Female Apprentice Coach Program

Story courtesy of the CCAA

The PACWEST in partnership with the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is proud to announce its Female Apprentice Coach Program apprentices and mentors for its 14th season.

Twelve apprentices in five different sports across all five CCAA member conferences will be mentored by coaches across the country during the 2018-19 season. A pair of PACWEST athletes have been named.  Juliana Penner of the Douglas Royals women's volleyball program and Zoe Grace of the VIU Mariners women's soccer program will be coach apprentices this upcoming season.

They will be monitored throughout the year via progress reports.

“The CCAA Female Apprentice Coach Programs is building capacity and is beneficial to all involved,” said Sandra Murray-MacDonell, CCAA Chief Executive Officers.

CCAA apprentices develop the skill set to coach as they become increasingly confident and competent, while mentor coaches are enhancing their leadership skills and advancing career development, according to Murray-MacDonell.

“Meanwhile the institution is developing future coaches for hire as is evidenced by the numerous CCAA coaches from the program feeding other levels of sport in the country,” she said.

As noted by Medicine Hat College, a participating FACP institution, the FACP “forces member institutions to look closer at themselves with respect to in-house coaching development, coaching succession plans and the development of female coaching opportunities.”

In addition to this season’s 12 apprentices, several other CCAA institutions will also receive funding this upcoming season for professional development toward apprentice coaches.

“The Female Apprentice Coach Program is great for promoting the role of coaches both within our institution and community,” said Grace Scott, Director of Athletics and Women’s Volleyball head coach at The King’s University. “As an institution, mentoring is very much a part of what we already do, so this program fits our mission very well.”