
SARNIA, Ont. — The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is proud to announce its participants for the 16th season of the Female Apprentice Coach Program (FACP).
The FACP is designed to identify and support female graduating student-athletes who demonstrate the desire and skills for coaching by providing them opportunities to share in the coaching experience in CCAA sports.
A total of 20 female apprentices will take part in the program during the 2020-21 season. Here are the apprentices and their mentors, five of which will join the bench on the basketball court after completing their respective collegiate careers.
APPRENTICE |
MENTOR |
INSTITUTION |
SPORT |
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Larry Petryk | Concordia University of Edmonton | Golf |
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André Mercho | Collège Ahuntsic | Soccer |
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Mark Eckerle | Langara College | Soccer |
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Rick Haxby | The King’s University | Soccer |
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Kevin Lindo | Vancouver Island University | Soccer |
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Neil Nystrom | Ambrose University | Basketball |
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Warren Williams | George Brown College | Basketball |
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Clayton Nielsen | Medicine Hat College | Basketball |
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Andrew Gini | Okanagan College | Basketball |
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Tony Bryce | Vancouver Island University | Basketball |
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Nolan Weinmaster | Briercrest College & Seminary | Volleyball |
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Ryan Adams | Columbia Bible College | Volleyball |
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Scott Hunt | Conestoga College | Volleyball |
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Jeff Ross | Douglas College | Volleyball |
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Louis-Michel Bergeron | Cégep Édouard-Montpetit | Volleyball |
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Rock Picard | Cégep Limoilou | Volleyball |
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Grégory Antoine Pilorge | Cégep de l’Outaouais | Volleyball |
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Jimmy El-Turk | St. Clair College | Volleyball |
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Grace Scott | The King’s University | Volleyball |
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Shane Hyde | Vancouver Island University | Volleyball |
(Profiles on the apprentices will be released this Fall by the CCAA)
“The CCAA is excited to support another group of talented young female apprentices in their journey to becoming coaches and the next generation of female coaches paving the way for other young apprentices to follow,” said Brittany Tierney, CCAA VP Sport Development.
The goal of the FACP is to increase opportunities for young women to have access to the coaching experience as well as to support identified graduating female student-athlete coaches in their pursuit of professional development opportunities.
In the program’s 15-year history, 233 female apprentices have been supported. This year’s 20 apprentices are the second highest total ever. The opportunity to recognize so many female apprentice coaches speaks to the growing efficacy of the CCAA program, according to Tierney.
“More young females within the CCAA community are seeing other women go through the program and thinking ‘that could be me’,” she said. “It is great to see the interest grow in supporting female coaches, and I believe will only continue to strengthen over time.”
– T. Bennett
Information from the CCAA contributed to this post.