards: EXEMPT