Athletic Development Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

HEAD COACH - ELITE YOUTH SPORTS & ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT

About UFIT

UFIT provides structured physical education, athletic development, sports instruction, social-emotional learning, and adaptive programming for children and young people throughout Los Angeles County.

Our programs are designed to improve students' physical abilities, confidence, discipline, teamwork, leadership, and overall engagement through purposeful sports instruction.

Position Overview

UFIT is seeking an experienced, high-caliber Head Coach to lead school-based and community youth sports programs.

The Head Coach is the site-level instructional and operational leader responsible for delivering high-quality athletic instruction, developing Assistant Coaches, protecting participant safety, maintaining professional school relationships, and ensuring accurate program documentation.

This is not a position for someone who simply supervises activities or runs recreational games. The Head Coach must be able to teach proper technique, demonstrate athletic skills, manage a coaching team, maintain an organized program, and produce measurable student development.

Core Responsibilities

Athletic Instruction and Student Development

• Lead structured sports, physical education, psychomotor-development, and athletic-development sessions.
• Teach proper technique, movement mechanics, coordination, conditioning, teamwork, and sport-specific fundamentals.
• Prepare organized lessons that include a clear objective, warm-up, demonstration, guided practice, skill progression, applied activity, and closing review.
• Break complex skills into age-appropriate teaching progressions.
• Correct technique and provide students with specific, constructive feedback.
• Maintain high student participation while minimizing unnecessary waiting or inactive time.
• Modify activities based on age, skill level, mobility, communication, sensory needs, and participant readiness.
• Track student engagement, skill development, and areas requiring additional instruction.

Site and Team Leadership

• Lead the daily staff huddle and clearly communicate the schedule, lesson objectives, assignments, safety expectations, and transitions.
• Assign Assistant Coaches to appropriate instructional groups, stations, and supervision areas.
• Model UFIT's instructional methods, professional standards, and participant-management practices.
• Observe Assistant Coaches and provide specific, measurable coaching and correction.
• Address performance concerns promptly and document repeated deficiencies.
• Develop Assistant Coaches into stronger instructors rather than allowing them to function only as activity monitors.
• Escalate serious attendance, safety, conduct, boundary, or performance concerns to UFIT management.

Safety and Program Operations

• Complete opening safety inspections of instructional areas, equipment, exits, surfaces, weather conditions, communication systems, and emergency resources.
• Maintain active supervision, accurate participant counts, safe transitions, and authorized participant-release procedures.
• Stop, modify, relocate, or pause an activity when it cannot be delivered safely.
• Respond appropriately to injuries, medical events, missing participants, behavioral escalations, and other emergencies.
• Follow all mandated-reporting, incident-reporting, participant-boundary, and confidentiality requirements.
• Maintain control of UFIT equipment, technology, keys, records, and program materials.
• Complete daily opening, program-delivery, and closeout responsibilities.

School and Partner Communication

• Maintain professional working relationships with principals, administrators, teachers, school personnel, families, and community partners.
• Communicate program updates, staffing concerns, safety issues, scheduling matters, and required follow-up.
• Receive concerns professionally without arguing, assigning blame, admitting liability, or making unauthorized commitments.
• Represent UFIT with professionalism, composure, reliability, and sound judgment.

Documentation and Accountability

• Record attendance and services accurately in UFIT Motion.
• Complete the Head Coach End-of-Day Report before clocking out.
• Document activities delivered, instructional objectives, student engagement, incidents, staffing concerns, coach performance, equipment issues, school communication, and follow-up actions.
• Submit incident reports immediately when required.
• Monitor staff attendance, punctuality, assigned work hours, missed punches, and coverage needs.
• Maintain objective, accurate, timely, and confidential records.

Performance Expectations

The Head Coach will be evaluated on:

• Quality and structure of athletic instruction
• Student engagement and demonstrated skill progression
• Participant safety and active supervision
• Reliability, punctuality, and attendance
• Assistant Coach performance and development
• Curriculum and program-plan compliance
• Accuracy and timeliness of UFIT Motion and EOD documentation
• School and partner satisfaction
• Equipment accountability
• Communication, professionalism, and follow-through
• Ability to identify problems and implement appropriate solutions

Required Coaching Background

Applicants must meet at least one of the following standards:

• NCAA Division I playing or coaching experience
• Professional or semi-professional athletic experience
• Collegiate coaching experience at a recognized NCAA, NAIA, or junior-college program
• Leadership experience with a highly competitive club, academy, travel, AAU, or development program
• Successful varsity-level coaching experience with documented championships, playoff advancement, athlete development, college placements, or comparable results
• A documented record of developing athletes who advanced to collegiate, national, or professional competition

Applicants should clearly identify the level at which they competed or coached and provide verifiable information regarding their coaching accomplishments.

Additional Qualifications

• At least three years of successful youth, scholastic, club, collegiate, or competitive coaching experience
• Experience leading or supervising other coaches, instructors, or athletic staff
• Demonstrated ability to teach athletic skills-not merely organize games or supervise participants
• Strong knowledge of athlete development, movement mechanics, practice organization, and progressive instruction
• Ability to coach children and young people with different experience levels and abilities
• Strong communication, leadership, organization, and conflict-resolution skills
• Ability to use a smartphone or tablet for attendance, documentation, and UFIT Motion reporting
• Reliable transportation to assigned Los Angeles County program locations
• Ability to work independently while following UFIT curriculum, policies, and management direction

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in kinesiology, physical education, exercise science, sports management, child development, education, or a related field
• Experience working in public, charter, private, or independent schools
• Experience coaching multiple sports or teaching foundational athletic movement
• Experience supporting adaptive or inclusive sports programs
• Bilingual English and Spanish communication skills

Employment Requirements

Selected candidates must successfully complete all UFIT employment and program requirements, which may include:

• Criminal background clearance and Live Scan paid for by applicant
• Verification of employment eligibility
• CPR, First Aid, and AED certification
• Mandated-reporter training
• Tuberculosis clearance when required
• UFIT Head Coach training and competency assessments
• Successful practical coaching evaluation
• Satisfactory trial and observation period
• Written approval before independent Head Coach placement

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate has competed or coached at a high level but also understands that elite athletic experience alone does not automatically make someone an effective youth coach.

UFIT is seeking a leader who can translate advanced sports knowledge into safe, engaging, developmentally appropriate instruction while developing staff, building relationships, maintaining accountability, and helping students progress.