Spot Bouldering Gym seeks new head coach

Job Announcement: The Spot Bouldering Gym seeks new head coach

Come live and play in Boulder, Colorado, the climbing capital of the USA. Teach and train at the nation’s premier bouldering facility. To apply call 303.379.8806

Description:
• 30-40 hours per week
• Supervise and train up to 6 coaches, under the supervision of the Spot Climbing School Director
• Manage youth programs for up to 45 kids
• Coordinate and create curriculum and training plans for two Junior Teams
• Coordinate communications w/kids, staff and parents
• Coach a roster of advanced adult private clients

Pre-requisites
• Professional climber (prefer AMGA cert.)
• Min. 5 years coaching experience
• Proven management ability
• Organizational skills (create calendars, spreadsheets, reports and budgets)

Salary or hourly wage negotiable

Apply to:
The Spot Bouldering Gym and Climbing School
3240 Prairie Ave.
Boulder, Colorado 80304

climbingschool@thespotgym.com

$18K is the salary for a cook at Denny's, not a "head coach."

And I know it's probably tough to make $$ running a climbing gym, but seems to me if you want qualified candidates, you gotta pay 'em a non-ramen-and-bagels living wage.

JulianM

You need to research your assumptions better, a cook at Denny's can make more than 18K a year. Bwah ha ha.

wow. So check this out:

Dennys Salary

average salary at Denny's is $28k. 10k more than the head trainer at the spot? You'd have to lure me in with more than just dreams of spotting 18yr old girls in tights.

(hold on.. a private moment.)

OK I'm back. 18k?? WTF??

I understand the opportunity to have a secure position as basically a professional climber is rare, but seriously... taking home like $275 a week working full time???? Are you joking? I made 30K a year making donuts half time. Y'all are crazy.

Brett Merlin wrote:Salary negotiable: ...

The key phrase. If you are Lynn Hill you may be able to negotiate six figures. Who knows. Why focus on the minimum? They don't give a maximum!

George Bell wrote: The key phrase. If you are Lynn Hill you may be able to negotiate six figures. Who knows. Why focus on the minimum? They don't give a maximum!

Finally, a carefully considered post. Who let you in here?

Thanks Jeff.

Yes, I know, most of us are impulsive jerks, sorry. The Spots a really cool place, I wasn't trying to insinuate they would attempt to do anyone wrong. We should all feel shamed.

Oh really? I spend 99% of my indoor time at the BRC, and the few experiences I have had at the Spot have been alright so I guess I really can't speak. There is a notable hint of pretentiousness there and the guy at the desk never seems very interested in helping the customers but is the management the same? Did you work there? Just wondering what you have to say about it.

Salary negotiable, starting at $18K ...

I think they are still talking low wages with not a lot of wiggle room.

Yes, I agree it is only a starting point, but why so low. I kind of think that they are just testing the waters to see who is out there and don't really intend to offer much more.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who did a double-take at that salary range. That's absurd.

Of course, if they're truly looking for "professional climbers" then maybe $18k added on to some nice sponsorship money and generous travel time isn't the worst deal in the world.

Actually, wait-- it's still terrible. Who on Earth would take that job for $9/hour?

JLP wrote:Wow ... The Spot - it always raises a flag with me when someone is not promoting from within. It speaks of the culture - do they grow people or do they wear them out...

Regarding promotion from within: Good coaching/ training skills can't be gained working the counter at the gym. This position would require specific skills & education that may not exist within.

Eli

In no particular order:
I like going to the Spot--I've had many month-to-month memberships there.
johnL--not checking your cc statement for 6 months is negligent and your complaint sounds borderline ridiculous to me. Many people are victims of fine print and scams, but you're not one of them (at least not by the Spot). Still, I can't defend Spot management not having the decency to tell you that.
But mostly--that salary is whack and an insult to everyone who is trying make any kind of a living in climbing (fortunately for me, I'm not). Not sure if the comments that $18k is merely the floor and suggesting that the actual salary may be much higher are meant as jokes--if you really believe that, you've had different business experiences that I have. And for everyone who criticizes full time, sponsored climbers for maybe seeking a little extra publicity--what are they supposed to do, work a more-than-40-hour-a-week, indoor job for minimum wage at Spot? One bright side--those of us with jobs can all feel a little better about them, whatever they are.
Anyone hear anything about the new Movement gym going up?

http://www.movementboulder.com/blog/index.php

If thats what they pay the head coach, I wonder what they offer the regular coaches. Makes me glad I don't have a membership there. Then again, now that the weathers getting nicer, why climb indoors.

JLP wrote: Pretty lame strawman. There are several coaches there now busy with the teams. Their names are pretty well known. They don't work the counter.

JLP- I didn't mean any disrespect. I'm not very familar with the coaches/ trainers there & thought they might be starting a program.

E

That might be a fine wage for a person that's just out of high school. I know if I was an aspiring professional climber though, I sure as heck wouldn't be working full time, at least during the day. Kind of defeats the purpose not having a really flexible schedule.

A quick google search will show that 18k is not even double the poverty line (10,400). The line assembly workers at my job make more than 18k and most of them have minimal education and less than perfect English comprehension.

I sure there are quite a few things I don't know about running a gym, but I know if I was AMGA certified...well I'd be guiding, not making LESS than a short order cook.

Scott McMahon wrote: The line assembly workers at my job make more than 18k and most of them have minimal education and less than perfect English comprehension.

The Line workers where I work, some who speak no English at all make over 25k.

I was beating around the bush on that one, but they are about 25K at my job as well in addition to severe lack of English skills.

Funny thing is though, someone is probably chomping at the bit to get that job....and not because of the economy.

on the flip side of the coin, how much should a climbing coach make? are they curing cancer? umm, no
inventing a device that will reduce pollution 75% next year? no
prosecuting dangerous criminals and making the world safer? no
educating hundreds of future doctors, fire-people, etc? no
bringing in millions of dollars of income for the spot? no

when it comes down to it, the price (or earnings) for anything is basically what somebody will pay for it. there has to be a reason for somebody to be willing to write the check. the global climbing income is low because there aren't that many who care or relate to climbing. i'm pretty sure that evolve hasn't sold 3 million chris sharma jerseys this year. and i am also pretty sure that the comp at the BRC a few weeks ago didn't have 30,000 spectators paying 50 bucks a ticket. it's pretty naive to think that the spot is going to pay somebody $60k to basically babysit a handful of kids for a few hours a week.

it really is the perfect job for one of two types of people,
a) somebody who doesn't care that they are churning in debt because they plan on filing bankruptcy someday.
b) somebody who doesn't have to worry about money because they have other channels of income (read loaded parents).