Watersports Specialist

Starts May 26th, Ends Aug 10th, 2027

Watersports Specialists are summer camp counselors or assistant counselors.

Get a summer job at Sanborn Western Camps, at either High Trails (our female centered space) or Big Spring (our male centered space). We are located on a 6,000+ acre ranch in Florissant, Colorado. Work, teach, and live with children in a respectful community.

Watersports Specialist Job Qualifications

This job is open to men and women 1 or 2 years out of high school (18 year old minimum) — traditionally college sophomores and older. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year due to the seasonality of this position.

• Previous experience working with children is preferred.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Enthusiasm, creativity, and a passion for working with children.
• First Aid and CPR certification (options available to take the course on-site).

Bring your interest, skills and expertise in water sports safety, canoeing, paddle boarding, rafting, tubing, and swimming to your summer camp counselor job in Colorado.

Job Benefits

Competitive salary ranging between $3850-3950/season plus stipends for travel and pertinent certifications, housing provided, meals, paid sick leave, laundry, and the opportunity to influence the lives of children in the out-of-doors.

This job description is not intended to include all tasks that might need to be performed but to give the overview of the primary and most common responsibilities.

Job Responsibilities

• Living and working with campers.
• Working with a team of counselors to provide leadership and care for a group of campers.
• Assisting or leading on or off-camp trips, activities, programs and special events.
• Being responsible for table supervision at meals.
• Providing tent or cabin coverage for other counselors and staff as needed occasionally requiring you to spend the night in another living unit.
• Being flexible, in response to current and emergency situations and to shifts in responsibilities when camp is underway.
• Assisting with meals and cleanup.
• Counselors: writing weekly letters to parents.
• Assistant Counselors: assisting with lodge and van cleaning on weekends.

Primary Essential Functions

• Must have visual and auditory ability to assess any unsafe environment or hazard and physical ability to respond appropriately to any situation.
• Must have physical ability and strength to lead activities five days a week, including carrying a 40 lbs pack over varied terrain (snow, tundra, boulders, loose rock, etc.).
• Most days are fully packed for 7-12 hours and there is limited recovery time due to additional in-unit responsibilities.
• Be physically fit for an active camp environment, adapt to high elevation living, and be able to work long hours when needed.
• Abilities to observe camper behavior, assess its appropriateness, enforce appropriate safety regulations and apply appropriate behavior management techniques.
• Must be comfortable sleeping outdoors and managing personal hygiene without toilets or running water.
• Must be able to live in a cabin with others (campers and/or staff), and eat meals in a large, noisy dining room.

Will I Get Trained?

Yes. Staff week happens for 10 days before the campers arrive and it provides valuable time for all of us to build our staff community, to become familiar with camp, and to plan and organize for the rest of the summer.

There are trainings offered before staff training, so you may be asked to arrive early. Staff Week officially begins at lunch so it is best to arrive early on the first day of staff training to get unpacked and moved in before meetings and activities begin.

Is Working at Summer Camp Fun?

YES!!! It is a super fun summer job. AND it is a REAL job. Some benefits beyond the paycheck include:

• Being part of a purpose and mission driven 501(c)(3) Not-for-profit Organization
• Support and professional development through coaching and mentoring
• The hard and soft skills used and practiced at camp are foundational skills many employers look for in internship or field experiences
• Resume assistance, career coaching & letters of recommendation
• Ongoing personal and professional growth & development (including certifications to do your job)
• Opportunities for leadership positions and organizational growth
• Focused attention on developing a community of wellness, including mental health supports and Employee Assistance Programs.

Working with kids in the outdoors is both incredibly tough and incredibly rewarding. Sanborn Western Camps staff members have the most fulfilling, most awe-inspiring and most fun job in the country!

Internships

We are happy to work directly with you and your university/college to help fulfill your internship requirements. Many universities want students to have internship opportunities that help develop critical thinking and problem solving skills; leadership, collaborative and interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; and the chance to cultivate creativity and flexibility in the workplace. These are all workplace skills and professional tools one can gain through a summer at Sanborn.

Please email our or call us at +1 719-748-3341 to discuss your internship requirements.

What’s the Mission?

*To live together in the outdoors, building a sense of Self, a sense of Community, a sense of the Earth, and a sense of Wonder through fun and adventure.*

By giving children the tools to better understand themselves, they develop problem solving skills, independence, confidence, and strength of character.

By teaching children how to live and work in a community, they learn to manage themselves in complex social situations, put others’ needs before their own, and to work with other strong individuals from all over the United States and the world.

By helping children value th