News Releases - 2021
September 13, 2021 – Industry Leaders to Present at the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport
July 29, 2021 – WeCOACH Expands Partnership with Jostens
July 21, 2021 – WeCOACH Announces Brianna Barry Memorial Scholarship
July 14, 2021 – WeCOACH Announces Conference-Wide Membership with Pac-12
June 22, 2021 – WeCOACH Renews Partnership with NSF Certified for Sport®
March 25, 2021 – WeCOACH Announces Extended Partnership with the USMC
February 4, 2021 – WeCOACH Announces Changes to Board of Directors & Staff
Industry Leaders to Present at the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport
September 13, 2021
- Megan Kahn, CEO of WeCOACH (USA)
- Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi, Director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport (USA)
- Liz Masen, CEO of Athlete Assessment (Australia)
- Dr. Etsuko Ogasawara, Executive Director of the Japanese Center for Research on Women in Sport and Professor of Sport Management at Juntendo University (Japan)
- Dr. Natsue Koikawa, Professor and Coach at Juntendo University (Japan)
The IWG World Conference on Women & Sport is the largest gathering in the world to advance gender equity and equality in sport and physical activity. The presentation titled The Value of and “How To” of Women Only Coach Education: Learnings from the USA & Japan, will bring together learnings and findings from years of collaboration between these five industry leaders.
Additionally, in 2014, Ogasawara attended the premier WeCOACH/NCAA Women Coaches Academy (WCA) with the intent to launch the Japanese Women Coach Academy. Now in its 7th year and on the heels of the Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese Women Coach Academy, modeled after the WCA, continues to make significant advances for women coaches in Japan. Both LaVoi and Masen are annual faculty members at the WeCOACH/NCAA and the Japanese Academies.
What these industry leaders are saying:
Megan Kahn
“Our longstanding collaborative efforts are making relevant and lasting impact in the personal and professional lives of women coaches, not only in our respective countries, but across the globe. I look forward to the IWG World Conference and an opportunity to expand and continue progress for women in the coaching profession through real-life data and examples.”
Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi
“The Tucker Center is proud to partner with like-minded entities around the globe who care deeply about developing and supporting women in sport coaching. We know from the data, women-only educational opportunities are transformative, and I look forward to sharing our findings.”
Liz Masen
“Great things happen when passionate and dedicated women come together. This conference is an excellent opportunity to develop more opportunities and make further progress for women and girls in sport globally. I’m personally excited to share the impactful work that we have been doing collaboratively from the USA, Japan, and Australia over the last decade, and learning from those I meet and see present at the event.”
Dr. Etsuko Ogasawara & Dr. Natsue Koikawa
“When we got the opportunity to participate in the NCAA Women Coaches Academy in December 2014 (class 34), we were so inspired by the content of the Academy as we had never before seen such an atmosphere. We decided to start the Japanese Women Coach Academy immediately and are now in our seventh year of organizing the Women Coach Academy in Japan. We believed that we could change our way of thinking to support women coaches or leaders in Japan and would like to share the results of our WCA to the other countries at the conference.”
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WeCOACH Expands Partnership with Jostens
July 29, 2021
“We are excited to take our partnership with Jostens to the next level. We are grateful for their longtime support of our Lifetime Achievement Award, and now we get to expand their brand visibility and presence across more of the WeCOACH platform and community,” said Megan Kahn, CEO of WeCOACH.
The partnership includes producing and presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award during the premiere WeCOACH and Hudl co-hosted digital event, BreakThrough Summit on December 14, 2021. The inaugural award was presented to two-time World Cup Champion Jill Ellis in 2019 and retired Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Coach Muffet McGraw in 2020. This year’s recipient will be announced this Fall. Jostens also produced the Leadership Award, which was given this week during the inaugural WeCOACH High School Women Coaches Leadership Academy.
“Jostens has been a proud longtime supporter of women’s sports and women coaches and believes deeply in WeCOACH’s mission and vision,” said Chris Poitras, Vice President and General Manager of Jostens College and Professional Sports Division. “We are excited and honored to expand our partnership with WeCOACH, continue to invest in the work they are doing to empower and advance women in coaching, and interact with the WeCOACH community.”
About Jostens
Jostens is a trusted partner in the academic and achievement channel, providing products, programs and services that help its customers celebrate moments that matter. The company’s products include yearbooks, publications, jewelry and consumer goods that serve the K-12 educational, college and professional sports segments. Founded in 1897 and based in Minneapolis, Minn., Jostens is owned by Platinum Equity and can be found online at jostens.com.
About WeCOACH
Founded in 2011, WeCOACH has become the premier membership organization committed to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches across all sports and levels. Previously known as the Alliance of Women Coaches, the organization reinvigorated its brand in August 2018. By providing a supportive and unified network, educational programs and resources, and access to in-person and digital resources, WeCOACH is changing the landscape for women coaches. Visit wecoachsports.org for more information.
WeCOACH Announces Brianna Barry Memorial Scholarship
July 21, 2021
With the blessing of Brianna’s parents, the Brianna Barry Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually to an assistant woman volleyball coach at the NCAA Division I, II, or III level to attend the WeCOACH/NCAA Women Coaches Academy, which is the premier development program for NCAA women coaches of all sports. The memorial scholarship includes full tuition to attend the multi-day Academy and a travel stipend. The next Academy will take place in May 2022.
“Bri’s passion for life and for coaching was absolutely infectious. She touched so many lives with her kind heart and captivating smile. It is an honor and privilege that WeCOACH can create this scholarship in her remembrance and to pay it forward to another woman coach,” said Megan Kahn, CEO of WeCOACH.
Brianna’s love of volleyball started at an early age, serving as a ball girl at Florida State University before going on to a successful career with the Seminoles, where she garnered 2nd team All-American and ACC Player of the Year honors her senior season. Brianna’s coaching career included serving as graduate assistant coach and head coach at Southeastern Oklahoma State before transitioning in 2019 to assistant coach at George Washington University.
The Brianna Barry Memorial Scholarship will be funded through the generous contributions of two lead donors: Dr. Cecile Reynaud, founding board member of WeCOACH and former Florida State volleyball coach (1976-2001), and Elizabeth King, current president of the WeCOACH Board of Directors.
“I first met Brianna Barry as young girl when she volunteered to be a ball girl at our FSU volleyball matches. She later came to FSU as a student-athlete. As a fan I was thrilled to watch her compete at the highest level. I kept in touch with her over the years when she entered the field of coaching. I am so proud of her and where she was going in her career as a coach.” said Reynaud.
Additional donations in Brianna’s honor to support this scholarship can be made at wecoachsports.org/donate/.
About WeCOACH
Founded in 2011, WeCOACH has become the premier membership organization committed to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches across all sports and levels. Previously known as the Alliance of Women Coaches, the organization reinvigorated its brand in August 2018. By providing a supportive and unified network, educational programs and resources, and access to in-person and digital resources, WeCOACH is changing the landscape for women coaches. Visit wecoachsports.org for more information.
WeCOACH Announces Conference-Wide Membership with Pac-12
July 14, 2021
“I am thrilled to be able to provide access for more than 200 Pac-12 coaches to the extraordinary opportunities that a WeCOACH membership provides. Participation in WeCOACH programming not only provides women coaches with access to professional development, but also a community of support that will profoundly enrich their lives. As a Conference that prides itself in being a leader in women’s athletics, it is only appropriate that we partner with an organization whose mission aligns so closely with our values. I look forward to seeing the impact that this conference-wide membership will have on our coaches.” said Teresa Gould, Senior Associate Commissioner of the Pac-12 and president-elect of the WeCOACH Board of Directors.
The only conference to win 500 NCAA Championships, the Pac-12 is rooted in academic excellence and superior athletic performance and extends to twelve campuses: University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Colorado, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of Utah, the University of Washington and Washington State University.
“The member institutions of the Pac-12 are very grateful for the support that the Pac-12 leadership is providing for our women coaches and selected staff, to be a part of the WeCOACH platform. The personal development, mentorship, education and empowerment provided, has solidified for our coaches their “why”, for doing what they do. For many, it has literally kept them in the game,” said Nona Richardson, Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director at University of Utah and chair of the Pac-12 Senior Woman Administrators Committee.
The conference-wide membership will be active immediately and extend to twenty women coaches at each Pac-12 institution. Coaches will benefit from the unique programs and resources offered by WeCOACH.
“The Pac-12 has continuously been a leader when it comes to women coaches, not just by their success on the court or field, but also demonstrating leadership across the profession. We are thrilled to expand our engagement across the conference to develop, educate, connect and inspire women coaches across levels and sports. At a time when gender equity is a focal point across the landscape, I applaud Teresa and the Pac-12 leadership for their vision and investment in supporting, keeping and advancing women in the coaching profession,” said Megan Kahn, CEO of WeCOACH.
About The Pac-12 Conference
The Pac-12 Conference has a tradition as the “Conference of Champions,” leading the nation in NCAA Championships in 55 of the last 61 years, with 537 NCAA team titles overall. The Conference comprises 12 leading U.S. universities – the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Colorado, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of Utah, the University of Washington and Washington State University. For more information on the Conference’s programs and member institutions, please visit Pac-12.com/conference.
About WeCOACH
Founded in 2011, WeCOACH has become the premier membership organization committed to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches across all sports and levels. Previously known as the Alliance of Women Coaches, the organization reinvigorated its brand in August 2018. By providing a supportive and unified network, educational programs and resources, and access to in-person and digital resources, WeCOACH is changing the landscape for women coaches. Visit wecoachsports.org for more information.
WeCOACH Renews Partnership with NSF Certified for Sport®
June 22, 2021
“We are excited to bring back our partnership with NSF Certified for Sport®. They are the gold-standard in the industry and allow us to strengthen our commitment to helping our coaches and their student-athletes feel assured that the products they are using are safe. Additionally, providing these valuable educational materials and supplement safety resources to our community of women coaches across all levels is paramount to team and individual success,” said WeCOACH CEO Megan Kahn.
To meet the growing demands of athletes, coaches and all those concerned about banned substances in sports supplements, NSF International created the Certified for Sport® program. The program certifies that what is on the label is in the bottle and that the product does not contain unsafe levels of contaminants, prohibited substances or masking agents. Certification also means that supplement manufacturers and their suppliers meet stringent certification guidelines. This partnership will help disseminate key educational content and supplement safety resources to the WeCOACH membership throughout the remainder of this year.
“WeCOACH creates exceptional resources for their members and shows dedication to diversity and inclusion for their community across sports. NSF is excited about their 2021 collaboration and sharing with and learning from such a great group of coaches and industry influencers,” said John Travis, NSF Certified for Sport® Program Manager.
About the NSF Certified for Sport®
NSF International’s global Certified for Sport® program helps athletes, dieticians, coaches and consumers make safer decisions when choosing sports supplements. The Certified for Sport® certification is the only independent third-party certification program recognized by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and the Canadian Football League. Certified for Sport® is also recommended by the NFL, NBA, PGA, LPGA, CCES, CPSDA, iNADO, Ironman, NASCAR, Taylor Hooton Foundation and many other organizations seeking to mitigate the risks of contaminated dietary supplements.
About WeCOACH
Founded in 2011, WeCOACH has become the premier membership organization committed to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches across all sports and levels. Previously known as the Alliance of Women Coaches, the organization reinvigorated its brand in August 2018. By providing a supportive and unified network, educational programs and resources, and access to in-person and digital resources, WeCOACH is changing the landscape for women coaches.
WeCOACH Announces Extended Partnership with the USMC
March 25, 2021
“We are excited to announce a continuation of the Marine Corps partnership and are appreciative of their continued support of the WeCOACH community. As we elevate and enhance our programmatic offerings and resources, their leadership principles embody the characteristics we hope our women coaches strive to model in their own environments,” said WeCOACH CEO Megan Kahn.
The Marine Corps’ national partnerships provide valuable opportunities to spread public awareness of the Marine Corps’ purpose by connecting the brand to those communities it serves. The relationships established between the Corps and athletic communities ensure its message of aspirational service resonates with coaches, athletes and their influencers.
This significant partnership provides an opportunity for the Marine Corps to engage across a number of platforms and programs with the WeCOACH community. The Marine Corps will leverage mixed media, custom content, virtual presentations, and meet-ups to share their core values.
“The United States Marine Corps is proud to continue our partnership with WeCOACH and extend our support to Women coaches nationwide. We look forward to forming invaluable relationships throughout our engagement with the WeCOACH community,” said LtCol Christian Devine, National Director of Marketing & Communications for the Marine Corp Recruiting Command.
About the United States Marine Corp
Our Marine Recruiters serve every corner of the country and our priority during this national health emergency is their safety as well as the safety of their families, and the communities where they live and work. Right now, it’s as important as ever that we band together as a nation, adjusting our approach while remaining focused on our mission.
The United States Marine Corps looks forward to forming enduring relationships with, and lending our support to, those coaches and athletic facilitators who help young Americans win battles every day.
About WeCOACH
Founded in 2011, WeCOACH has become the premier membership organization committed to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches across all sports and levels. Previously known as the Alliance of Women Coaches, the organization reinvigorated its brand in August 2018. By providing a supportive and unified network, educational programs and resources, and access to in-person and digital resources, WeCOACH is changing the landscape for women coaches.
WeCOACH Announces Changes to Board of Directors & Staff
February 4, 2021
- Pam Borton, CEO & Founder, ON Point: Next Level Leadership
- Pokey Chatman, Coaching Consultant and Former Collegiate & Professional Basketball Coach
- Samantha K. Huge, President, FourThorns, LLC
- Sara Liebscher, Associate Vice President of Development, Executive Director of Individual and Family Giving, University of Notre Dame
- Rachelle Manning, Sporting Goods Channel Manager, SanMar
- Ed Pasque, Commissioner, Sunshine State Conference
- The Rev. Dr. Joanne Sanders, Retired Senior Associate Dean for Religious Life, Stanford University
Elizabeth King, Managing Partner of Elizabeth M. King Consulting, LLC assumed the role of Board president effective this year. The move coincided with Pac-12 Senior Conference Associate Commissioner Teresa Gould beginning her term as president-elect. Charmelle Green transitioned to past-president. The governance leadership positions are one-year progressive terms.
“We are thrilled to welcome these individuals to our Board of Directors. Not only are they great people who will bring high energy, their vast and diverse experiences and skill sets will greatly impact WeCOACH at a pivotal time in our growth,” said King.
Additionally, Jan Whitbeck, who joined the WeCOACH staff in June 2019, has been promoted to Senior Director of Events and Branding effective immediately. Whitbeck manages the organization’s premier events, including the NCAA Women Coaches Academy programs and BreakThrough Summit, as well as oversees digital communications and brand management.
About WeCOACH
Founded in 2011, WeCOACH has become the premier membership organization committed to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches across all sports and levels. Previously known as the Alliance of Women Coaches, the organization reinvigorated its brand in August 2018. By providing a supportive and unified network, educational programs and resources, and access to in-person and digital resources, WeCOACH is changing the landscape for women coaches.