Position: Head Coach – Canadian Blind Hockey
Location: Various – Toronto, Ottawa, London, Brantford, Windsor, ON. Montreal, QC. Vancouver, BC. Regina, SK. Winnipeg, MB. St John’s, NL.
Job Type: Volunteer / Part-Time Honorarium
Reports to: Program Director
Application Deadline: October 25, 2024
Starting Date: TBD Depending on Location
Canadian Blind Hockey
Canadian Blind Hockey [“CBH”] is a registered charity overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors. CBH provides hockey programming to children, youth, and adults who are blind or partially sighted across Canada. Canadian Blind Hockey programs include introductory try-it sessions, children and youth programs, the National Team program, and the Girls and Women’s program. Canadian Blind Hockey is currently recruiting coaches and program coordinators to support our 11 local Blind Hockey programs in communities across Canada.
Blind Hockey
The Para sport of Blind Hockey is a variation of ice hockey for athletes who are blind or partially sighted. The sport uses some modified rules and equipment, most notably the adapted puck that makes noise and is larger than a traditional puck. At the recreational level all athletes must be visually impaired, while at the competitive level all players must be classified as legally blind, which is defined as having approximately ten percent vision or less. All goaltenders are extremely low vision or completely blind and wear a blindfold.
Position Profile – Blind Hockey Head Coach
The Blind Hockey Head Coach is the key role responsible to ensure that participants enjoy a quality on-ice sport experience that meets all Canadian Blind Hockey program standards. Reporting to the Program Director, the
Head Coach is responsible for ensuring the on-ice program is delivered in a safe and well-organized manner, with a focus on fun and skill development. The Head Coach’s primary responsibility is leading the on-ice component of the program including but no limited to creating and executing weekly practice plans, managing assistant coaches / other on ice volunteers, working towards accomplishing skill development objectives with each participant throughout the season.
The Program Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that the policies and procedures outlined in the CBH Program Manual are met on a weekly basis.
The Blind Hockey Head Coach is a challenging responsibility as programs will include a wide variety of ages, skill levels, varying levels of vision, and may include athletes with multiple disabilities. The ideal candidate for Blind Hockey Head Coach has excellent verbal communication skills, strong creative problem-solving techniques, and can effectively organize safe and efficient practices for an extremely diverse group of athletes with a disability.
A minimum of 5 hours per week of time can be expected to fulfill the obligations of this position. In addition to regular season, Program Coordinators may represent the organization at various tournament or events.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Coach as a Leader:
- Seasonal Goals and Objectives – establish seasonal goals and objectives for each participant
- Be a role model for your players in reference to appropriate behaviour towards officials, other coaches and other players
- Develop leadership abilities in your athletes (e.g. encourage athletes to lead drills in practice, mentoring);
- Demonstrate a sincere effort in helping each athlete to maximize his or her potential.
Coach as a Teacher:
- Teach the necessary Blind Hockey skills for the age group
- Teach skills using the proper sequences and progressions
- Teach skills using understandable language of the game
- Recognize that athletes differ in learning and readiness to learn, and that learning requires the acquisition of skills and attitudes. This requires patience and perseverance of the coach and player before the required behaviours will be consistently demonstrated in gameplay
- Teach more than just hockey skills!
Coach as an Organizer:
- Plan effective practices (seasonal plan should include practice plan)
- Select support staff that meets the CBH standard and approval and will provide maximum benefit to you and players
- Seek the assistance of the parents of the players in running the activities of your program (e.g. team or parent liaison).
Coach as a Role Model:
- Ensure that your deportment of all team officials, players and parents are to a standard acceptable of CBH
- Make all team participants aware of the CBH Code of Conduct
- Report to Program Director any and all incidents involving team officials, players or parents
Communication
- Hold parent and player meetings throughout the season
- Attend all CBH meetings as directed
Risk Management (Safety)
- Review safety action plan for team with trainer
- Ensure that all ice and dressing room activities have supervision, the “Rule of Two ” rule must be followed
- Report any arena deficiencies to the Program Director
- Review player equipment on a regular basis for defects and advise parents accordingly
- Monitor rehabilitation of injured athletes and obtain medical clearance to return to play
- Report any player abuse to the Program Director
- Maintain communication with Program Director, to ensure that CBH can assist in the resolution of difficulties at an early stage, and improve overall Blind Hockey program on an ongoing basis
Preferred Qualifications & Requirements
- Hockey Canada Coaching Level 1.
- Experience working with individuals with visual impairments or disabilities.
- Valid Drivers Licence.
- Knowledge of Blind Hockey rules, techniques, and strategies.
- Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively with a diverse team.
- Proficiency in Google Drive.
- Mandatory Sterling Backcheck E-PIC Background screening.
- Must sign and adhere to CBH Code of Conduct.
- CPR/First Aid certification.
- Availability to attend program on a weekly basis.
Working Together for Change
Our diversity is our strength – we take pride in our inclusive workplace. We are committed to recruiting and selecting candidates through fair, transparent, and accessible practices. We strongly encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including but not limited to Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, people who are blind, partially sighted, or Deafblind, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.
Canadian Blind Hockey is committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities and will work with applicants requesting accommodations at any stage of the hiring process.
How to Apply: Please send your resume and cover letter to Canadian Blind Hockey Program Director Luca DeMontis lucademontis@blindicehockey.com Please add the city of the program and role you are applying for in the subject.
Join us in making a difference in the lives of individuals who are blind or partially sighted through the power of Blind Hockey!
