As the smoke in the Denver air dissipated, the ambience during the third and final night of the 2023 NCAA Women Coaches Academy (WCA) came alive! The energy in the room quickly shifted from a buzz of excitement to a nervous titter, with a notable sense of unease, as coaches realised many others in the room had similarly experienced feelings of, “I am not enough”, “I struggle to reach out to others for help and support”, and more. It was from here the atmosphere among coaches transformed to one of understanding, belonging, reassurance, and empowerment.
Marking the culmination of a series of highly impactful sessions for WCA Class 52, numerous sessions took place including (but certainly not limited to!), Strategies on Navigating the Coaching Profession with Director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi; Championship Communication with Coach and Communication Specialist, Betsy Butterick; Title IX Immersion with Managing Director of Inclusion at the NCAA, Dr. Amy Wilson; LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Sport with Founder and CEO of Return On Inclusion, Nevin Caple; and two presentations, DISC for Coaches and Know Your Values, from our very own CEO at Athlete Assessments, Liz Masen.
Celebrating 20 years of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy, WeCOACH hosted its largest program to date, with 100 coaches in the 52nd class of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy and 20 coaches participating in the 6th class of the NCAA Academy 2.0 Program, an exclusive masterclass for WCA graduates that builds upon the leadership, skills, and strategies gained from their previous WCA experiences. This year also marked my first involvement in the WCA, where I was very privileged to have been invited to join the WeCOACH staff team for the event. Renowned for their dedication to advancing and supporting women coaches, WeCOACH encourages women coaches to learn about and understand their coaching style, empowering them to apply their leadership abilities, and strive for work-life balance.
I came prepared to soak up as much as I could from the programs, which encompassed women coaches in all sports at all levels. The sessions are designed to elevate the non-sport specific skills and strategies that directly affect coaches’ personal and team success in a safe and open environment that fosters inclusion across numerous communities.
After 14 years of collaboration and involvement in the WCA, Liz, a seasoned veteran, shared her perspective,
“For the 20-year anniversary, WeCOACH ‘hit it out of the park’ by providing an exceptional experience for the coaches. From the programming and special guests to the continued traditions and all that makes the Academies, the coaches were highly engaged, and it was an extraordinary experience as a facilitator.”
Employing Athlete Assessments’ CoachDISC Profiles – now a staple of the program that I heard discussed and traded over glasses of wine in the networking hours – Liz guides coaches to an understanding of the DISC Model, their preferred behavioral styles, methods of communication, and strengths. A personal favorite, Liz uses a line up activity to specifically demonstrate how in a given scenario, while a coach at one end of the scale might take an action that is completely contrary to the action taken by a coach at the other end of the scale, ultimately, they both achieve the same result. Importantly, coaches can adjust these behaviors as necessary when working with their athletes and colleagues who might have different preferences. The session proved to be a highlight, with coaches expressing their desire for having learned such valuable insights. From participating in Liz’s sessions, they now understood why they clashed with certain athletes and felt they had gained a better understanding of their staff.
Building upon this CoachDISC work in Academy 2.0, coaches were asked to complete their 360 Observer Feedback, a capability included with every Athlete Assessments DISC Profile that invites people within the individual’s environment to note insights about how they perceive the individual’s behavior. Often the first thing coaches want to know is how they can improve and what other people think we should be doing, however Liz emphasized how important it is to first celebrate our success and strengths as recognized by selected observers. She noted, “You might be surprised by the things those around us notice!” Coaches were given the time to sit with their feedback, noting observations that surprised them and identifying action items to take away from the session. I was impressed by the willingness of the coaches to consider their individual feedback from a different perspective and could see a real change in their feelings towards their feedback at the end compared to the beginning of the session. Many found the feedback that initially made its mark was very different to the feedback they took with them after reading through it a few times with a different mindset.
Reflecting on her involvement in the Academies, Liz shared,
“For me personally, it is the emails and notes I receive after the Academies from coaches deciding to stay in coaching after attending the WCA, that are the most rewarding. All too often, coaches arrive tired, warn-down by the year and challenges they’ve faced, and are thirsty for the special understanding that only fellow women coaches can have, and for knowledge and skills that will serve and sustain them in the years ahead. If we can help highlight the enormous contribution they give, the difference they truly make, equip them with skills and tools that will genuinely support all that they already bring to their sport, then we too have had an important impact.”
Whether presenting the most important thing to know about their program for exactly 2 minutes, defining their coaching values, or simulating how it might feel to be one of their LGBTQ+ athletes, family, friends, or colleagues, coaches were pushed beyond their comfort zones to open their minds and realize the potential they each hold for growth. The Academy sessions, delivered by renowned experts in their respective fields, built upon one another in a way that provided coaches with an opportunity for holistic growth as both women and as coaches that are not typically addressed.
Across both classes, the experience highlighted that while there are still numerous barriers for women coaches to overcome, they are not alone in their journey. Their strength lies in supporting each other. Whether they belong to the ‘moths’ or the ‘gaggle of geese,’ they belong (if you know, you know). Throughout their participation in the Academies, many coaches confessed neglecting their self-care and personal relationships, highlighting that they often feel their job as a coach consumes them entirely. As one coach succinctly put it, “Basketball is life.” And yet, one empowering takeaway from Coach Dawn Staley’s keynote address was to “protect your peace.”
Upon reflection, the Women Coaches Academies are an incredible experience for all involved, and one that is difficult to put into words! I was truly inspired by the kindness, openness, and wisdom of the coaches and facilitators. I am forever grateful to Vanessa Fuchs and the WeCOACH team for giving me the opportunity to attend. It was the absolute highlight of my year, and I cannot wait to follow the coaches’ continued success!
Where to from here?
To add additional value to their members, WeCOACH now offer the Member Benefits Partners Program, which Athlete Assessments is proud to be a part of, providing countless resources and discounted services from over 25 different experts, consultants, and speakers.
If you would like to learn more about how Athlete Assessments has been working with WeCOACH for over a decade, or discuss how we can contribute to your leadership development and success, we encourage you to get in contact with our team.
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