Youth Sports Associate - All Locations

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Youth Sports Associate helps create a safe, welcoming, and positive sports experience for children and families at the Woodson YMCA for both our Wausau and Aspirus branches. This team member supports practices, games, clinics, camps, and special events; teaches age-appropriate fundamentals; encourages teamwork and sportsmanship; and helps maintain clean, organized program spaces. The ideal candidate is energetic, dependable, confident working with youth, and committed to the YMCA core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Youth Engagement and Program Delivery
•    Welcome participants and families, confirm attendance, and help children feel included and ready to participate.
•    Lead or assist with age-appropriate drills, skill instruction, practices, games, clinics, camps, and special events.
•    Explain activities clearly and adapt instruction for different ages, experience levels, abilities, and learning needs.
•    Serve as a coach, official, scorekeeper, timekeeper, or program assistant as assigned and trained while modeling sportsmanship, teamwork, confidence, and respect.

Safety and Supervision
•    Provide active, attentive supervision and maintain appropriate staff-to-participant coverage throughout programs.
•    Inspect playing areas and equipment before use; promptly correct or report unsafe conditions.
•    Enforce program rules, YMCA policies, emergency procedures, and appropriate participant behavior consistently; respond calmly to injuries, incidents, weather changes, and emergencies.
•    Follow all child-abuse prevention, mandated-reporting, confidentiality, and participant-protection practices without exception.

Program Operations
•    Set up and take down fields, courts, goals, cones, scoreboards, and other equipment before and after activities.
•    Maintain accurate attendance, scores, equipment records, and incident or accident documentation as assigned.
•    Keep program areas and storage spaces clean and organized, and report equipment, maintenance, staffing, or schedule concerns promptly.

Family and Member Experience
•    Provide friendly, professional service and communicate program expectations, schedules, and basic information clearly.
•    Listen to questions or concerns, resolve routine issues within established guidelines, and involve a supervisor when needed.
•    Create an inclusive environment in which every participant and family is treated with dignity, patience, and respect.

Team Contribution
•    Arrive on time, prepared, and in the required attire for each assigned shift.
•    Attend required meetings and trainings, maintain required certifications, and work cooperatively with staff and volunteers to support safe and successful programs.
 

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Required
•    Meets the minimum age requirement for assigned programs; applicants under age 18 may be limited to duties permitted by law and YMCA policy.
•    Demonstrated ability to work positively and patiently with children and families.
•    Basic knowledge of youth sports, with a willingness to learn YMCA rules, teaching methods, and program procedures.
•    Clear communication, sound judgment, dependable attendance, and the ability to remain calm in a busy program environment.
•    Ability to complete required screening, reference checks, and youth-protection training before working independently with participants.

Preferred
•    Previous experience coaching, officiating, teaching, supervising children, or supporting recreation programs.
•    High school diploma or equivalent and familiarity with one or more youth sports offered by the Woodson YMCA; current high school or college students with relevant experience are encouraged to apply.

Certifications and Training
•    Current CPR/AED and First Aid certification, or the ability to obtain it within the timeframe established by the Woodson YMCA.
•    Completion of required YMCA orientation, child-abuse prevention, emergency-procedure, sport-specific, and assignment-specific training.

Core Competencies
•    Youth-focused leadership: Builds confidence, belonging, and skill through encouragement and clear expectations.
•    Safety awareness: Anticipates risks, follows procedures, and responds appropriately when concerns arise.
•    Communication: Shares information clearly and treats participants, families, staff, and volunteers respectfully.
•    Reliability: Arrives prepared, follows through on commitments, and communicates conflicts as early as possible.
•    Inclusion and teamwork: Welcomes differences, supports coworkers, and contributes to a positive YMCA culture