Careers · Now Hiring

COACH KIDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Now hiring summer camp counselors, after-school club instructors, sports clinic coaches, and birthday party hosts across St. Louis, Kansas City, Nashville, and Medford.

Apply now Check on my application

Multiple roles open now · 5-minute application · No cover letter needed · Hear back in 3 business days

Why join us

More than just a job.

We're building a team of people who care about making a real difference in kids' lives — and we don't cut corners on how we do it. Here's what sets us apart.

Kids First, Always

Every decision — from hiring to curriculum — starts with one question: is this good for the kids?

Growth Mindset

We teach it to kids and we live it ourselves. Every mistake is a lesson, every challenge an opportunity.

Integrity in Everything

We show up prepared, communicate proactively, and hold ourselves to a high standard every session.

Raise the Bar

Good enough isn't good enough. We push each other to deliver programs that get better every week.

Teamwork Over Ego

The best ideas win — no matter where they come from. We back each other up on every shift.

Real Growth Path

Facilitator → Area Manager. We promote from within and invest in your development.

Parents, partners & staff

Don't just take our word for it.

Verified reviews from Google, Facebook, Indeed, and LinkedIn — the parents who trust us, the partners who host us, and the coaches who work here.

Google

"Wow! Our 9 yr. old son attended a Pokémon card game/trading week long workshop. Fabian, the instructor was terrific. He has great awareness and made the week amazing."

Douglas Bram

Parent, St. Louis

Facebook

"We have had such a great experience with Recreation Academy at Kirkwood Park. Our kids have attended several weeks of extreme sports summer camp and have always had a great time. Staff and management are accessible and wonderful to work with."

Amanda Penick Brauer

Parent

Current Partner

"The Recreation Academy has helped us add so much variety to our weekly end-of-day enrichment programs — tons of sessions have been a hit with our families. Their staff are professional, prompt, and always super engaged. Truly a fantastic company to work with."

Eve R.

The Community School

Indeed

"I have absolutely loved my time at The Rec Academy and can't wait to come back and see all of my Cadets again next summer! It's really refreshing to be at a youth organization that promotes a healthy environment for everyone and supports their staff so well."

Camp Counselor

Camp Counselor (Seasonal) · St. Louis, MO

"I worked here through college and it was easily the most rewarding job I've had. The team is supportive, the schedule works around classes, and you get real coaching experience with elementary-age kids. Highly recommend for anyone in education."

Jordan P.

Former Enrichment Facilitator

Google

"Highly recommend Rec Academy for your kid camp needs! Great staff! Awesome activity games my super active 7 year old. Naps will ensue!"

Gary Stewart

Parent, St. Louis

Facebook

"My son loves the Extreme Sports camp. Great experience!"

Lindsay Schultz Wessels

Parent

Google

"Fantastic program with excellent staff! Kids have so much fun!!"

Katrina Paumier

Parent, St. Louis

Facebook

"Our kiddo loved the sports camp. The teachers were very helpful. What a great week."

Jen Kaesberg

Parent

Indeed

"Fun and supportive environment with a lot of room for personal and professional growth! Working for The Recreation Academy has truly been a fulfilling experience."

Area Manager

Area Manager · St. Louis, MO

Google

"My son attended their Summer camps and had a blast! The staff was great and caring. Highly recommend!"

Kelli Jaeger

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"I have an uncoordinated six year old who loves running around. I was worried he might not be able to follow all the rules or would get out right away, but that wasn't the case with the playground games camp. The counselors did a great job of making sure everyone was included. His only complaint was that I picked him up… he wanted to stay all day."

Rebecca Zide

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"Both of my boys have loved The Recreation Academy. They've done both Spring Break camps and Summer Camps. Each day they are excited to participate!"

Tiffany Whelehon

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"Wow! Our 9 yr. old son attended a Pokémon card game/trading week long workshop. Fabian, the instructor was terrific. He has great awareness and made the week amazing."

Douglas Bram

Parent, St. Louis

Facebook

"We have had such a great experience with Recreation Academy at Kirkwood Park. Our kids have attended several weeks of extreme sports summer camp and have always had a great time. Staff and management are accessible and wonderful to work with."

Amanda Penick Brauer

Parent

Current Partner

"The Recreation Academy has helped us add so much variety to our weekly end-of-day enrichment programs — tons of sessions have been a hit with our families. Their staff are professional, prompt, and always super engaged. Truly a fantastic company to work with."

Eve R.

The Community School

Indeed

"I have absolutely loved my time at The Rec Academy and can't wait to come back and see all of my Cadets again next summer! It's really refreshing to be at a youth organization that promotes a healthy environment for everyone and supports their staff so well."

Camp Counselor

Camp Counselor (Seasonal) · St. Louis, MO

"I worked here through college and it was easily the most rewarding job I've had. The team is supportive, the schedule works around classes, and you get real coaching experience with elementary-age kids. Highly recommend for anyone in education."

Jordan P.

Former Enrichment Facilitator

Google

"Highly recommend Rec Academy for your kid camp needs! Great staff! Awesome activity games my super active 7 year old. Naps will ensue!"

Gary Stewart

Parent, St. Louis

Facebook

"My son loves the Extreme Sports camp. Great experience!"

Lindsay Schultz Wessels

Parent

Google

"Fantastic program with excellent staff! Kids have so much fun!!"

Katrina Paumier

Parent, St. Louis

Facebook

"Our kiddo loved the sports camp. The teachers were very helpful. What a great week."

Jen Kaesberg

Parent

Indeed

"Fun and supportive environment with a lot of room for personal and professional growth! Working for The Recreation Academy has truly been a fulfilling experience."

Area Manager

Area Manager · St. Louis, MO

Google

"My son attended their Summer camps and had a blast! The staff was great and caring. Highly recommend!"

Kelli Jaeger

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"I have an uncoordinated six year old who loves running around. I was worried he might not be able to follow all the rules or would get out right away, but that wasn't the case with the playground games camp. The counselors did a great job of making sure everyone was included. His only complaint was that I picked him up… he wanted to stay all day."

Rebecca Zide

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"Both of my boys have loved The Recreation Academy. They've done both Spring Break camps and Summer Camps. Each day they are excited to participate!"

Tiffany Whelehon

Parent, St. Louis

Indeed

"Good place to work while being active and having fun with the kiddos. If you work in education and are off during the summer months, this is the best way to make some extra cash."

Coach

Coach · St. Louis, MO

"One of the best side gigs I've had. The Rec Academy trusts you to run your own class, gives you real curriculum to work from, and pays well for the hours. The kids genuinely look forward to it every week."

Marissa T.

Former Enrichment Facilitator

Google

"My sons (5 and 9) had a great week of camp at Kirkwood Park with the Rec. Academy. They came home happy and excited to go back the next day."

Nora Schweighart

Parent, St. Louis

Facebook

"My daughter Corinne loved it, highly recommend!"

Caroline Tee

Parent

Current Partner

"Working with The Recreation Academy has allowed our school to increase summer revenue, expand programming availability, and has been an absolute pleasure to work with. We love the Rec Academy and look forward to continuing to work with them."

Adam H.

New City School

Indeed

"Management and team are great! They truly care about you and your personal & professional development. The work/life balance is for you to create. You choose your hours and what activities you work. I love the flexibility."

Area Manager

Area Manager · Chicago, IL

"Great organization to grow with. I started as an Enrichment Facilitator running after-school programs and left with real experience leading groups of kids. Management actually listens and invests in staff development."

Alicia R.

Former Enrichment Facilitator

Indeed

"Very fun place to work if you're looking for something to keep you active and with kids. You are supplied with the materials needed for each class. You make your own schedule and the pay is great."

Assistant Manager

Assistant Manager · St. Louis, MO

Google

"My son loves after school kickball! It's a great way to interact with kids from other grades and have fun!"

Liz Pratt

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"My son loves all classes through the Rec Academy! He has fun and stays active. The instructors play with the kids and seem to be having a great time."

Beth Hausner

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"My son did a Recreation Academy summer camp through his elementary school and had a great time doing all the fun activities, such as dodgeball, games, and sports."

Julia Maranan

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"My son started camp this week at Kirkwood park and has absolutely loved it! He's getting three straight hours of energy out playing different sports and connecting with friends. Thanks for a great start to the summer!"

Chad Lembach

Parent, St. Louis

Indeed

"Good place to work while being active and having fun with the kiddos. If you work in education and are off during the summer months, this is the best way to make some extra cash."

Coach

Coach · St. Louis, MO

"One of the best side gigs I've had. The Rec Academy trusts you to run your own class, gives you real curriculum to work from, and pays well for the hours. The kids genuinely look forward to it every week."

Marissa T.

Former Enrichment Facilitator

Google

"My sons (5 and 9) had a great week of camp at Kirkwood Park with the Rec. Academy. They came home happy and excited to go back the next day."

Nora Schweighart

Parent, St. Louis

Facebook

"My daughter Corinne loved it, highly recommend!"

Caroline Tee

Parent

Current Partner

"Working with The Recreation Academy has allowed our school to increase summer revenue, expand programming availability, and has been an absolute pleasure to work with. We love the Rec Academy and look forward to continuing to work with them."

Adam H.

New City School

Indeed

"Management and team are great! They truly care about you and your personal & professional development. The work/life balance is for you to create. You choose your hours and what activities you work. I love the flexibility."

Area Manager

Area Manager · Chicago, IL

"Great organization to grow with. I started as an Enrichment Facilitator running after-school programs and left with real experience leading groups of kids. Management actually listens and invests in staff development."

Alicia R.

Former Enrichment Facilitator

Indeed

"Very fun place to work if you're looking for something to keep you active and with kids. You are supplied with the materials needed for each class. You make your own schedule and the pay is great."

Assistant Manager

Assistant Manager · St. Louis, MO

Google

"My son loves after school kickball! It's a great way to interact with kids from other grades and have fun!"

Liz Pratt

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"My son loves all classes through the Rec Academy! He has fun and stays active. The instructors play with the kids and seem to be having a great time."

Beth Hausner

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"My son did a Recreation Academy summer camp through his elementary school and had a great time doing all the fun activities, such as dodgeball, games, and sports."

Julia Maranan

Parent, St. Louis

Google

"My son started camp this week at Kirkwood park and has absolutely loved it! He's getting three straight hours of energy out playing different sports and connecting with friends. Thanks for a great start to the summer!"

Chad Lembach

Parent, St. Louis

What this means for you

A résumé line that actually opens doors.

This isn't just a paycheck. You'll be part of a STEM.org accredited, nationally recognized youth-development organization — the kind of credential principals, camp directors, and hiring committees know by name.

Apply now Meet the team

Nationally recognized credentials

STEM.org accredited curriculum and training frameworks used by top-tier youth orgs.

Real-world skill building

Classroom management, SEL fluency, behavior de-escalation, and small-group leadership — every shift.

Independently vetted curriculum

Deliver programs that have been reviewed by independent accreditors, not thrown together last minute.

Promote-from-within path

Facilitator → Area Manager. We invest in your development and reward the people who grow with us.

Independently accredited & nationally recognized

Vetted by the people who know what to look for.

STEM.org Accredited

Best in STEM — Top 5%

Best in Youth Enrichment

Learn more about our credentials →

Choose-your-own-adventure shifts

Flexible work that actually matters.

Summer Camp Counselor

Full- and half-day camps, June through August. Lead a group of 10–15 kids through games, sports, and team challenges.

After-School Club Instructor

One to two days a week, 3–5pm at partner schools. Run a single club program — Chess, 9 Square, Dodgeball, and more.

Sports Clinic Coach

Weekday evenings or Saturday mornings. Lead skill-building clinics in basketball, flag football, baseball, or multi-sport.

Birthday Party Host

Weekend afternoons. Run themed parties — we bring the games and equipment, you bring the energy.

Life on the job

Real coaches, real impact.

A glimpse of what a shift actually looks like — kids learning, coaches leading, communities growing.

Ready to make a difference?

Spots fill fast every season — get your application in today.

Apply now

A day in the life

What a shift actually looks like.

From the moment you accept a shift to the year-end all-staff meeting — here's the full lifecycle of working with us.

Prep & training

Before the shift

Virtual training

Regular Support

Connect with leadership any time. Your first session is always shadowed by a veteran instructor.

Week before

Pre-Program Prep

Build your plan of action from our online curriculum library and pick up your equipment from the storage unit.

Run the program

Shift day

20 min before

Arrive & Set Up

Get to your site, unload, set up activity stations, and have everything ready before the first kid walks in.

Start time

Welcome & Frontload

Check every participant in, gather the group, set expectations, and get them hyped for what's coming.

Throughout

Run Activities

Lead games, manage rotations, keep energy high. Activities rotate every 30–60 minutes.

After activities

Lead Debriefs

Guide a quick "what worked / what was hard / how do we use this outside camp" conversation. This is what makes us different.

Wrap up & grow

After & year-round

End of session

Wrap Up & Pack Out

Final debrief, safe checkout for every participant, pack equipment, and submit your session summary.

After program

Return Gear & Get Paid

Drop equipment at the storage unit, submit your pay request through the staff portal, and you're done until next shift.

Yearly

All Staff Meeting

Once a year the whole team gets together before our busiest season to share techniques and reset goals.

Inside the work

A few snapshots from the field.

Real coaches, real shifts, real kids — this is what your week looks like.

Coach leading a group activity — Coaches in action

Kickball game in full swing — Game-day energy

Staff guiding a small-group debrief — Guided debriefs

Coach sharing their passion with kids — Share your passion

Team huddle before a drill — Building team chemistry

Coach modeling a skill to attentive kids — Become a better facilitator

The participant experience

What we're building for the kids.

Every session is built to be more than just fun — it's a structured opportunity for growth. As a coach, you're not just running an activity; you're guiding kids through a proven cycle that builds confidence, communication, and resilience through social-emotional learning.

Frontload

Set the stage. Every block starts with clear expectations, the 'why' behind the activity, and the social-emotional skill we're practicing that day.

Experience

Let them play. Kids dive into games, sports, and challenges where the SEL skill naturally shows up — communication, teamwork, perseverance, and self-control.

Debrief

Pause and reflect. Coaches guide kids through what happened, how they handled it, and what they'd try differently next time.

Repeat

Apply the lesson. Kids run it back and put what they just learned into practice — that's where real growth sticks.

Soft skills, every session

Communication, empathy, and teamwork get reps in every block — not as a lecture, but baked into how we run the activity.

Belonging first

Kids walk in knowing their coach has their back. That safety unlocks the willingness to try, fail, and grow.

Growth they can feel

Wins get named out loud. Struggles get reframed. Kids leave each session a little more confident than they walked in.

Meet your future teammates

The pros you'll work alongside.

A few of the instructors leading programs in your city. This could be you next season.

Coach Kizzy

St. Louis, MO

Kizzy brings 27 years of passion and experience to youth enrichment, starting her journey as a high school volunteer reader who discovered her calling to positively impact children's futures. A proud Green Bay Packers fan, she specializes in leading dance and arts & crafts activities that help kids try new things and feel celebrated for who they are.

Coach Fynn

St. Louis, MO

Fynn brings 3 years of experience working with kids and a drive to make a real impact in his community — one game at a time. Whether he's lifting weights, scaling a rock wall, running, playing pickleball, or cheering on Mizzou Football, Fynn stays active and brings that energy straight to the field with a killer game of Capture the Flag.

Coach Bryce

St. Louis, MO

Bryce brings 1 year of experience working with kids and a genuine desire to be the kind of positive role model he had growing up. A college football player with a love for nearly every sport, he knows what it means to stay active, compete hard, and show up for your team. His go-to: an intense game of Knockout.

Meet the rest of the team

What we look for

The basics, plus heart.

Background check cleared before day one
CPR & First Aid certified (in-person programs)
1+ year experience working with children
Mandated reporter training completed
Reliable transportation to and from sites
Genuine desire to help kids grow

Available positions

Open roles, hiring now.

These roles are open right now. Tap a card to read the full description, requirements, and pay — then apply below.

Apply now · Step 1 of 4

Ready to join us?

A short four-step application. We'll review and reach out within 3–5 business days.

5-minute application · No cover letter needed

Step 1

Your info

Step 2

Experience

Step 3

Making an Impact

Step 4

Terms & ID

FAQs

Got questions?

Straight answers to the things candidates ask us most.

What positions are you hiring for?+

We're actively hiring summer camp counselors, youth instructors, enrichment club facilitators, sports clinic coaches, and after-school program staff in St. Louis, Kansas City, Nashville, and Medford. We're looking for natural leaders who can engage kids ages 5–14, manage groups of 14–20 participants, and facilitate structured learning through fun, hands-on activities. Whether you're running a STEM program like Drone Racing, leading a sports clinic, or facilitating an enrichment club, you'll need the ability to command attention, keep kids engaged, and create a safe, structured environment where every child can thrive.

How and when do I get paid?+

You'll work as a 1099 independent contractor, which gives you flexibility in your schedule and added tax benefits. We pay for all completed programs every Tuesday.

Do I need experience working with kids?+

Yes. We require at least one year of experience working with youth in a professional setting — coaching, camp counseling, teaching, or organized volunteer work all count.

What training do you provide?+

Every new coach completes our full onboarding program: a 25-minute training video, four modules covering emergencies, impact, safety, and subcontracting, a staff manual and SOPs, senior-staff observation during your first sessions, and ongoing support and professional development. We also hold a 3-hour in-person training before the start of each summer — our busiest season — to review curriculum, safety protocols, and site expectations hands-on.

How many kids will I work with?+

Group sizes vary by program. Summer camps run at a preferred 1:14 ratio (1:16 max). Enrichment clubs and sports clinics typically run 6–18 participants depending on the program and the instructor's experience. Groups are kept age-appropriate with a maximum three-year age difference, though they may be combined when needed to keep a session running.

What will I be teaching, and how do I know what to do?+

We provide a detailed curriculum for every program — from Basketball Clinics and Hip Hop Dance Camp to Playground Champions and STEM programs like Drone Racing. Each one includes a session-by-session breakdown, activity instructions, an equipment list, and safety guidelines. Before each program you'll build a short plan of action based on our curriculum, walking us through how you'll facilitate each session within our operating procedures. This keeps quality consistent while leaving room for your own teaching style and creativity.

Where do programs take place?+

Programs run at partner locations — parks, recreation centers, schools, and community facilities — throughout St. Louis, Kansas City, Nashville, and Medford.