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
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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.
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Serves as a positive role model, mentor and teacher for team members, as well as assistant and volunteer coaches.
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Monitors and promotes the academic success and personal growth of the team’s student-athletes in partnership with Naval Academy and NAAA staff.
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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.
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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.
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Serves as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) aboard midshipmen-crewed boats.
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Provides strategic goals and vision for VOST.
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Develops, plans and coordinates logistics for Naval Academy-hosted intercollegiate big boat regattas.
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Attends Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association meetings for fall and spring event scheduling.
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Coordinates fall and spring season team travel arrangements with the NAAA Senior Associate Athletic Director for Scheduling & Team Support office.
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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.
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Supervises and assigns responsibilities to assistant coaches and volunteers; evaluates their performance.
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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.
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Recruits and screens volunteer coaches in accordance with prescribed policies and procedures. Ensures all volunteers have completed NAAA-mandated training.
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Tracks recurring exam/qualification status of all VOST team members, coaches and volunteers, ensuring up to date qualifications and administering exams as required.
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Works with DNAS and the Assistant Director of Athletics for Business Affairs to prepare VOST’s annual budget.
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Reviews monthly budget summary and operates within the framework of a balanced budget.
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Apprises the NAAA Business Office of all expenditures and commitments to ensure funds are available.
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Adheres to all procedures relative to purchasing and travel expenditures, accounting for all funding and final settlements.
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Approves all VOST Sailing NAAA Blue & Gold Fund expenditures.
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Communicates with alumni and Friends of Navy Sailing (FONS) on team activities and scheduled events.
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Supervises team social media posts.
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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.
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Coordinates with NASF regarding potential sailboat donations as well as the maintenance and upkeep of current NASF assets on charter.
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Serves on NAAA and Naval Academy committees.
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Serves on national and local sailing committees/councils.
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Special projects and duties as assigned by the Director of Athletics and/or DNAS.
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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.