Sports Camp Hiring Coaches and Camp Staff

Start with jobs, not names

Before asking a friend to help, list the work that must be done.

A small camp may need a director, lead coaches, group helpers, a first-aid lead, a person who manages bookings, and someone who handles opening and closing.

One person may hold more than one role. But they cannot do two jobs at once when both need full attention.

A coach leading a group cannot also leave that group to collect a delivery, answer a long sales call, or meet an ambulance without someone taking over.

Write a clear job description

State the age group, sport, hours, site, pay range, duties, required training, and reporting line.

Explain the work before and after activity time. Include setup, supervision, safe handovers, records, cleaning, meetings, and emergency practice where these belong to the role.

Describe the real physical tasks and the support or adjustments available. Do not add a fitness test that has no clear link to the job.

State that appointment depends on the required checks and approval. Do not let someone start unsupervised because their checks are “nearly done.”

Look for care as well as skill

A former top player may be a poor teacher. A kind helper may still lack the skills needed to lead a specialist activity.

Look for both the ability to teach and the ability to care for people.

Ask for a short teaching demonstration. Give a simple task and watch how the person explains, notices confusion, adapts, and handles mistakes.

A good coach should be able to say, “That did not work. Let us try a smaller step.”

Use more than one screening step

Do not treat a police check as proof that someone is safe. The Coaching Association of Canada's screening guidance includes more than a record check, such as an application, interview, and references.¹

Use the checks required and allowed for the role in your location. Protect the person's private information. Follow fair hiring and human-rights rules when reviewing results.

Verify claimed qualifications with the issuing body where possible. Check expiry dates and whether the qualification covers this age group, activity, and setting.

Speak with references through a reliable contact route. Ask about observed conduct, teaching, reliability, boundaries, and whether the person would be hired again. Do not ask for gossip or protected personal details.

Ask practical questions

“You see another coach shout at a child. What do you do?”

“A participant is missing at a headcount. What happens next?”

“A parent asks you to message their child privately. How do you respond?”

“You cannot safely run today's planned activity. What do you change, and who do you tell?”

A strong answer follows the camp's safety process. It does not depend only on being brave, friendly, or good at the sport.

Plan substitutes before you need them

Keep an approved backup list. Confirm who is actually available, how they will be paid, and which roles they may fill.

A substitute needs the right checks, skills, site briefing, emergency knowledge, and access to necessary participant information.

Do not call an unchecked friend to rescue a staffing shortage. Reduce or stop the affected activity when safe cover is missing.

Put terms in writing

Use a locally reviewed agreement. Cover pay, dates, duties, required training, privacy, conduct, reporting, equipment, absence, and ending the role.

Set worker status using the real facts, not the title alone. Review it with an adviser before hiring.

Your task: Write each role, its required checks, and its backup. Hire for teaching, judgment, and safe conduct, not just sport experience.