She’s Got Game - She Can Coach Spotlight
As we prepare for the launch of Cohort 3 in our She's Got Game - She Can Coach Project, our Project Coordinator, Stephanie Romero, approached Katie Parker-Lak, a participant and coach from Cohort 1. She asked Coach Katie to reflect on her experience with being involved in our project.
Why did you choose to participate in the She's Got Game - She Can Coach Program?
“I wanted to participate in the She's Got Game- She Can Coach Program because of my love and passion for soccer. When I was younger, playing soccer and being a part of a team created memories and experiences that I will always remember. I was lucky to have good coaches throughout my playing experience and can remember their words and support to this day, so I wanted to emulate that and pursue coaching to support and inspire players throughout their soccer journey. I also believe that it is incredibly important for players to see themselves represented in leadership positions, especially when there are so many women out there, who not only have passion and knowledge of the game, but can be incredible teachers and role models for players.” - Coach Katie
What does being a coach mean to you?
“To me, being a coach is not only about designing fun and challenging ways to teach the technical and tactical components of soccer, it means being compassionate, listening to your players, creating connections by cementing trust with your players, supporting their development on and off the field, and being a good communicator.
Being a coach also means always striving to learn and improve so I can be better for my players. I cannot reiterate enough what an amazing experience and honour it is to be a coach and to work with a team. I am thankful to have had this opportunity to pursue coaching through the She's Got Game- She Can Coach program.” -Coach Katie
Coach Katie co-coaches our Jr. Gryphons GU16 Black team with another former She Can Coach participant, Christine Hagen. This past outdoor season, Coach Katie and Coach Christine led their team to victory in the Kicking in the Capital tournament in Ottawa!
We currently have recruitment open for Cohort 3 of our She Can Coach project! This year we will have a focus on (but not limited to) the recruitment, training, and development of coaches for our competitive stream. If you are interested in the program, please complete our Expression of Interest Form. (Closes September 29th at 12pm).
Please connect with Project Coordinator, Stephanie Romero, at stephanie.romero@guelphsoccer.ca if you have any questions.