Recreation Leader Job Description
A recreation leader is responsible for overseeing sports and other extra-curricular activities for nursing homes, youth centers, schools, or parks and recreational departments. Included in a job description for a recreation leader is the ability to encourage others to work as a member of a team while also fostering good sportsmanship and building morale.
Position Description:
Within a given organization, a recreation leader is responsible for overseeing recreational activities and monitoring participants.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities of a Recreation Leader
- Develops sports and recreational programs that are well-suited for a company’s client base
- Schedules the use of facilities so that activities do not conflict with one another
- Ensures the right equipment is on hand for all activities, and that it is also functioning properly
- Orders supplies needed for certain activities
- Advertises the availability of certain activities in order to draw others in
- Oversees other recreational staff members and volunteers
- Secures funding for special projects and events
- Evaluates the effectiveness of certain programs and makes modifications to them as needed
- Adheres to safety practices, and ensures that other participants do likewise
- Is capable of developing a sense of teamwork among others
- Meets and greets participants, and answers any questions they may have about certain programs
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Is familiar with a variety of different sports and activities
- Has a wide range of likes and interests
- Enjoys helping people develop physically, mentally and socially
- Is able to foster a sense of pride and teamwork in others
- Possesses a high level of physical fitness if overseeing sports programs
- Does not discriminate against others based on race, religion, gender, ethnicity or physical handicap
- Possesses good supervisory skills and is able to lead others easily
- Articulates well, and is able to provide instruction on basic activities even to beginners
Education and Experience
A high school diploma is usually all the education that is needed in order to become a recreational leader. It can be helpful to have experience as a camp counselor or nursing home volunteer before being hired. For specialty programs in music, drama or art, a two or four-year degree in that particular discipline could be helpful at landing a job.
Work Environment
Recreational leaders may work indoors in gymnasiums or classrooms or outdoors on sports fields. Their work can be physically demanding whenever they are involved with leading athletic activities. They work with large groups of people from varying walks of life who also have different skills and abilities. Weekend and evening work is usually required, and positions may be either full time or part time.
Salary
The salary of a recreational leader can range from $16,470 to $38,460 per year, with the median annual wage being around $22,260. This amounts to an hourly wage that is somewhere between $7.91 and $18.49 per hour. Those who work for non-profit organizations tend to make less than those who work for other businesses.
