Hockey Specialist

Step into a dynamic coaching role where you will inspire teamwork, sportsmanship, and confidence across our two dedicated camp hockey rinks. As our Hockey Specialist, you will design and lead engaging, age-appropriate street and floor hockey sessions for campers ranging from age three through fifteen. You will work closely with energetic group counselors to create an inclusive, supportive environment where every camper can learn fundamental stickhandling, passing, and shooting skills. This position offers an exceptional opportunity to build meaningful leadership, group management, and instructional skills that elevate your resume for any future career path. Join the Willow Lake staff family for the summer of 2027 and make your summer count by being the mentor campers remember for years to come.

- Lead structured, high-energy floor and street hockey instructional periods across two different age appropriate facilities with age appropropriate equipment.- Teach age-appropriate fundamental skills including stickhandling, passing, shooting, defense, and teamwork in a fun and positive atmosphere.- Plan and facilitate daily lead-up drills, mini-games, and friendly scrimmages emphasizing sportsmanship, participation, and active fun.- Partner with group counselors at each period to ensure high camper engagement, positive behavior, and individualized encouragement.- Maintain and inspect all athletic equipment—including sticks, balls, pucks, nets, and goalie gear—to ensure safety standards are consistently met.- Adapt drills and game formats to suit beginner through intermediate skill levels, including senior camp elective leagues.

- Prior experience playing, coaching, or refereeing floor hockey, street hockey, ice hockey, or general youth team sports.- Previous experience working with children in camp, school, recreation, or coaching settings is strongly preferred.- Demonstrated enthusiasm for youth mentorship and building confidence in campers of all athletic ability levels.

- Warm, energetic, and communicative leadership style with strong public speaking and group organization skills.- Ability to break down athletic fundamentals into simple, engaging steps for young children and teens.- High reliability, strong work ethic, and a team-first mindset that champions camp spirit and positive sportsmanship.- Commitment to fostering a safe, supportive, and inclusive team culture.

- High school diploma or equivalent required.- Current college junior, recent graduate, or certified educator studying education, sports management, physical education, recreation, psychology, or related fields preferred.

- Ability to actively demonstrate hockey fundamentals, run drills, and referee games outdoors on paved rink surfaces in varied summer weather.- Capacity to stand, walk, jog, bend, and move actively across the 35-acre camp grounds throughout the full camp day.- Ability to lift and carry sports equipment, nets, balls, and gear containers weighing up to 30 pounds.

- Comprehensive pre-camp leadership training and ongoing professional mentorship from experienced educators and athletic directors.- Daily hot and cold lunch provided in the lunch pavilion.- Competitive seasonal compensation with no weekend or evening hours required.- Opportunity for your child(ren) to attend camp at discounted tuition.- Hands-on resume-building experience in group leadership, conflict resolution, program facilitation, and communication.- An uplifting, close-knit staff community with lifelong friendships and team traditions on Lake Hopatcong.

Willow Lake Day Camp is a premier family-owned day camp in northwest New Jersey serving campers ages three through fifteen since 1980. Our dynamic program blends traditional camp spirit, outdoor adventure, arts, athletics, and heated pool aquatics under our Dream Big philosophy. We pride ourselves on creating a safe, positive community where staff build real-world leadership skills and campers discover who they are.

Set across 35 shaded, picturesque acres on the north shore of Lake Hopatcong in Morris County, New Jersey, our campus features modern athletic fields, two hockey rinks, outdoor adventure courses, four heated pools, and a private spring-fed lake. The facility offers an ideal outdoor teaching environment with extensive covered indoor spaces and pavilions for all-weather programming.