Amelia Crawford Joins Female Apprentice Coach Program

Story courtesy of the CCAA

The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is proud to announce its 2020-21 participants in the annual Female Apprentice Coach Program (FACP) for the sport of Soccer.

The Langara Falcons have added two-time U Sports national champion Amelia Crawford to their coaching staff. Crawford will serve as an apprentice in the CCAA’s FACP this year.

“As a graduated student-athlete, I am keen to remain involved in my sport of choice and expand my soccer knowledge through a coaching lens,” said Crawford, an alumna of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds. “I am pleased to be provided with an opportunity to join the Langara women’s team in an apprentice coach capacity.”

As a recent student-athlete, Crawford feels connected and familiar with the mindset and emotions of being a player. The former captain at UBC led her women’s soccer squad to national titles in 2015 and 2019.

“As a female apprentice coach, I can identify with some of the challenges female athletes experience and provide support to them,” said Crawford.
She will be mentored by Falcons head coach Mark Eckerle, who coached her from 2014-15 at Fusion FC. Eckerle credits Crawford’s relentless work ethic, sacrifice and model leadership for her post-secondary success.

“Through her ups and downs, she has developed resiliency, which means she truly understands what it takes to be a high-performing student-athlete,” said Eckerle.

While the PACWEST Soccer season has been cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic, the Falcons have resumed practices this fall. And prior to stepping on the pitch for training, the team also held weekly Zoom sessions.

The 2020-21 season is like none other in CCAA history and even though league play and National Championships may not be proceeding as normal, coach education and training – which is key to the CCAA’s FACP – is being further supplemented via the FACP Leadership Development Program. This Leadership Program is developed by former CCAA student-athlete and current CCAA Head Coach and Doctoral student Danielle Cyr, who will be facilitating the mentorship process.

Crawford, who obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, already had several years of coaching experience under her belt heading into this season.

She coached at the Fusion FC Soccer Academy (2013-15), coached the Hugh Boyd High School Volleyball team (2014-15), coached at UBC Camps (2016-18) and attended the annual Hope and Health Event at Musqueam Park, where her UBC team volunteered with the Vancouver Whitecaps to help coach and connect with Indigenous children and youth (July 2016-19).

Through her abilities both on and off the field, Crawford has accumulated a variety of experience and knowledge for the game. This experience, combined with her selflessness, respectful nature and positive energy make her a truly outstanding individual, according to Eckerle.

“I believe that Amelia has the potential and capacity to eventually lead and drive the women’s game forward,” he said. “I am looking forward to mentoring Amelia to develop a high degree of self- awareness and plethora of technical knowledge because it directly leads to peak performance, both on and off the pitch.”

Eckerle brings more than 15 years of coaching experience to the FACP. His growth as a coach has been supported by his own mentors along the way and has instilled in him a strong desire to be a mentor himself, according to Jake McCallum, Director, Athletics & Intramurals at Langara College.

“Both Coach Eckerle and Amelia are excited at the opportunity to build the capacity of female coaches in the sport of soccer and to participate in the CCAA Female Apprentice Coaching Program,” he said.