Ridgefield Aquatic Club (RAC) Seeks Full-Time Assistant Coach with Annual Salary of $49,000–$55,000

Ridgefield Aquatic Club (RAC) has announced the recruitment of a full-time assistant coach position, marking a notable expansion of staff in the context of the American swimming community facing increasingly fierce competition for quality coaching talent. According to official information posted on specialized sports recruitment platforms, RAC is seeking a candidate with experience, strong collaborative skills, solid technical knowledge, sound judgment, and a commitment to long-term athlete development. This is a significant position within the club's staffing system, especially as swimming clubs in the United States face challenges in recruiting highly qualified coaching professionals. RAC is a private, nonprofit, coach-led and parent-supported year-round swimming club serving athletes from pre-competitive development through national-level training. The club competes within Connecticut Swimming, one of the prominent swimming associations in the Northeast United States. The attractive compensation package for this position ranges from $49,000 to $55,000 annually, based on the candidate's experience and qualifications. Beyond the base salary, selected candidates have the opportunity to earn performance bonuses of up to $5,000. Additional benefits include an annual health insurance stipend of $5,250, phone allowance of $1,200 per year, annual retirement contribution of $1,000, and 14 paid vacation days. The club also commits to reimbursing approved travel expenses. Regarding schedule, the position requires presence during weekday afternoons and evenings, meets, weekends, travel, and regular administrative hours. The start date will be mutually agreed upon as soon as possible. Among the primary responsibilities, candidates are expected to lead assigned competitive groups and support other groups as needed. Developing seasonal and daily training plans emphasizing technique, age-appropriate progression, racing skills, physical literacy, and the USA Swimming American Development Model are core requirements. Additionally, candidates must create a safe, positive, disciplined, and motivating environment for athletes of varying ages and abilities. Attending practices, meets, championship competitions, team events, staff meetings, and professional development activities are also part of the role. On administrative and professional matters, candidates will support meet selection, eligibility review, entries, relay assignments, travel planning, deck assignments, and post-meet follow-up. Tracking attendance, athlete progress, goals, and coaching observations are important responsibilities. Professional communication with athletes and families through approved team channels is mandatory. Particularly, candidates must comply with USA Swimming Safe Sport requirements, MAAPP, the USA Swimming Safe Sport Code, and RAC policies. Collaboration with the Head Coach and group leads to maintain consistent curriculum, expectations, and group transitions is also an essential part of the job. Candidates must meet several mandatory requirements, including prior competitive swimming coaching experience and demonstrated ability to teach stroke technique and racing skills. USA Swimming coach membership in good standing or the ability to satisfy all applicable membership and safety requirements before athlete contact is also a prerequisite. Furthermore, candidates need strong written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal skills. The ability to work collaboratively, accept feedback, exercise sound judgment, and communicate appropriately with minors and families are also important criteria. Availability for evenings, weekends, championship meets, and occasional travel is required. Regarding preferred qualifications, experience leading an age-group or senior training group within a USA Swimming club is a significant advantage. Education from USA Swimming University, American Development Model education, ASCA coursework, or comparable professional development is also highly valued. Experience with meet-entry and team-management systems, athlete tracking, and parent communications is a plus. A college degree in coaching, education, kinesiology, sport management, or a related field is an additional advantage. According to industry expert analysis, the $49,000–$55,000 starting salary at RAC is competitive compared to the general standard for medium-sized private swimming clubs in the Northeast United States. However, the differentiator lies in the comprehensive benefits package with an estimated total value of up to $57,450 when including base salary, maximum performance bonus, health insurance stipend, phone allowance, and retirement contribution. For candidates with advanced professional qualifications, actual income can reach up to $60,000 annually when factoring in performance bonuses, a competitive figure in the context of the swimming coaching industry in the United States facing a severe talent shortage. RAC affirms this is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations for the application and interview process will be provided upon request. Interested candidates should send their resume and cover letter to Head Coach/CEO Emmanuel Lanzo via the address provided by the club. The recruitment process is expected to take place over the next few weeks with interview rounds and professional assessments. This is considered a notable career opportunity for experienced swimming coaches seeking a stable position at a reputable club in the United States, especially in the context of the American sports industry trending toward stronger investment in coaching personnel quality following recent years of volatility.