This summer, a total of 20 women and 10 Indigenous coaches from across Canada will participate in the 2017 Canada Games as part of the Canada Games Apprenticeship Program.

The purpose of the Canada Games Apprenticeship Program is to provide women and Indigenous coaches with a major national multi-sport games experience in an apprentice role. The selected coaches have had a direct involvement in the preparation of their respective teams and athletes ahead of the Games, and the program ensures that they will positively impact the athlete experience in Winnipeg.

The program is also unique in that it encourages continued education and participation from traditionally underrepresented populations in coaching. It connects the apprentice coaches with high-performance mentor coaches, provides National Training Certification Program training, and other professional development and learning opportunities.
Let’s take a closer look at both programs and introduce you to the 2017 Canada Games apprentice coaches!

Women in Coaching Canada Games Apprenticeship Program

The Women in Coaching Canada Games Apprenticeship Program is a partnership between the Provincial/Territorial Coaching Representatives (P/TCRs), the Canada Games Council (CGC), and the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC). It provides the opportunity for each province and territory to send 2 female coaches to the Canada Games.

Coach Spotlight:

Robyn Webster
Hometown: Merritt, BC
Sport: Athletics 

Robyn began coaching by volunteering once a week with a youth development program while she was a varsity athlete at the University of Calgary. This culminated in coordinating summer camps, which lead to club coaching and clinics.

"I am so thankful to be a part of the Women in Coaching program which has given me so many opportunities to further my coaching development in the last year! I last attended the Canada Games as an athlete in 2009. Having the opportunity to be a part of it again as a coach is fantastic! Alberta's Athletics' team just had their team selection last weekend. Seeing the athletes' determination and eagerness to make the team reminded me once again how important the games are in athlete development. I am very much looking forward to my role with the team leading up to and at the games!"

Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program (AACP)

The AACP is a partnership between the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC), the Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies (P/TASBs), the P/TCRs, the CGC, and the CAC. It provides the opportunity for each province and territory to send two coaches of Indigenous ancestry to the Canada Games.

Coach Spotlight:

Amy Wilson-Hands
Hometown: Fort Frances, ON
Sport: Volleyball

Amy Wilson-Hands describes her most memorable moment as a coach when one of her athletes revealed that they were going to further pursue sports.
“This has been an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will forever be grateful for. The places that I have travelled, the people that I have met, the learning experiences that I have been given and the memories that I have made are truly a blessing. Miigwech!”

Find out who is representing your province/territory from the Women in Coaching Canada Games Apprenticeship Program and the Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program in Winnipeg from July 28th to August 13th. If you’re interested in the program, or know a coach that would be, you can learn more about the timelines for the 2019 Canada Winter Games. The call for applications is open until October 31, 2017!

Good luck coaches!