My name is Danielle and I am an Assistant Coach with the Nepean Wildcats U18 AA team. I have been coaching female hockey at the U18 level for the past four years and specialize in goaltender development. I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Child and Youth Studies and a College Diploma in Recreation and Leisure Services.
As a non-parent female minor hockey coach, I believe there is a more lasting permanence to what we coaches do. My motivation to coach has nothing to do with medals and victories, but rather with a belief that I could help young women develop the important skills required to live a healthy and successful life during and after their hockey careers. I coach not only to develop high-performance female hockey players, but to help empower young women and develop their self-confidence in a safe and positive environment. I believe in utilizing a holistic approach to coaching and strive to be the type of coach I always wanted to have while playing minor hockey.
Overall, I would use the funds to expand my hockey knowledge by further completing Hockey Canada’s coaching courses under the National Coaching Certification Program and to help cover expenses as a non-parent coach. I want to continue to coach girls’ hockey and not allow finances hinder my involvement since representation and role models are integral to retaining women in sport.