Six coaches from SCIAC programs attended the 2024 NCAA Women Coaches Academy through the conference partnership with WeCOACH, doubling the number who took advantage of the opportunity last year.
The SCIAC contingent consisted of Occidental College head coaches Chris Hipa (softball) and Sierra Slack (lacrosse) as well as Oxy softball assistant Amanda Hansen, University of Redlands assistant coaches Kaitlyn Hooper-Bell (softball) and Breann Puchalski (soccer), and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges assistant Keilee Bessho (golf).
Participants in this year’s academy learned the facets of Title IX governing student-athlete opportunities available in both men’s and women’s sports, identified the importance of defining their personal values and were encouraged to foster student-athletes’ active role in their experience. The group also had the opportunity to interact with a pair of SCIAC alumnae as CMS basketball alum Betsy Butterick gave a talk on “Championship Communication” and former Pomona-Pitzer Athletic Director Leslie Irvine, now at Colorado College, discussed the impact of finding spaces where you can be yourself.
“We covered so much - from Title IX, conflict communication, values, DISC assessments, team cultures, and intersectionality in sports,” Hooper-Bell said. “Throughout every session there was honest, hard, and important conversations that lead to such a safe and open environment for growth and development.”
“One of the most impactful concepts I learned is ‘Your team culture is your fault. You can allow a culture or you can create a culture,’ Hipa said. “From today on, I will work to create a culture that represents me, my staff, and my players in our most genuine light.”
WeCOACH is a nonprofit dedicated to recruiting, advancing and retaining women coaches in all sports and levels through year-round professional growth and leadership development programs.
The WCA is designed for women coaches to elevate their holistic coaching effectiveness by learning advanced leadership skills and strategies that directly affect their personal and team success. Participants focus on non-sport-specific concepts in an environment that fosters inclusion across the sports community. The NCAA Academy 2.0 is a master-learning opportunity for WCA graduates to progress on the leadership, strategies and knowledge gained from their WCA experience.
Keilee Bessho: “It was an absolute honor to stand among 92 women coaches coming together to strengthen our conviction and unite our mission of advocating for women in coaching. The messages I learned about conflict communication, meeting student-athletes where they are, and my values were instructive to not only my coaching but also my life. I am so grateful for this space and have felt called to action to empower other female coaches around me and to continue coaching.”
Kaitlyn Hooper-Bell: “This was one of the best experiences I have been a part of for my personal development as a woman in athletics. It was a collection of inspiring women who all have a passion for sport and the impact we can have on our athletes. There were so many take aways and strategies that could immediately be practiced/implemented to better myself as a coach and help the development of the athletes I get to work with. The relationships, support, and network built during this will impact me throughout my career.”
Chris Hipa: “WeCoach is a great opportunity to meet women coaches, administrators, and allies in a safe space to be vulnerable and our authentic selves. We learned from great women from the pre-Title IX era through the present who experienced the adversity of student experience inequalities, overcame the stigmas and discrimination and continue to fight for more space in the athletic world. It was a remarkable experience to be in a room full of such impactful women who genuinely want you to succeed regardless if you coach against them during the year or know nothing about their school.”
Sierra Slack: “The atmosphere was one that fostered vulnerability, integrity, and transparency, which made connecting and sharing knowledge with other participants natural and rewarding. It was empowering to talk with other female coaches having similar experiences and varying perspectives who are in different phases of life. I highly recommend this program. It reminded me of my why, reinvigorated me to build relationships, and reinforced my value system.”
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