Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ)—a world-renowned education and poverty-fighting organization based in New York—seeks an enthusiastic, dedicated, and mission-aligned Track & Field Sprint Coach .
The Track & Field Sprint Coach will bring a strong commitment to Harlem Children’s Zone’s mission of breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty through comprehensive, on-the-ground programming that creates opportunities for children and families to thrive in school, work, and life.
We are seeking an experienced Track & Field Sprint Coach to lead and develop scholar-athletes competing in sprint and related events across our elementary, middle, and high school programs. The Sprint Coach will be responsible for providing high-quality instruction, developing scholar-athletes’ technical, physical, tactical, and mental skills, preparing athletes for competition, and strengthening the overall Track & Field program.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate a passion for HCZ’s mission, an understanding of and respect for the Harlem community, and experience working with youth in a school-based or community-based setting. The successful candidate will use athletics as a platform to promote academic achievement, leadership, accountability, teamwork, discipline, resilience, and personal growth.
For more information, check out Want to Work at Harlem Children's Zone? Here's 7 Things You Need to Know .
• High school diploma or GED required, bachelor’s degree preferred.
• At least three years of experience coaching track and field, sprinting, hurdles, or a related speed-based discipline, preferably at the middle school, high school, collegiate, club, or elite competitive level.
• Demonstrated experience developing and coaching competitive sprint and/or hurdle athletes.
• Strong knowledge of track and field rules, regulations, sprint mechanics, starting techniques, acceleration, maximum velocity, speed development, conditioning, race strategy, relay development, and athlete performance.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement progressive training programs appropriate for youth and adolescent athletes.
• Experience coaching and supporting youth and adolescent populations.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, develop, mentor, and retain scholar-athletes.
• Commitment to the mission, values, and programs of Harlem Children’s Zone.
• Strong leadership, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, maintain accurate records, and meet established deadlines.
• A positive, enthusiastic, collaborative, flexible, and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Ability to work effectively with scholars, families, coaches, school leaders, HCZ colleagues, community organizations, and external partners.
• CPR and First Aid certification, or the ability to obtain certification within the required timeframe.
• Ability to travel to away meets, invitationals, tournaments, championships, and other athletic events.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and extended hours as required by the athletic schedule.
Who You Are
The Track & Field Sprint Coach is responsible for the development and performance of scholar-athletes competing in sprint and related events while contributing to the overall success and culture of the HCZ Track & Field program.
The Sprint Coach will design and implement age-appropriate training plans, lead practices, prepare athletes for competition, evaluate performance, and provide individualized coaching and feedback. The coach will work closely with the Head Track & Field Coach, Assistant Athletic Director, Director of Athletics, school leadership, and other coaching staff to ensure consistency in training, expectations, athlete development, and program operations.
The successful candidate understands that coaching extends beyond athletic performance. They will serve as a mentor and role model who promotes academic accountability, positive behavior, leadership, teamwork, discipline, resilience, and long-term scholar development.
The Sprint Coach must understand the importance of developing speed and power progressively and safely. They should be able to balance competitive expectations with appropriate training loads, recovery, strength development, injury prevention, and the individual needs of developing athletes.
What You’ll Do
Sprint Program Leadership and Training
• In collaboration with the Head Track & Field Coach and Athletic Leadership, develop and implement a comprehensive sprint-development program for elementary, middle, and high school scholar-athletes.
• Design and implement age-appropriate, progressive training plans that develop acceleration, maximum velocity, speed endurance, strength, power, mobility, running mechanics, and overall athletic performance.
• Lead daily practices and sprint-specific training sessions in accordance with the overall Track & Field program schedule.
• Develop individualized training plans based on athlete ability, experience, event specialization, competition schedule, and developmental needs.
• Prepare scholar-athletes for sprint and related events, including the 60m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m, hurdles, and other applicable events.
• Teach proper sprint mechanics, posture, arm action, stride mechanics, block starts, acceleration technique, transition to maximum velocity, pacing, and race execution.
• Develop and implement appropriate drills and progressions to improve starts, acceleration, top-end speed, speed endurance, and sprint performance.
• Develop scholar-athletes’ ability to execute effective race strategies based on event, athlete strengths, competition level, and meet conditions.
• Incorporate appropriate strength, power, mobility, flexibility, conditioning, and injury-prevention strategies into sprint training.
• Collaborate with Strength & Conditioning staff, Athletic Trainers, medical personnel, and other coaches when appropriate to support athlete health and performance.
• Evaluate athlete performance thro