FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Call for Applications for Middle School Team Coaches

Description: The Loppet Foundation is accepting applications for coaches for our middle school ski and bike teams. This is a part time position, but there are often opportunities for additional responsibilities within the Loppet Foundation for candidates interested in full time work. The coach is responsible for running 2-4 afterschool (2-6:30pm) practices a week, bringing their team to 10-15 weekend races a year and organizing 2 overnight training camp trips each year - one in the winter and one in the summer. Each middle school ski and bike team coach is also responsible for running at least one Minne-Loppet program each winter. This is an 8-week learn to ski curriculum given during gym class for 3-5th graders that ends with a trip to the Minne-Loppet race at the City of Lakes Loppet Festival. The coach will be posted to a Minne-Loppet school that feeds into their middle school as a way to create a developmental pipeline for students interested in skiing and biking. Our middle schools and their feeder school serve a diverse population on the North side of Minneapolis.

Qualifications: Applicants should have a Bachelor’s degree and have competed in some capacity as a cross-country ski racer and understand the basics of training endurance athletes. Applicants who raced at the collegiate level (NCAA, USSA or Club) are preferred. They must be comfortable communicating with a variety of people - including teachers, parents and students - and must be extremely well organized (middle schools are chaos). Applicants with previous experience coaching or working with children and adolescents are preferred. Additional preferred skills are: knowledge of bike and ski maintenance, spreadsheet proficiency, knowledge of biking, running and canoe technique, and Spanish language fluency. Applicants who have completed USSA Cross Country level 100 or 200 coaching certification are preferred, but the Loppet Foundation will provide opportunities for this training.

Applying: Send Cover Letter and Resume to: Anthony Taylor: [email protected]

This position will begin as soon as the preferred candidate is available, no later than July, 2016.