Ottawa, ON, September 25, 2024 – The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) is thrilled to announce the 2024-2025 cohort of mentors and mentees selected for the High Performance Women in Coaching Mentorship Program. Launched in 2020, this program continues to empower women in coaching by fostering professional growth, leadership development, and the sharing of expertise in high-performance sports environments.

With the support of Sport Canada, this initiative aligns with the federal government's commitment to achieving gender equity in sport by the year 2035. Through this mentorship program, the CAC actively contributes to this priority by creating opportunities for women coaches to advance in leadership roles and build lasting careers in the high-performance sport sector.

"We are committed to fostering the development of women in coaching and this mentorship program plays a vital support role for their growth," says Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the Coaching Association of Canada. "By connecting up-and-coming coaches with seasoned mentors, we are not only advancing their skills and careers while also building a more equitable and inclusive coaching community across Canada."

The program pairs emerging women coaches with experienced mentors, providing an invaluable platform for personal and professional advancement. The program is designed to address barriers women face in high-performance coaching by equipping mentees with the tools, support, and networking opportunities they need to succeed.

Each mentor-mentee pairing is tailored to encourage knowledge exchange, leadership development, and strategic growth. Mentees will receive guidance on navigating the complexities of high-performance coaching while strengthening their leadership abilities, contributing to the evolution of Canadian sports at the highest levels.

The selected participants for the 2024-2025 program are as follows:

Mentors

Name  

Sport 

Allison McNeill

Basketball

Brenda Willis  

Volleyball

Carol Love 

Rowing 

Cheryl Jean-Paul

Basketball

Erin McAleenan

Basketball

Marta Belsh

Swimming

Severine Tamborero

Tennis

Shelley Coolidge

Hockey

Vicki Keith

Swimming

 

Mentees

Name  

Sport 

Celine Freeman-Gibb

Athletics

Christine Hyde

Basketball

Constanze Paulinus 

Figure Skating

Erin Carter

Volleyball

Haylie Burton

Swimming

Isabelle (Izzy) Cropper

Hockey

Jenna Merk

Hockey

Joni Frei

Softball

Julia Sugawara

Rugby

Jy Lawrence

Swimming

Madeline Belding

Basketball

Marissa Lindquist

Basketball

Mia KurtzFavero

Volleyball

Nicole Garrido

Short Track Speed Skating

Nikolina Mhajlovik

Water Polo

Rachel Van Woezik

Basketball

Sherraine René Schalm

Fencing

Tiffany Gaudette

Boccia

 

The CAC remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting women in coaching through initiatives like this mentorship program, which helps to ensure that women coaches are well-equipped to thrive in high-performance roles.

For more information on the High Performance Women in Coaching Mentorship Program, please visit https://coach.ca/programs-and-initiatives/mentorship-and-apprenticeships/high-performance-women-coaching-mentorship.

 

About the Coaching Association of Canada

The Coaching Association of Canada unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches, and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through its programs, the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches. For more information, please visit www.coach.ca, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

For more information:

Andrea Johnson
Manager, Equity Programs
Coaching Association of Canada 
ajohnson@coach.ca

For media inquiries:

Sarah Min
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Coaching Association of Canada 
smin@coach.ca
Tel: 613.235.5000 x 2341