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Red Bull New York Coaching Employment - Frequently Asked Employment Questions

  1. What is the Red Bulls Player Development System?
  2. What level of the Player Development System will I be working with?
  3. What level of players will I be working with?
  4. What exactly will my job entail?
  5. What Coaching Qualifications do I need to work for Red Bull New York?
  6. What types of contracts are available?
  7. What is the selection and interview process?
  8. What countries does Red Bull New York accept applicants from?
  9. How much will I be paid?
  10. How will I be paid and will I have to pay taxes?
  11. Who covers the cost of flights, immigration, transportation and accommodation?
  12. Do I have to pay any up front fees or membership payments?
  13. Do I need to purchase health insurance if I'm a foreign based applicant?
  14. Do I need a driving license?
  15. Do I get any vacation time?
  16. Will I receive a coaching uniform and equipment?
  17. Will I have the opportunity to get involved in anything relating to the first team?
  18. Will I get the opportunity to take any coaching courses?
  19. Will I get the opportunity to play?
  20. Can I bring my wife and/or family to the US?
  21. Is there an opportunity to travel after my contract finishes?
  22. Are there any full-time opportunities that exist within the organization?
  23. If successful at interview when will I start?

1. What is the Red Bulls Player Development System?
The Red Bulls Player Development System consists of three (3) main levels which ultimately feed players into the Red Bulls 1st team. Level four (4) is at the base of the pyramid, and consists of our grassroots training programs, providing valuable services to many local youth soccer organizations. Level three (3) of the pyramid represents our Regional Development Schools (RDS) which consists of a number of satellite locations, strategically spread throughout NY, NJ and PA. The RDS is supplementary, advanced, individual training, accessible by tryout only. Level two (2) is the academy, which consists of a number of elite teams between the ages of U14 to U19, all of whom play US Club Academy, Level 2, or the Academy, is the first level of the pyramid where year round teams are formed.

2. What level of the Player Development System will I be working in?
The vast majority of our seasonal coaching staff will work with players within our grassroots training programs. This will involve working with player's aged 4 - 16 years, all of whom are of mixed ability. Skill levels will range from working with complete beginners to players who need to be challenged at an advanced level. There will be opportunities for coaches who show a high level of ability and experience to progress through the player development system and work within the Regional Development School programs.

3. What level of players will I be working with?
In the United States the level of play within youth soccer organizations is typically categorized into two levels. 'Recreational' players are beginners, whilst 'travel team' players are considered a more serious level of player. Coaches will work with both levels, and in general the major focus is spent on teaching the basic fundamental skills of the game. Whilst we always attempt to place coaches with the level of players that they prefer to work, it must be stressed that all coaches at some point will be required to spend some time working with our younger players, who are complete beginners to the game.

4. What exactly will my job entail?
The vast majority of our coaching staff work for a 9 month period, broken down into 3 main seasons:

Spring and fall
During the spring and fall season you will be allocated to work with a youth soccer organization for the duration of the season (10-12 weeks). Over the 10 -12 week season you will be scheduled to work with set teams and age groups on a weekly basis. Additionally you may also be involved in delivering coaching clinics, specialty skills sessions and game day coaching. Outside of your coaching responsibilities you will also be required to do some administration work, including, but not limited to, game, player and team reports, seasonal development plans, scheduling, communicating to board members, and attending coaches meetings. A typical week consists of coaching each evening, Monday through Friday, with clinic and game day responsibilities on Saturday and Sunday.

Summer Season
The summer season consists of a number of one week camp programs. Each week you will coach on a different camp in a different town. A typical camp week will consist of 30 - 40 hours of coaching and will entail working on a morning camp (9:00am - 12:00pm) and an evening camp (5:00pm - 8:00pm). Some weeks you may also work on a camp from 9:00am - 3:00pm. Our best performing coaches may also spend time working at our Residential Camps which run from Sunday to Thursday and involve staying as a resident at the camp, and coaching the players in morning, afternoon and evening sessions. On weekends throughout the summer you maybe required to deliver coaching clinics, or be involved in special pre-game clinics if the 1st team has a home game. On Sundays all coaching staff meet each weekend to receive their new camp assignments.

The level of playing ability on all summer camp programs will vary significantly from session to sessions. Therefore coaches will be expected to adapt their coaching styles and session plans to accommodate the needs of every player.

5. What coaching qualifications and experience do Red Bull New York look for when employing a youth soccer coach?

  • Must be mature and reliable
  • Have an outgoing personality
  • Ability to relate to people and players at all levels
  • Motivated to learn and develop
  • Have excellent organization and time management skills
  • Passion for coaching children
  • Hold an advanced level coaching qualification
  • Have significant youth soccer coaching experience
  • Have excellent references
  • Hold a clean driving license
  • Clean criminal record
  • Minimum age of 21 years
  • If a foreign-based applicant, must have a clean immigration history with no overstays or issues from previous visits to the US

6. What types of employment contracts are available?
Red Bull New York offers the following employment opportunities: (Please note that the vast majority of contracts are for a nine-month period)

  1. 9-month contracts (March to November)
  2. 6-month contracts (July to November)
  3. 3-month contracts (September to November)
  4. Part-time (weekends and clinics) - Must be locally based.

7. What is the interview and selection process?

Step 1 - Online Application Prospective coach goes online at newyorkredbulls.com and completes the online application form.
Step 2 - Confirmation of interview date Based on review of online application, an interview is set up via telephone.
Step 3 - Interview Date Based on review of online application, an interview is set up via telephone.
Step 3 - Conditional employment offer Based on the successful completion of a phone interview candidates will be invited to an interview day. Each interview date is a full day commitment from 8am to 5pm with all attendants required to stay for the duration of the day. The interview day is made up of three important stages:
  1. Welcome Address
  2. Practical Coaching Assessment (15 mins) - Topic and guidelines email prior to the event.
  3. Coaching Theoretical Assessment (15 mins) - Interview on questions related to the team, our programs and various coaching aspects associated to your role.
At this point prospective coaches are asked to submit copies of their:
  1. Coaching qualification
  2. Criminal background check
  3. Two written soccer-specific references
Details of each of these dates can be viewed on our website.
Step 4 - Conditional employment offer Based on results of interview process and reference checks prospective coaches are offered a conditional employment offer by January 1st (foreign) and February 1st (US based) 2009. Candidates then have seven days to accept job offering and sign a conditional e-contract.
Step 5 - Training Day All staff that have been offered a conditional employment contract are required to attend a 1 day orientation event.
  • UK Event - Lilleshall National Sports Centre: Last week in January.
  • NY Event - TBC
Immediately following these events candidates will be offered a final employment contract.
Step 6 - Distance learning Each coach will be required to perform set learning tasks relating to coaching, the team and the brand.
Step 7 - US-based training convention Prior to the start of your coaching role you will attend a US based training convention that will provide in-depth training related to your coaching role.

It is important to note that all coaches are always on interview, even once being offered a coaching position.

8. What countries does Red Bull New York accept applicants from?
Red Bull is a world wide brand and the New York metropolitan area is made up of a very diverse population. Therefore our goal is to recruit a diverse range of coaching staff that include professional coaches from the United States and beyond. We encourage applicants from all over the world, although all applicants must speak fluent English.

9. How much will I be paid?
The rate of pay offer to a coach is based upon the experience and qualification of that individual. This rate of pay will be agreed during the interview process. We have four (4) pay scale classifications:

LevelQualification*
Developmental FA Level One
NSCAA - National Youth Diploma
NSCAA National - Pass
Advanced FA Level Two
USSF C License
NSCAA National - Distinction
NSCAA Advanced National - Pass
Elite UEFA B
USSF B License
NSCAA Advanced National - Distinction
NSCAA Premier - Pass
Professional UEFA A
USSF A
NSCAA Premier - Distinction

* Qualification examples are given based on US and UK coaching courses. Applicants with FIFA approved qualifications from other counties will be converted into the above table based on a review of the course content and assessment criteria.

During the spring and fall season, coaches will be paid an hourly rate. During the summer season coaches will be paid a flat rate per camp.

The other major factor that affects rate of pay is the applicant's country of residence. Local US resident applicants who provide their own transportation, accommodation and are either citizens or have permanent residence status, are classed as 'US Based staff' and will earn a higher rate of pay than a 'foreign based' applicant. Foreign based applicant receives additional employee benefits which include a return flight from home country, accommodation, transportation and each coach will be provided with a visa to legally work in the United States. More information on each of these areas is covered in subsequent questions.

A pay scale and benefits overview will be emailed to once your application is made.

10. How will I be paid and will I have to pay taxes?
Every coach will be paid on a bi-weekly basis. Payment will be made by check or via direct payment into a US bank account. For foreign based staff help will be provided in setting up a US bank account.

Spring and Summer Pay Structure

  • A typical week will consist of 18-25 paid coaching hours.
  • " Every coach will be paid a rate per hour for each hour that is worked.

Summer Season

  • " During the summer season coaches will be paid a flat rate per camp.

All coaches will be required to pay the following deductions on their bi-weekly wages:

  • Social security – 6.2%
  • Medicare – 1.45%
  • NJ State tax – 1.4%
  • Federal Income tax – 10-12%

Each coach can expect to pay approximately 18-20 % in taxes per pay check. For coaches that earn under $10,000 per year you are not required to pay Federal or States taxes which together equate to approximately 15%. For staff that do not earn over $10,000 you are required to file your taxes with the US government at the end of each year, which may result in a tax rebate.

Please note these percentages are based on 2008 deductions for employees based in New Jersey. Further information can be found at http://www.lsnjlaw.org/english/job/wage/paydeductions/.

11. Who covers the cost of flights, immigration, transportation and accommodation costs?
For foreign based applicants that are offered a coaching position, each one of these cost are covered as part of the overall employment package.

Flight
  • A return ticket to home country
  • Any costs associated with changing the ticket due to non-business related reasons, are solely the responsibility of the employee
Immigration
  • Red Bull New York will provide the necessary paperwork to apply for a US working visa.
  • As part of the visa process each prospective employee will be required to attend an interview at the employee's home countries US embassy. As part of the interview an embassy processing fee of approximately $120 is charged. This fee is the responsibility of the employee.
  • Employee must have a passport that is valid for at least the duration of the working visa.
Transportation
  • Employees will be provided with transportation to serve all business related activities. In most cases this is in the form of a rental car.
  • In order to drive a rental car employee must be over the age of 21 and hold a valid driving license. All employees are required to obtain a US driving license within 30 days of entering the country. The cost associated with obtaining a license is that of the employee (usually around $10).
  • Please note in some cases employees maybe expected to share a car for spring and fall training programs. All coaches will share cars over the summer season.
Accommodation
  • Suitable accommodation is provided during the time that the employee is working for the organization. During vacation weeks, employees will be responsible for their own accommodation.
  • Types of accommodation may vary throughout your contract and could include staying in a rented apartment or house, hotel, or with a host family.
  • Red Bulls' only expectation for clubs that provide housing with a host family, is a bed, shower and laundry facilities.
  • Please be aware that in almost all cases coaches will be expected to share a bedroom when staying within rented accommodation.
  • Female coaches will be provided separate accommodation in all cases, but may have to share with other female staff.

12. Do I have to pay any up front fees or membership payments?

Membership Payment
For 6- and 9-month employment contracts, an initial retainer fee of $500 is required to offset the upfront investment that is made in each prospective employee. However, based on the employee receiving an 'excellent' on their final assessment, the $500 is returned to each employee 30 days after the end of their employment contract. For part-time weekend staff there is no membership fee.

The retainer fee is required for any incidental damages left by foreign based coaches after their employment. This fee is also used to cover the costs of any employee leaving before their contract end date.

The retainer fee must be paid online, by January 31st 2009.

Early Contract Termination Fee
If an employee is terminated before the end of their contract, or requests to terminate their own contract prior to the end date, the employee is required to pay a replacement fee of $500 which covers a percentage of the cost associated with hiring a new employee. Additionally the employee would also lose the initial $500 membership payment.

Additional Cost
The only other additional costs that the employee would incur are as follows:

  • We require all coaching staff to purchase Adidas Copa Mundial soccer boots/cleats, adidas branded running shoes and adidas bag. (the exact model of which will be made outlined at the interview day).

13. Do I need to purchase health insurance if I'm a foreign based applicant?
Yes. It's very important that foreign based employees purchase travel insurance for the duration of their employment contract. All health insurance policies must provide the following minimum coverage:

  • Medical = $10 million
  • Liability =1 Million

When choosing a policy most companies also provide the opportunity to include baggage and personal property.

Additionally, in most cases a policy deductible is typically added. It is usually possible to pay a little more for your policy and have a zero deductible on the policy.

Each employee will be required to provide a copy of the insurance policy 30 days prior to the date of employment.

14. Do I need a driving license?
Yes. Due to the need to drive to a number of different training locations we require all employees to be over the age of 21, and have a valid driving license. In some cases we do make exceptions if we can accommodate a coach in a program that doesn't require a driver.

15. Do I get any vacation time?
Yes, we like to ensure that all coaching staff have the opportunity to relax and rejuvenate after a long season. Therefore we always look to provide staff with a 1 week vacation between seasons. Vacation time may vary from program to program, and will be communicated at the start of the employment contract.

16. Will I receive a coaching uniform and equipment?
Yes. Every employee will get a comprehensive adidas coaching uniform and all relevant coaching resources. The coaching uniform is yours to keep, although the resources need to be returned at the end of the employment contract.

Additionally, each coach will also receive a cell phone. It will be coach's responsibility to secure their personal plan that allows them to maintain contact throughout the duration of their contract.

17. Will I have the opportunity to get involved in anything relating to the First team?
Yes. One of the main differences in working for a professional soccer team is that everything you do will connect to the bigger picture. Here are some of the areas that you will be involved in:

Game day clinics: For each home game selected staff will be involved in running pre-game youth clinics and also be involved in the operation of the soccer interactive zone.

Attendance at home games: All coaching staff will be offered the opportunity to attend each home game. It is important that all coaches analyze each game and use it as a tool to give examples in subsequent coaching sessions.

Game tickets: Each coach will also act as an ambassador within the local community, and will have the opportunity to promote and support ticket promotions within the club they are working

Camp reunion events: Every player that attends a Red Bulls camp will have the opportunity to attend a game day camp reunion ceremony. Selected coaching staff will have the opportunity to work at these events which are held on the field prior to a home game.

Professional Development: As part of our continued professional development program, trainers will have exposure to first team training sessions, question and answer forums with the head coach and the opportunity to learn from sessions delivered by Academy and Regional Development School coaching staff.

18. Will I get the opportunity to take any coaching courses?
Yes. In addition to our continued professional development program we also strongly believe in coaching staff gaining further experience and qualifications. As part of our standard training all staff will have the opportunity to take the NSCAA youth diploma. Additionally, subject to vacation time, coaches may have the opportunity to undertake residential coaching licensing programs offered by US Soccer or the NSCAA.

19. Will I get the opportunity to play?
Due to the demanding coaching schedule and amount of travel it is very difficult to commit to playing on a team. You will have the opportunity to play at weekly staff meetings and there may also be times when you can get involved in one off games. However it is important to check that your health insurance covers playing recreational soccer. Additionally it is also important to remember that if you get injured playing you would be unable to fulfill your coaching employment contract, which would result in early termination.

20. If I'm a foreign based applicant can I bring my wife and/or family to the US?
Due to the transient nature of the role, and typical accommodation provision (see above), it is not suitable for any employee to plan on brining along family members. Also the type of immigration visa provided does not support family members.

21. Is there an opportunity to travel after my contract finishes?
Travel time following the end of the employment contract is typically limited to 7-14 days, as all employees must leave the country by their visa end date.

22. Are there any full-time opportunities that exist within the organization?
Red Bull New York makes the commitment to its soccer partners to employ the best youth soccer coaches in the world. Performance is assessed throughout the duration of each of our seasonal trainers' employment with the view to retaining these staff on a more long-term basis.

Each of our seasonal coaches is provided a nine-month opportunity to demonstrate their skills and talents and prove their worth to our organization.

23. If successful at interview when will I start?

  • 9 month contracts (March to November) - Orientation and flight dates for foreign based coaches will take place last week in March
  • 6 month contracts (July to November) - Orientation and flight dates for foreign based coaches will be finalized in the spring. Please note that there are very limited 6 month opportunities as almost all of our staff opportunities are 9 month contracts.
  • 3 month contracts (September to November) - Orientation and flight dates for foreign based coaches will take place during the last weekend in August
  • Part-time (weekends and clinics) - Must be locally based - Start date can be arranged immediately after interview

Additional Questions
E-mail: coach@newyorkredbulls.com
Call: 201-583-7044