Head Coach

Contract Type:                  Casual, Self-Employed

Qualifications:                   Artistic Swimming Coach Level 2

Working Hours:                 Part time – up to 5 hours per week, 44 weeks per year.
3 hours poolside + up to 2 hours towards event attendance / planning

Location:                              Nottingham (training is currently held at Nottingham High School Pool, Tuesday 7-9pm and Thursday 8:15 – 9:15pm)

Salary:                                   £16 per hour

About the Club:

The Green Arrows Artistic Swimming Club is recruiting a new Head Coach.  Green Arrows is an artistic swimming club, founded in 1971.  The club currently has approximately 18 members training 2 to 3 hours per week with capacity for 36.  Members range in age from 9 to 18, novice swimmers to Grade 3.

The club prides itself on providing a friendly, fun and inclusive environment for its swimmers.  We offer swimmers opportunities to develop their artistic swimming skills and take part in in-house, regional, and national competitions.

About the Role:

We are looking for a new Head Coach to work with a new Committee to build on the club’s significant legacy.  The club hosts the Robin Hood Combo Routine Competition annually, in 2024 this competition will be in its 30th year.  This is a great opportunity for our new Head Coach to showcase the club and the sport, you will:

  • Lead and manage the Club’s team of coaches and poolside helpers to provide an effective, progressive and inclusive training environment for all the Club’s swimmers.
  • Work with the committee to support the recruitment and retention of coaches as well as the development of new coaching talent.
  • Prepare an appropriate training programme for all levels and undertake a regular review to ensure the programme is effective and engaging for the swimmers.
  • Ensure all swimmers receive regular feedback to support their development and progress.
  • Coach artistic swimming sessions and work with coaches and swimmers to choreograph routines for all teams.
  • Work with the Committee to develop a competition schedule for the Club.
  • Assess the development of swimmers and build in house and regionally / nationally competitive teams in all age groups.
  • Work with the Committee as required to ensure both the smooth running of the Club and encourage its future development.

About You:

You will have an enthusiasm for the sport and an ability to inspire and motivate others.

You will be approachable for all those involved with the club, swimmers and parents.

You will adhere to all Swim England’s Wavepower and Club policies concerning the safeguarding and welfare of children.

You will maintain all the necessary safety / coaching qualifications.

Hold a Swim England Artistic Swimming Coach Level 2 coaching certificate.

Possess good organisational and communication skills.

Be approachable for all those involved with the Club; swimmers, parents, coaches and Committee.

The Committee is open to the possibility of the position being a job share or supporting an experienced Level 1 Artistic Swimming Coach through their Level 2 Qualification.

How to apply:

Please send a short covering letter and a copy of your CV to greenarrowsnottingham@gmail.com

From Swimmer to Coach

Livvy

When I started synchro back in 1995 I will admit I wasn’t very good and thought how on earth am I going to keep this up, but with support from my friends I kept it up. I found it such a challenge but still enjoyed it! I kept it up and by May 1996, I had passed grade 2, so I was chuffed!

In 2000, I was put in the team (big step for me as we only had one team back then!) so I was excited but also very nervous. Then in 2001, I won my first ever gold medal in the duet section! A lot of my friends didn’t realise (and still don’t now) how hard synchro really is until they came to see me.

From there, I progressed fairly well swimming in duets and teams, we did solos back then too! I found I really had a passion for it and dedicated myself to the club. I have been voted team captain 5 times and I supported the team in every way I could.

Then, in 2014, I decided it was time to give up the swimming and stayed on to coach. After winning a silver medal in masters and the gold in group 3 club competition, I went out on a high!

Since then, I’ve found myself loving synchro even more, coaching the 12 and under duet in 2015, the 12 and under team and 13/14 duet in 2016 – both winning medals!

Passing on my experience to the girls while also making up the routines is brill. I can see it now from both a swimmer’s and a coach’s point of view which makes such a big difference. It’s such a great feeling when I see my girls swim their hearts out and put everything into the routines!

Keep up the hard work girls! You’re all fab, you all make us coaches very proud.

I can’t wait for next year and to create the new routines!