Did you know there was an Old Mission Athletic Association (OMAA)? Me either! And I’ve lived here my whole life! It’s based within the Leffingwell Association on Forest Avenue (on the right past Haserot Beach). Or as we’ve always called it, Old Mission Resort.
My sister Carol used to babysit out there, and my brothers, Dean and Ward, would drop her off and pick her up in our little rowboat outfitted with a Johnson 5-hp motor (we grew up on the shore just south of the Old Mission General Store). I tagged along on the boat rides, probably because Mom made them take me, but I was just a youngster at the time. We also used to sneak out there and play tennis on their tennis courts. Once in a while, we’d sneak over to the Gray Haven tennis court and play there, too.
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At any rate, I learned yesterday that the OMAA is currently seeking a fun, energetic counselor to teach school-aged children tennis and swimming, as well as to conduct outdoor games, picnics, and other group activities, during its summer program.
From the Association:
The OMAA program is operated by families from 30 cottages located on scenic Old Mission Harbor. OMAA has employed counselors for more than 70 summers and is committed to encouraging a love for the outdoors and respect for our environment.
This quiet, tight-knit community is a refuge from the bustle of regular life: a safe place to ride bikes, explore the forest, play games, walk to the country store for an ice cream cone, learn to sail, waterski, swim, play tennis, have campfires, etc. Many of the families have been coming to Old Mission for generations, their children and their children’s children spending summers playing and growing together.
The 2018 summer program will run for five to six weeks, beginning July 2, 2018. The program is informal and fluctuates in size (between 10-30 kids per week), with the counselor at the center of it all.
The counselor will lead daily tennis lessons (and swimming lessons, if interested), coordinate games and other activities, and be a friend, role model, and mentor to the kids. The ideal candidate has played high school and/or college tennis and has experience teaching tennis.
A Lifeguard or Water Safety Instructor (WSI) certificate is required, as well as First Aid/CPR certification, for teaching swimming lessons in Lake Michigan (Grand Traverse Bay).
The ideal candidate must love working with children ages 5 to 15 and be comfortable managing groups of kids, as well as interacting with families and a junior counselor.
The primary counselor will be compensated for working 40 hours a week (Monday through Saturday morning). An assistant counselor, if hired, will be compensated for 20 hours per week. On-site housing and meals may be provided, but are subject to negotiation.
Submit qualifications (tennis, swimming, coaching, summer camps, working with children) by March 25 to [email protected]. They are flexible with work arrangements, hours and duties, so feel free to ask questions through that email.
A NOTE FROM JANE: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers like the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, and magazines like Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So of course, I started my own newspaper. Because the Gazette is mainly reader-supported, I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks my way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the Old Mission Peninsula. Check out the donation page here. Thank you so much for your support. -jb
Danielle Mitroi