Sports Instructor Do you love sports and working with kids? The Summit Area YMCA is looking for enthusiastic Sports Instructors to lead fun, engaging, and safe sports programs for children and youth. Whether you're teaching basketball, soccer, T-ball, tennis, football, boxing, or another sport, you'll help children build confidence, develop new skills, and discover a lifelong love of being active. Every class is an opportunity to create a positive experience while modeling the YMCA's core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. You Might Be The Right Fit If: You bring energy, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude to every class. You connect easily with children and know how to make learning fun. You believe in building confidence through encouragement and teamwork. You're dependable, patient, and adaptable to different ages and skill levels. You take safety seriously while creating an engaging learning environment. You value inclusion and ensure every participant feels welcome, supported, and successful.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead engaging sports classes that promote skill development, teamwork, and confidence.
Teach sport-specific skills while emphasizing respect, fairness, and good sportsmanship.
Create a safe, positive, and inclusive environment where every participant can succeed.
Actively supervise and engage with participants throughout each class by demonstrating skills, providing encouragement, and keeping children actively involved.
Set up, maintain, and properly store sports equipment before and after programs.
Build positive relationships with participants, parents, volunteers, and fellow staff.
Follow YMCA policies and safety procedures and respond appropriately to incidents or concerns.
Serve as a positive role model and ambassador for the YMCA by supporting our mission of Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility while providing exceptional customer service.
Schedule:
This is a part-time position working up to 25 hours per week at the Summit YMCA, Berkeley Heights YMCA, or one of our offsite program locations. Teaching opportunities are available for basketball, soccer, T-ball, tennis, football, boxing, and other seasonal youth sports programs. Most classes are held on weekday afternoons and evenings, as well as weekends. Typical class times are between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM, with additional opportunities based on program offerings and participant enrollment.
Salary & Benefits:
The pay range for this position is $17.00–$20.00 per hour, based on experience.
Part-time employees enjoy a variety of YMCA benefits, including:
- Free YMCA membership
- Discounted YMCA family membership
- Professional training and development opportunities 12% YMCA retirement contribution upon eligibility
At the Summit Area YMCA, we are committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation. Our main purpose is to strengthen community. Every day, we work side-by-side with our neighbors to make sure that everyone can reach their full potential, and we strive to live our cause with purpose every day. No matter who you are or where you're from, we believe that we're stronger when we come together.
Qualifications:
Minimum age of 16 years old.
Experience participating in, coaching, or teaching one or more youth sports preferred.
Experience working with children in a recreational, educational, or coaching environment preferred.
Ability to effectively teach age-appropriate sports skills while maintaining participant engagement and safety.
Strong communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to actively participate in instruction, including standing, walking, running, demonstrating skills, and lifting or moving sports equipment as needed.
High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent preferred.
CPR/AED & First Aid certified (or ability to obtain within three months).About the Summit Area YMCA:We were founded as the Young Men's Christian Association in 1886, but today, we are The Y. An association that values, and is made stronger by, its diverse people. Each year, the Summit Area YMCA serves more than 15,000 individuals with our free and fee-based programs and services in an area spanning the New Jersey communities of Berkeley Heights, Gillette, Millburn, New Providence, Short Hills, Springfield, Stirling, and Summit. Our history is rooted in working side-by-side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income and background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. We are committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. When it comes to our employees, we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive culture in which our four core values — responsibility, honesty, caring and respect — are integral to everyday operations.
