Assistant Coach, Equestrian

As an assistant equestrian coach, you will attend athletic department, student services, and staff meetings. You will participate in team shows when requested or teach at home while the head coach is traveling. Responsibilities include assisting with all SCAD athletic paperwork, updating rosters, and encouraging all athletes to complete their media forms. Among other duties, you will review student grades, organize all aspects of tryouts, and categorize new student rider levels and history. Additional responsibilities include lesson eligibility form completion, student status verification before add/drop week, and the organization of student lesson schedules. You will also verify, track, and update Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) and American National Riding Commission (ANRC) eligibility for the fall and winter quarters.

In this role, you will act as head coach for SCAD Summer Seminar sessions, provide private lessons for students and clients as needed, and organize tours of equestrian facilities. You will manage team sports information and social media, travel to all horse shows — including approximately 16 different events throughout the season — and attend team yoga training sessions when available. Responsibilities include the organization of scheduled horse workout times, the identification of needs and requests, and the oversight of vaccination and maintenance procedure records. Among other duties, you will assist with training team and client horses and liaise with veterinarians and grooms on horses' rehabilitation to track progress. This includes oversight of weekly care charts and maintenance data.  

In this position, you will organize all aspects of the Tournament of Champions and SCAD’s participation in IHSA horse shows. You will source specific show prizes and competition ribbons for all 32 classes in the show, organize show set up — including equipment assignment  (e.g., saddles, saddle pads, leg bandages, and boots) — and copy all courses designed for competition into digital formats. Important aspects of this position involve the maintenance of horse information sheets and schedules for competitors and handlers. You will also ensure that all post-competition horse care is completed. Among other duties, you will coordinate show and event results, register all team members through the intercollegiate website with individual signatures, and research and print new student riding histories, including recognized show records.

As an assistant coach, you will assist with all organization aspects of ANRC shows and reach out to industry professionals to acquire additional show horses as needed. You will arrange the shipping of horses to competition locations and finalize all travel details, including team hotels, cars, and air travel, for recruitment and events. Among other duties, you will book charter buses and order team lunches with specific dietary restrictions. Additionally, you will review all eligibility requirements, assist with fundraising, and liaise with student referrals and the SCAD Giving department. In tandem with the embroidery/screen printing company, you will ensure the quality of team logos and will then order competition shirts through top line show companies.

In this role, you will also source, order, and organize the team clothing inventory. This includes caps, workout shirts, polo shirts, leggings, three-quarter zips, shorts, long sleeve training shirts, zip-ups, and winter jackets. Orders for belts and practice shirts will be placed specifically to reputable equestrian wear companies. You will maintain the organization of show coats, organized by size, and ensure they are signed out at each competition. Additionally, you will ensure all 63 SCAD-owned horses are outfitted for students to ride, including bridles, saddles, martingales, blinders, girths, half-pads, gel pads, leg bandages, and leg boots.

Minimum qualifications

• 10 years of riding experience
• Excellent interpersonal skills with athletes 

Preferred qualifications

• Budget management experience
• High school and college competition experience

Travel required

• Less than 10% 

Work hours: The university work week is Sunday through Saturday. Most offices are open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To accommodate business needs, employees may be assigned to other workdays and/or hours, including weekends and evenings.    

ADA tag: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and minimum qualifications listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and/or meet the minimum qualifications.