A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Department Summary
Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services (SAAS) is a student-centered unit within the Division of Student Life whose work is guided by best-practice standards and interventions utilizing a multidimensional model of student well-being. SAAS oversees four key resources; Academic Support and Access Partnerships (ASAP), Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), Adaptive Sports and Fitness (ASF), & Testing Accommodation Centers, and is committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility by providing support services, advocacy and academic accommodations to students with disabilities. SAAS is strongly committed to outreach services to the academic community at large, and promoting awareness of disability issues, and providing support for equal access for all students. SAAS is a partner to students, faculty, and staff in the pursuit of developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.
The vision of Adaptive Sports & Fitness is to lead the state of Michigan and the nation in adaptive sport, fitness, and recreation by embracing diversity and inclusion and providing new opportunities to students and community members with and without disabilities. Adaptive Sports and Fitness is a multi-disciplinary recreational and competitive adaptive sports & fitness program that creates equitable opportunities for health and wellness for people with and without disabilities at the University of Michigan and in the greater Ann Arbor community. Adaptive Sports & Fitness aims to increase awareness, knowledge, access, and opportunity in relation to adaptive fitness, recreation, and sport for all members of the community. Established in 2018, the program has quickly become nationally recognized for its competitive adaptive sports programs and work in the community to support the growth and development of adaptive sports.
Job Summary
The Wheelchair Tennis Head Coach will provide leadership and oversight for the wheelchair tennis program. Develop and implement strategy, structure, and initiatives related to the wheelchair tennis program. Analyze, compare, review and evaluate program activities and outcomes. This role will lead all coaching and athlete development for the wheelchair tennis program. Represent the program with internal and external partners and stakeholders including serving on assigned committees to represent the department. This role will manage the budget allocated towards the wheelchair tennis program. The position will be responsible for staff, student, and student-athlete development within the wheelchair tennis program. This individual will provide a strategic approach for the wheelchair tennis program and its operations. This position will provide direct supervision of the wheelchair tennis program by creating and managing the budget, policies, procedures, and operations.
Leadership and Program Oversight (40%):
- Work with the Associate Director and Assistant Director to create, implement, and assess the strategic plan for UM Adaptive Sports & Fitness, specifically focusing on wheelchair tennis.
- Develop, deliver, and provide learning opportunities for students and the University community.
- Support the Assistant Director to identify, establish, and steward donor, sponsorship, and partnership opportunities that support the growth of wheelchair tennis.
- Manage relationships with existing partners internally and externally to support the growth of wheelchair tennis (Existing ASF stakeholders include, but are not limited to - Department of Family
- Medicine, University Health and Counseling, School of Kinesiology, Procurement Services, Recreational Sports, Athletics, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, The Disability
- Network Washtenaw-Monroe-Livingston County, Underground Printing, Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association, Intercollegiate Tennis Association, United States Tennis Association, Therapeutic Riding, INC.).
- Manage the procurement of equipment, apparel, goods, and services for the wheelchair tennis program.
- Work with athletics to support program activities; including managing facility rental agreements for wheelchair tennis.
- Coordinate competitions for wheelchair tennis by establishing relationships with other collegiate adaptive sports programs, adaptive sports organizations, and sports governing bodies locally, nationally, and internationally.
- Coordinate and manage wheelchair tennis competitions for away and home competitions; including but not limited to transportation, accommodations, meals, officials, registrations, event sanctioning, and volunteer recruitment.
- Identify opportunities for external funding through grants or sponsored projects that align with the Adaptive Sports & Fitness program scope and support the Associate Director and Assistant
- Director in the application process.
- Ensure that risk management issues related to accommodations for fitness, recreation, and sports are addressed, including participation waivers; provide a safe, secure, and accessible environment for all scheduled activities and events.
- Ensure that all appropriate certifications and required safety training are based on industry standards and best practices.
- Provide leadership for the continued development of the Adaptive Sports & Fitness program.
- Lead student-athlete recruitment initiatives for wheelchair tennis including informational meetings with high school and prospective students, informational sessions with community-based adaptive sports programs, and on-site visits to local adaptive sports events and competitions.
- Serve on committees or work teams internal and external to the University of Michigan to support diversity, equity, and inclusion and the growth and development of the wheelchair tennis program.
- Participate in and lead workshops, seminars, clinics, panels, and other speaking engagements that support an increase in awareness and knowledge of adaptive sports and inclusive recreation, trends in the collegiate adaptive sports landscape, and Adaptive Sports & Fitness projects and initiatives.
- Collaborate with University colleagues to represent the Adaptive Sports & Fitness program.
- Support the Assistant Director and Associate Director in the competition and technical planning for ASF's annual wheelchair tennis tournament, the Wolverine Open.
Coaching (45%):
- Attend and coach all wheelchair tennis practices (varsity and recreational) and competitions.
- Assess individual athlete strengths, weaknesses, and developmental needs to create individualized and team training goals, programs, and lessons.
- Identify practice plans and training programs that meet the learning methods and development needs of the athletes.
- Schedule and meet with each student-athlete regularly to review progress and evaluate their individual development.
- Film practices and competitions to do video analysis and coaching with athletes.
- Meet regularly with the ASF Strength & Conditioning Coach, Head Athletic Trainer for Adaptive and Club Sports, and UHS Physical Therapist to ensure integration of athlete training and health; review individual athletes and overall training program, make adjustments to the training program.
- Follow best practices a